A Self-Assessment Tool for MC&A at Russian Nuclear Facilities

The Russian Material Control and Accountability (MC&A) Equipment and Methodological Working Group (MEM WG) and the U.S. MC&A Measurements (MCAM) project are collaborating to provide sustainable infrastructure for an effective nuclear material control & accountability (MC&A) measurements program in Russia. The strategy supports national cross-cutting upgrades to MC&A systems, including providing attested measurement methodologies and reference materials and providing tools for Russian specialists to perform assessments of MC&A programs at their facilities. As part of this strategy, the MC&A System Effectiveness Tool (MSET) was developed to provide a systematic method for analyzing MC&A systems at nuclear facilities. MSET consists of multiple modules. The first module, the Functional Model, was developed from sound risk management practices for the performance of MC&A duties. Emphasis is on key activities such as categorizing nuclear material; establishing material balance areas; controlling access; and detecting and investigating anomalies. This model, which has been cross-walked against U.S. and Russian regulations, permits the user to verify that all major systems required for successful MC&A are in-place. In the second module, the Questionnaire, the user performs a self-assessment of MC&A operation and generates facility data needed to quantify the basic MC&A events. The final module applies probabilistic risk assessment techniques to determine the interrelation between event failures and quantifies a logical fault tree which provides relative risk values associated with the facility. A collaborative effort has been initiated by the MEM WG and MCAM to study MSET, analyze its applicability to Russian facilities, and propose modifications to pilot MSET at Russian nuclear facilities. Exercises have been conducted by Russian and U.S. MC&A experts. MSET has been shown to be an effective vehicle for quantitative relative risk assessment of MC&A systems. The MSET functional model and fault tree provide a systematic tool set for performing assessments of existing MC&A systems and evaluating proposed upgrades to systems. The MEM WG is evaluating development of a Russian version of MSET. Use of a Russian version of MSET will enable consistent, integrated and cost effective implementation of MC&A upgrades at Russian sites. This paper will present the status of the joint effort and preliminary results of the MSET assessment.