Approaches to Evaluation of Proliferation Resistance of Nuclear Energy Systems

Over the past several years, the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) has been developing an evaluation methodology for proliferation resistance and physical protection (PR&PP) of nuclear energy systems 1 , through collaboration between the countries and international organizations that participate in GIF. Generation IV nuclear energy systems are nuclear reactor technologies that could be deployed by 2030 and would present significant improvements over currently operating reactor technologies. The technology goals for GIF highlight PR&PP as one of the four goal areas, along with sustainability, safety and reliability, and economics. The PR&PP evaluation methodology that has been developed is a result of a consensus among the GIF participants, and has been approved by GIF for broad dissemination and use. In parallel with this multilateral effort by GIF, and over the same time period, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been sponsoring development of an International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) to help to ensure that nuclear energy is available in the 21 st century in a sustainable manner. In particular, INPRO has put forth basic principles, user requirements, and criteria for future nuclear energy systems, with similar broad goal areas to those that are being considered by GIF, including proliferation resistance and physical protection. This paper describes an effort to address the compatibility and use of the two methodologies, starting with proliferation resistance, in order to more fully understand and articulate the range of applicability and the potential for synergy in their application. “Proliferation resistance” evaluation is in its early stages, and on-going efforts to use the methodologies to assess particular fuel cycles or facilities will shed further light on what proliferation resistance means, how best it can be assessed, and their value to policy-makers, facility designers and users of nuclear facilities. The authors of this paper report on the status of progress on this effort, particularly with regard to the respective objectives, analysis approaches, input requirements, form of results and end uses. The views expressed herein are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Energy or its laboratories, the IAEA, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, or the European Commission-Joint Research Centre. 1 A Generation IV nuclear energy system includes a nuclear power producing plant and the facilities necessary to implement its related fuel cycle.