Investigations Of Novel Technologies For Safeguarding Geological Repositories For Spent Nuclear Fuel

Safeguarding a Geological repository for spent nuclear fuel may benefit from the technologies which have not been utilized in safeguards context until now. Based on ideas discussed in the SAGOR and ASTOR groups over the last 30 years IAEA is now investigating practical applications of some of these technologies and their cost/benefit analysis in the establishing of an effective and efficient safeguards regime for a new type, first of its kind, facility being constructed in Finland and scheduled to start operations in 2025. Some of the technologies investigated are well established in the industrial applications (ground penetrating radar, microseismic monitoring), but their practicality and implications for deriving safeguards conclusion has not been yet evaluated, and some of the technologies are genuinely novel (like low level Kr-85 stack emissions monitoring). The paper will provide an overview of the IAEA efforts in that area, associated issues of individual technologies and future plans overview.