Implementation of Uniform MPC&A Upgrade Measures at RIAR and the Transition to Sustained Operations

The State Scientific Center of Russian Federation, Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (RIAR) is located near Dimitrovgrad in the Ulyanovsk Region of the Russian Federation. Founded in 1956, The Institute focuses on all engineering and scientific aspects of nuclear reactor technology. Eight nuclear reactors are at the 1.8 km2 site, supported by a stand-alone site infrastructure. Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC&A) program cooperative efforts were initiated at the site in 1996 under the DOE-MinAtom Government to Government program and the MPC&A system upgrade program efforts were commissioned in August 2005. This paper summarizes the cooperative Material Protection Control & Accounting efforts between the RIAR team and the United States Project Team that culminated in the implementation of uniform and complementary site-wide and facility specific upgrades. The paper also outlines the efforts that are being pursued to ensure that the upgrades are sustained in operation.