Considering Integrated Safeguards and the State-Level Concept in the Development of Equipment and Techniques for Safeguards

摘要

The past decades have seen a steady development in the IAEA safeguards implementation pursuant to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The most notable development is the introduction of the Additional Protocol (AP) and of additional strengthening measures. The IAEA relies on safeguards equipment, which in many cases is based on a customized design to meet the quite unique IAEA safeguards requirements. As safeguards evolve, the development of equipment and improved techniques should account for the new setting of safeguards implementation. Needs of further stakeholders relevant to a successful implementation of safeguards have to be considered, foremost the state or regional authority responsible for nuclear material accounting and control (SSAC or RSAC) and the facility operators.This paper analyses the use of unattended monitoring systems and remote data transmission in application of Integrated Safeguards starting from the experiences gained when the new safeguards regime was introduced for the non-nuclear weapon states in the European Union in 2010. The cooperation between the stakeholders benefits from smartly designed safeguards equipment which leads to reduced effort for on-site inspections by the IAEA without compromising the effectiveness of safeguards implementation. The use of digital sensors with the possibility of remote data transmission facilitates delegation of routine tasks like cask sealing under surveillance to the operator. The information over the state-of-health of unattended safeguards sensors gains new quality in schemes based on short-notice randomized inspections. With regard to unattended sensors for radiation detection, fast digitization in proximity to the sensor provides further opportunities with respect to authentication of sensor data and determining the state-of-health of the system. This contribution discusses the current and potential future role of safeguards equipment and technical developments in support of safeguards implementation that is based on the State-Level Concept.