URENCO Conference on GCEP Safeguards, held in December 2009

URENCO held a conference in Chester, UK from 30 November to 3 December 2009. A total of 77 delegates from 13 countries attended, including operators from eight centrifuge enrichment plants, inspectors from three international safeguards agencies, governments from six countries, scientists from six research organisations and academics from three universities. The aim of the conference was to discuss and influence the future of safeguards in gas centrifuge enrichment plants. All of the key players in this field were present. There were many excellent presentations by distinguished speakers, and there was a high quality of debate during the several working group sessions on the following five themes: • How to detect production of high enriched uranium • How to detect undeclared low enriched uranium • How to detect diversion of declared uranium • How to strike the right balance between equipment and inspector presence • How to control access to information and train inspectors. This paper presents the main conclusions of the conference, including: issues where there was agreement across all working groups; issues where there were divided views and further debate is needed; promising ideas which should be studied further; some safeguards techniques where there was little enthusiasm, and some areas where concerns were expressed.