Design-aided Safeguards in Final Disposal installations - SbD put in practice in the EU

Following decades of scientific research, political contemplation and socioeconomic considerations, we see the first geological disposal systems for spent nuclear fuel entering their implementation phase in two countries of the European Union. This process has resulted in the construction of novel types of nuclear installations, like underground repositories and spent fuel encapsulation plants. As a consequence, this calls for a parallel development of new safeguards concepts and applicable techniques by the relevant regulatory bodies. Spent nuclear fuel, once encapsulated and disposed, will not be available for re-verification, and this imposes a series of limitations and stringent conditions on the safeguards measures to be applied. Precise, efficient and reliable verification of the spent fuel to be disposed, as well as unconditional retention of the continuity of knowledge between its encapsulation and final emplacement underground, are crucial. Multi-party cooperation is indispensable in this challenging task and the international inspectorates (Euratom, IAEA) have liaised from the inception stages with the national safeguards authorities and the operators of the new installations. Safeguards-by-Design principles are being employed in a jointly developed process, aiming to enhance the safeguardability of the novel installations. Safeguards- by-Design implies the design-aided safeguards concept and is proposed in order to address the complexity and decrease labour-intensity of the safeguards implementation. The design characteristics and the applied safeguards measures must ensure total isolation of the underground storage environment and maximum control of all the penetrations leading to it. The paper presents the major components of the proposed safeguards system and the participatory process of its development and implementation. The basic assumptions of Eutatom's safeguards approaches for underground repositories and spent fuel encapsulation plants are explained and specific examples are given showing the way the interactive cooperation process between all stakeholders has influenced and shaped the design of the novel facilities.