Challenges to Ensuring Operability of Protection Systems while Maintaining Risk Reduction at the Joint Institute for Power and Nuclear Research - Sosny, Belarus

The Joint Institute for Power and Nuclear Research – Sosny (JIPNR-Sosny) is engaged in multilateral projects focused on upgrading the systems of protection for weapons-grade nuclear material. Critical protection and infrastructure upgrades are being financially supported by the United States Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE NNSA). Several components have been completed and accepted by the site, including: ? modernizing and expanding the radio communications system ? commissioning of a new physical protection system at the Yalina subcritical stand; ? construction and integration of a new Central Alarm Station (CAS); ? use of TIDs; ? improved nuclear material measurement capability; ? upgrades to outer perimeter gates and several protective force enhancements. Future work under the project will include consolidation of all nuclear material into a new vault with enhanced Material Protection Control and Accounting (MPC&A) measures. Protection will further be enhanced by a project to install and commission a new active perimeter around the vault building as part of the technical assistance proposal of the Federal Republic of Germany. The project envisions activities to support the sustainability of the nuclear material protection system. This sustainability effort poses challenges for the Institute, such as procurement of spare parts and equipment, introduction of an automated inventory system for spare parts, development of maintenance plans and schedules, and upgrading the training program. Operation and maintenance of all these systems and training of personnel require significant manpower and financial resources. To support site safety, national budget funds are focused on phased equipping all the JIPNR-Sosny buildings with a fire alert/alarm system. The fire alarm system and the automated radiation emergency system for warning staff of situations that can occur at nuclear and radiological facilities are installed but will be monitored in a location other than the CAS. This paper discusses the challenges and planned multilateral solutions related to ensuring risk reducing operability of protection systems at the JIPNR-Sosny.