The implementation of the IAEA-Russia intergovernmental agreement on the establishment of a guaranteed physical reserve of low-enriched uranium (LEU) and supplies of LEU therefrom to the IAEA for its member-states

The year 2010 was definitely productive and efficient for the International Uranium Enrichment Centre (IUEC) which was founded in 2007 in accordance with the Russian President’s initiative of 2006 on the creation of a network of centers providing services in the nuclear fuel cycle including enrichment. The main development of the IUEC in 2010 arises from the establishment of a guaranteed physical reserve of low-enriched uranium (LEU) in Angarsk, Russian Federation for the supplies of LEU from it to the IAEA member-states suffering from nuclear fuel deliveries because of political force-majeure (non-commercial reasons). The paper reflects the schedule of speed works started in the IUEC from the March 29, 2010 when the Agreement for the LEU reserve establishment between IAEA and Russia was signed in Vienna till the end of the year when the Russian party officially informed the IAEA about the fulfillment of works regarding the creation of the required infrastructure in Angarsk and placement of 120 tons of Uranium in the form of LEU to the stock. In accordance with the Agreement the LEU physical reserve is located at the IUEC storage facility which is safeguarded by the IAEA due to the Agreement of 21 February 1985 between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the application of the safeguards in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (INFCIRC/327) and the additional protocol to this Agreement of 22 March 2000 between the Russian Federation and the IAEA. The designation procedure for the IUEC facility was on the July 1, 2010. Objectively the IUEC is the first and still the only one enterprise in the Russian Federation where the full-scale IAEA safeguards are in force now. The paper describes the implementation of the IAEA inspection of the LEU reserve which took place at the facility in December 13-17, 2010. A few words in paper are devoted to the corporate structure of the IUEC which has been changed recently. Earlier the information about the IUEC was provided by the paper presented at the 50 th INMM Annual Meeting in Baltimore in 2009