THE NEXT GENERATION SAFEGUARDS INITIATIVE (NGSI): 2010 AND BEYOND

Year
2010
Author(s)
Dunbar Lockwood - National Nuclear Security Administration
Stephen LaMontagne - U.S. Department of Energy
Alex Sunshine - U.S. DOE/NNSA
Mark Whitney - U.S. Department of Energy
Gregory Dupuy - U.S. Department of Energy
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration launched the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) in 2008 to develop the policies, concepts, technologies, expertise, and international safeguards infrastructure necessary to strengthen and sustain the international safeguards system as it evolves to meet new challenges over the next 25 years. Following a successful 2009, NGSI is positioned to make significant progress toward these goals in 2010 and beyond. NGSI has recently completed a number of policy studies on advanced safeguards concepts and sponsored several workshops, including a second international meeting on Harmonization of International Safeguards Infrastructure Development in Vienna. The program is also continuing multi-year projects to investigate advanced nondestructive assay techniques, enhance recruitment and training efforts, and strengthen international cooperation on safeguards. This paper presents a review of NGSI program activities in 2010 and previews upcoming activities in the near future, including the Third International Meeting on Next Generation Safeguards, scheduled for December 2010.