Evaluation of Application Effect of the Integrated Safeguards Approach for MOX Fuel Fabrication Facilities from the Operator’s Viewpoint

The Integrated Safeguards (IS) approach for MOX facilities in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories (JNC-1 site) site was jointly developed by inspectorate and operator not only to improve efficiency and effectiveness of safeguards, but also to reduce the burden for facility operations. Development of this approach was a challenge for the inspectorate and JAEA because we did not have previous models and experiences for development of an IS approach for a MOX facilities. Through good cooperative efforts between the inspectorate and JAEA, the new IS approach for the JNC-1 site was implemented in August 2008. IAEA intended to regard the first three years after implementation of the IS approach as a trial period and evaluate the validity of the IS approach based on the historical performance. JAEA has evaluated the effects of application of the IS approach for two MOX fuel facilities, PFPF and PPFF, based on the performance of Random Inventory Inspection (RII) over about a three-year period. As the result of JAEA’s evaluation, it was confirmed that there are some differences of benefits of application of the IS approach depending on the features of the facilities and the degree of advanced safeguards systems present. This report shows evaluation results of the application effect of the IS approach for MOX fuel fabrication facilities and future issues from the operator’s point of view.