Year
2006
Abstract
The BN-350 reactor was one of four energy facilities at the Mangyshlak Atomic Energy Complex (MAEC), located close to the city of Aktau in western Kazakhstan. The BN-350 reactor was shut down for decommissioning in 1999 after almost 26 years of operation. One of the tasks of the program on safe disposal of nuclear materials from the MAEC site became the elimination of the highly enriched uranium (HEU) contained in about 2,900 kg of unused BN-350 reactor fuel that remained at the MAEC site following the final shutdown of the reactor. This HEU was potentially a raw material for nuclear bombs. In 2001, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Government of Kazakhstan agreed to a joint project designed to eliminate this material by downblending it into low-enriched uranium. This cooperation was executed in several phases outlined below. February - June 2002. Development of plans for the safe and secure transport of the fresh HEU fuel assemblies from MAEC to the Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP) in Ust-Kamenogorsk in northeastern Kazakhstan, June 2002 - September 2003. Transportation of the fresh HEU fuel from the BN-350 site to UMP and activities to obtain all permits and licenses required for storage and downblending of the HEU contained in the fuel assemblies, in new, purpose-built facilities. October 2003 - June 2004. Assessment of intruder and insider security threats. The results were recorded in a security report documenting the assessment and describing the physical protection equipment and system upgrades needed to improve physical protection in the areas where downblending and temporary product storage take place. September 2004 - February 2006. Engineering support, facility modifications and construction, equipment installation - including the official procedures of commissioning - and acceptance of the blend down processing line. Following regulatory approval, blend-down operations began in March 2005 and were completed in February 2006.