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Title: IAEA Safeguards and technical support programs: POTAS in the 1990s

Abstract

The US Program of Technical Assistance to IAEA Safeguards (POTAS) has since 1978 provided technology and technical assistance to the IAEA to support its nuclear safeguards activities. The present level of support, $6.9 million per year, equals 10% of the Department of Safeguards annual budget. During the next decade, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will face new technical challenges in carrying out its verification activities. To help the IAEA acquire the technology and other technical support that it will require in the 1990s, POTAS expects to continue its assistance, both in the areas established in the past and in additional areas dictated by newly identified IAEA safeguards requirements. This paper will look at the political and policy context within which the Department of Safeguards, and hence POTAS, operates, and how that context is expected to evolve over the next decade. The roles and functions of POTAS will be identified and discussed in terms of their historical evolution. Lastly, the paper will consider how POTAS is expected to change during the 1990s, both to maintain effectiveness in existing roles and functions, and to meet the challenge of the changing policy context. 5 refs.

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. (Department of State, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Nuclear Technology and Safeguards)
  2. (Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States))
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOS; Department of State, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
5491513
Report Number(s):
BNL-45755; CONF-910774-67
ON: DE91016901
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 32. Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) annual meeting, New Orleans, LA (United States), 28-31 Jul 1991
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; IAEA SAFEGUARDS; COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS; HISTORICAL ASPECTS; INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS; NUCLEAR MATERIALS POSSESSION; SAFEGUARD REGULATIONS; VERIFICATION; CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS; FUEL CYCLE; GOVERNMENT POLICIES; IMPLEMENTATION; INFORMATION SYSTEMS; IRAQ; MATERIALS HANDLING; NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY; NUCLEAR INDUSTRY; NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT; PLANNING; PLUTONIUM; STRATEGIC POINTS; UNITED NATIONS; ACTINIDES; AGREEMENTS; ASIA; DEVELOPING COUNTRIES; ELEMENTS; INDUSTRY; INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; MANAGEMENT; METALS; MIDDLE EAST; REGULATIONS; RESEARCH PROGRAMS; SAFEGUARDS; TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS; TREATIES; WEAPONS; 055002* - Nuclear Fuels- Safeguards, Inspection, & Accountability- Nontechnical Aspects; 350200 - Arms Control- Proliferation- (1987-)

Citation Formats

Kessler, C.J., and Reisman, A.W. IAEA Safeguards and technical support programs: POTAS in the 1990s. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
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Kessler, C.J., & Reisman, A.W. IAEA Safeguards and technical support programs: POTAS in the 1990s. United States.
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Kessler, C.J., and Reisman, A.W. Tue . "IAEA Safeguards and technical support programs: POTAS in the 1990s". United States. doi:. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5491513.
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@article{osti_5491513,
title = {IAEA Safeguards and technical support programs: POTAS in the 1990s},
author = {Kessler, C.J. and Reisman, A.W.},
abstractNote = {The US Program of Technical Assistance to IAEA Safeguards (POTAS) has since 1978 provided technology and technical assistance to the IAEA to support its nuclear safeguards activities. The present level of support, $6.9 million per year, equals 10% of the Department of Safeguards annual budget. During the next decade, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will face new technical challenges in carrying out its verification activities. To help the IAEA acquire the technology and other technical support that it will require in the 1990s, POTAS expects to continue its assistance, both in the areas established in the past and in additional areas dictated by newly identified IAEA safeguards requirements. This paper will look at the political and policy context within which the Department of Safeguards, and hence POTAS, operates, and how that context is expected to evolve over the next decade. The roles and functions of POTAS will be identified and discussed in terms of their historical evolution. Lastly, the paper will consider how POTAS is expected to change during the 1990s, both to maintain effectiveness in existing roles and functions, and to meet the challenge of the changing policy context. 5 refs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991}
}
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Conference:
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  • ; - Nuclear Materials Management. Annual Meeting Proceedings; (United States)
    The U.S. Program of Technical Assistance to IAEA Safeguards (POTAS) has since 1978 provided technology and technical assistance to the IAEA to support its nuclear safeguards activities. The present level of support, $6.9 million per year, equals 10% of the Department of Safeguards annual budget. During the next decade, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will face new technical challenges in carrying out its verification activities. To help the IAEA acquire the technology and other technical support that it will require in the 1990s, POTAS expects to continue its assistance, both in the areas established in the past and inmore » additional areas dictated by newly identified IAEA safeguards requirements. This paper looks at the political and policy context within which the Department of Safeguards, and hence POTAS, operates, and how that context is expected to evolve over the next decade. The roles and functions of POTAS will be identified and discussed in terms of their historical evolution. Lastly, the paper will consider how POTAS is expected to change during the 1990s, both to maintain effectiveness in existing roles and functions, and to meet the challenge of the changing policy context.« less

  • ; - Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)
    When the Non-Proliferation Treaty came into force, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) became for the first time responsible for implementing full-scope safeguards in many countries, including countries with large and sophisticated nuclear programs. The IAEA's Department of Safeguards did not have the safeguards technology appropriate for these rapidly expanding responsibilities, nor did it have a research and development program to respond to that need. In response to this situation, the United States initiated the US Program of Technical Assitance to IAEA Safeguards (POTAS) in 1977. This program was originally intended to be a 5-yr, $5 million program. As themore » United States and the IAEA began to implement this program, several things rapidly became clear. Meeting the evolving safeguards technology needs would require much more than $5 million; within the first 5 yr, the United States allocated more than $20 million. This paper summarizes the policies activities, and practices POTAS has employed in support of IAEA safeguards program.« less

  • - J. Nucl. Mater. Manage.; (United States)
    Over the past few years the United States has recognized a need to revise the emphasis of the Program of Technical Assistance to Safeguards (POTAS). This change in direction is based on the recognition that the IAEA is greatly expanding its use of new safeguards instruments, devices and techniques. Effective implementation of this new technology places a heavy burden on the IAEA inspectors and also place a substantial burden on the technical support functions of the Department of Safeguards. Essential to the effective use of measurement and surveillance devices is a set of well documented procedures describing their use, asmore » well as improved procedures for procurement, management, and maintenance of these new and complex devices. Training courses must be expanded to give the inspector an opportunity to gain experience in the use of these devices under realistic conditions. Techniques for data evaluation need to be expanded to assure accurate and rapid reporting of inspection results. Finally methods for reviewing the implementation of safeguards, supported by a quality assurance program must be put to use to provide Safeguards Management with a clear understanding of the effectiveness of the implementation of safeguards.« less

  • ; ; - Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)
    The concept of research and development (R D) programs in support of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards arose from the mandate given to the agency to devise and implement a system of international safeguards as required by the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The IAEA did not have the resources to develop the methods and techniques needed to establish and operate a system of safeguards, and it was decided that, rather than provide additional funding, the necessary R D would be carried out in voluntary programs provided by member states. The United Kingdom offered such a program inmore » 1980, and it was formally accepted and initiated in 1981. The funding is made available by the UK government, the program being managed and the R D work performed by AEA Technology. 2 refs.« less