Technical Cooperation between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission

In 1995, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) signed a technical cooperation agreement on research and development in nuclear material control, accountancy, verification, physical protection, and advanced containment and surveillance technologies for international safeguards applications. Specific projects on physical protection, environmental sampling, destructive and non-destructive measurement systems, design basis threat development, and unattended remote monitoring systems were undertaken that involved the exchange of information, materials, equipments and components for evaluation and testing. Courses, seminars, workshops, and visits by subject matter experts were conducted in Brazil and the United States to promote enhanced cooperation and technical exchange. This paper presents projects developed under this technical cooperation agreement, the status of their implementation, and the results obtained, as well as new cooperative activities identified by both organizations and currently under evaluation for future implementation. Cooperation between the DOE and CNEN is expected to receive greater attention and expand as both institutions look forward to significant interaction in nuclear material safeguards and nonproliferation.