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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

A vulnerability assessment process and enhancements in nuclear material protection control and accountability programs

Conference ·
OSTI ID:596973
;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories have conducted Vulnerability Analysis (VA) workshops at several Russian nuclear institutes over the past year and a half. These workshops present quantitative probabilistic risk analysis techniques used by the US Department of Energy (US DOE) to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the protection systems for category 1 and 2 and Special Nuclear Material (SNM) facilities in the US. The VA workshops focus on utilizing the computer-based analysis tool, Analytical System and Software for Evaluating Safeguards and Security (ASSESS), to quantify the detection, delay and neutralization probabilities for the protection systems. The workshops provide instruction to Russian organizations responsible for nuclear Material Protection Control and Accountability (MPC and A) in an effort to communicate how DOE assesses the status of protection systems, and how to use the assessments to evaluate and prioritize potential MPC and A enhancements. The VA methodology introduced in the workshops is now being used to provide an initial quantification of risk at each institute where the workshop is conducted. Further, MPC and A enhancements and upgrades, identified by the class participants during the workshop or as a follow-on activity, have been or will be implemented at several nuclear facilities within Russian. This paper will discuss the vulnerability assessment and computer modeling techniques presented at the Russian nuclear facilities by the US DOE National Laboratories, review the issues associated with adopting a US evaluation methodology in Russia, and explain how the application of this methodology could lead to more cost effective MPC and A program enhancements throughout Russia.

OSTI ID:
596973
Report Number(s):
CONF-960767--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English