Year
2000
Abstract
This paper describes the new directions for the Nuclear Materials Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC&A) program at the All Russian Scientific Research Institute of Technical Physics (VNIITF), also called Chelyabinsk-70. Chelyabinsk-70 is located in the Ural Mountains, approximately 2000 km east of Moscow and 100 km south of Ekaterinburg. US sponsored MPC&A work has been underway at VNIITF since mid 1995. During the first three years of the VNIITF project, emphasis was on the Pulse Research Reactor Facility (PRR), which contains one metal and two liquid pulse reactors and associated nuclear material storage rooms and a control center. A commissioning of the PRR was held in May of 1998. With the completion of the MPC&A work in the PRR, new physical protection work has focussed on building 726, which contains a pulse reactor and a criticality facility. Physical protection work is now complete at building 726. Several changes in the direction of MPC&A work at VNIITF have taken place and others are underway as a result of new DOE Guidelines for MPC&A at Russian Facilities, the National Research Council report issued in late 1999 and other recommendations. A major change is to do MPC&A work only at facilities for which the US can assure the proper categorization of nuclear materials, that upgrades are appropriate, properly installed and operational and that the equipment and funds used to implement and support those upgrades are being utilized in the manner intended. Other changes in direction which will be described include, an increased emphasis on completing inventories, the use of “inherently sustainable” upgrades wherever possible, and completing improved accounting systems and other MPC&A upgrades on a prioritized facility by facility basis rather than attempting to implement them site wide.