COMMONALITY OF IAEA SAFEGUARDS AND OPERATIONAL MONITORING AT GEOLOGICAL REPOSITORIES

In September 2002, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) Geological Repository Safeguards Experts Group evaluated the overlap between the monitoring requirements for IAEA safeguards, national physical protection and material control and accounting, repository performance confirmation and quality assurance, and operational safety. Experts representing all four disciplines met in Oskarshamn, Sweden, to identify and discuss each function’s monitoring needs. The monitoring requirements were compared for the pre-operational, operational, and post-closure phases of a geological repository. During the pre-operational period, the IAEA’s design information verification requirements closely overlap the state and operator’s design and performance confirmation monitoring activities. During the operational period, the IAEA’s safeguards verification requirements will significantly overlap with monitoring activities performed to meet domestic nuclear material accounting, operational safety, and quality assurance requirements. During the post-closure period, IAEA safeguards will have the only required monitoring activities; however, some States are considering monitoring, for a limited time, to provide assurance that the repository remains undisturbed. Using the results of the Experts Meeting, the Waste Technology Section of the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Energy held Consultants’ Meetings to determine what repository design considerations could facilitate the effective implementation of IAEA safeguards at geological repositories.