Year
2008
Abstract
In designing integrated safeguards approaches, the International Atomic Energy Agency actively gives consideration to the broader use of statistical techniques and advanced safeguards technology to optimise effectiveness and efficiency. Furthermore, the Agency may decide to group together facilities of the same type that are inter-related for the purpose of inspection planning to optimize the resources required for safeguards. Along these lines, the Agency is currently evaluating, inter alia, a proposal that involves grouping unirradiated direct-use materials facilities that are functionally related. Rigorous statistical methodologies for inspection planning, in addition to advanced measurement and monitoring methods, are applied to this group of facilities. Material with identical physical and chemical characteristics within this group of facilities are reorganized to form “sectors” that are different from the established material balance area (MBA) structure. While physical inventory and MBA flow verifications would continue to take place, the inventory of the grouped facilities would be verified for timeliness purpose through random interim inspections of the sectors. The transfers between sectors would be declared by the operator. The Agency verification of the declarations would be done through the use of a near-realtime accountancy system, destructive analysis, and remote monitoring and measuring devices. A prerequisite for a successful implementation of this approach is well defined physical boundaries of the sectors, and frequent operator declarations. Furthermore, planning of the inspection regime takes into account the provisions and opportunities available under the Additional Protocol, such as site declarations, advanced information to support an effective and efficient inspection planning, and complementary access. Advantages of the above sector approach over traditional approach may include enhanced probability of detecting a diversion based upon concealment through borrowing between the inter-related facilities; increased verification coverage; focused safeguards effort on strategically important materials and activities; enhanced inspection efficiency; and reduced interference with facility operations. The safeguards approach appears to be capable of reducing the safeguards effort by more than 50% when compared to the current traditional regime without a loss of effectiveness.