Safeguards & Security Approach for Increasing Storage of Special Nuclear Material at a Nuclear Research Facility While Reducing Protective Force Requirements

A mission capability goal for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is to increase its inventory of special nuclear materials to support emerging research. Current operations is limited to storage and use of Category III levels of nuclear materials. A security approach and operational model was created resulting in a fundamentally new protective strategy allowing for storage and use of Category II quantities of nuclear materials, while demonstrating non-credible roll-up up to Category II. This new protective strategy has a strong potential for significant Protective Force cost savings. Meeting this goal is accomplished in a four-phased approach. The first phase reviewed design options and approaches to validate option feasibility. A series of technical evaluations were completed to support the selected concept which included: criticality and nuclear safety determinations, material control and accountability management, thermal and hydrogen generation evaluation, and engineered delay strategies. The design option chosen requires the use of extremely robust in-floor storage containment. The second phase developed the security strategy to support the conceptual design option. This is complete and is documented in a Security Risk Assessment. The third phase involved execution of design, fabrication and construction. The final design and fabrication of six Floor Storage Containers is complete with installation in progress. The fourth phase encompasses operational readiness. Detailed integrated operational modeling was mapped and completed using the VIPeR tool. Final operational readiness activities will occur post-installation.PNNL-SA-140617