The Security Of Advanced Reactors

The development of advanced reactor (AR) designs to generate carbon-free power for a variety of commercial applications, beyond electricity supply, is attracting growing interest. The deployment of these AR designs is intended to address longer- term challenges associated with nuclear technology including the cost of deployment, their competitiveness with existing technologies; the concern surrounding potential proliferation issues; the management of long-lived radioactive waste,their safety and last not least, the security issues associated with AR designs. The future deployment of these reactors is dependent on designers and developers addressing important issues related to the security of these reactors and associated facilities, including proposed fuel types. In 2020, the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) conducted a broad and in-depth study of advanced reactors focused on the audience of developers of advanced reactors. The purpose of the study was to extend their understanding of nuclear security issues. WINS interviewed more than 20 subject matter experts and identified 5 actionable recommendations that will need to be addressed by the main stakeholders for the successful deployment of ARs. WINS study presents a high-level perspective of the main international instruments, standards and guidance that should influence the development of national laws and regulations that will govern the deployment of advanced reactors in different countries. The main theme of the study was to encourage developers and designers supported to incorporate security as early as possible into the different designs. WINS analysed the specific security considerations and challenges of the various reactor designs in meeting different countries’ existing regulatory requirements and introduced an overview of security by design (SeBD) methodologies that could be adopted by AR developers. This paper will present the highlights of the study and its importance for designers and developers as well as operators and regulatory bodies in all countries where this technology will be deployed.