INTRA-SITE CONSOLIDATION AT NOVOSIBIRSK CHEMICAL CONCENTRATES PLANT (SIMPLIFYING THE TASK OF PROTECTING WEAPONS-USABLE MATERIAL)

The Russian Federation’s Ministry for Atomic Energy (MinAtom) and the United States Department of Energy (DOE) are engaged in a joint, cooperative effort to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation by enhancing physical protection and material control and accounting (MC&A) of special nuclear materials (SNM) at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP). Highly enriched uranium was originally stored in four of the site’s central storage facility buildings. When the U.S. Team originally proposed the consolidation of highly enriched uranium (HEU) into a single central storage location, the site resisted the U.S. proposal. This paper describes the process used to define the problem; transfer relevant information and knowledge base; jointly evaluate the consolidation proposal; strategize; develop alternatives and compensatory measures; negotiate and resolve classification, certification, and approval issues; and then arrive at consensus with NCCP for the consolidation of HEU. The joint U.S.–Russian team then reduced the overall project into easily achievable task elements. The result of the consolidation effort was the relocation of 10 metric tons of HEU into one easily defended, certified, and approved location without impacting site operations.