Material Attractiveness and Categorization Activities at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

As part of a fuel cycle security rule-making effort, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is developing an approach to take into account the attractiveness of special nuclear material (SNM) in assigning physical protection requirements. This is the first major update of 10 CFR Part 73, as it applies to fuel cycle security, in over 20 years. A major element of the rule-making is taking into account the attractiveness of SNM by assigning physical protection requirements in a graded approach. Based on technical analysis performed by Los Alamos National Laboratory and the NRC staff, the major attribute that NRC has identified to support this new attractiveness approach is the amount of dilution of the SNM in a matrix. NRC has used the concept of material attractiveness in the past to support exemptions to security requirements in the current regulations. The current approach does not allow NRC actions associated with the exemptions to be transparent and predictable. By incorporating the concept into regulations, stakeholders will have an opportunity to comment on the process. In the end, the effort should result in SNM possessed by licensees to be protected with appropriate measures, consistent with its level of attractiveness.