Year
2001
Abstract
In collaboration with the United States Department of Energy as part of the Nuclear Material Protection, Control and Accounting (MPC&A) program, the Siberian Chemical Combine has completed a series of upgrades that have rapidly improved nuclear material security and control at the six plant sites of the SCC. Included among these upgrades are: · Installation of heavy steel doors in material storage rooms and vaults; · Bricking of glass block walls in material storage rooms; · Installation of steel bars over exterior windows near sensitive areas; · Removal of unnecessary transportation entryways; and · Replacement of older doors with heavy steel doors at transportation entrances to sensitive areas. In addition to these physical protection improvements, rapid nuclear material control elements have been upgraded as well. These include: · Dual locks on all new steel doors; · Two person procedures for handling keys and opening storage room doors; · Daily administrative checks for storage rooms and vaults; · Upgraded inventory procedures; · Bar codes and bar code readers that help automate the inventory process; · Electronic scales to improve the accuracy of the inventory process; and · Steps to introduce a tamper -indicating device program at the SCC. This paper outlines the rapid nuclear material protection, control, and accounting measures that have been upgraded during the past several years and offers a view of more comprehensive physical protection and material control/ accounting upgrades that are planned for the future.