Implementation of MPC and A systems at the VNIIEF research (reactor) site

As part of the US-Russian Lab-to-Lab program for strengthening nuclear material protection, control, and accounting (MPC and A), an integrated MPC and A system is being installed at a large site within the VNIIEF complex to upgrade safeguards on the nuclear material stored and used at this site. In addition to storage facilities, the site houses a number of critical facilities at which nuclear physics research is conducted. The design of the MPC and A system is based on the test bed work presented earlier and provides the functions of nondestructive measurements for plutonium and highly enriched uranium, item control, personnel access control, radiation portal monitoring, and computed on-line accounting. The system controls, monitors, and accounts for nuclear material and people as the material moves through three material balance areas, a measurement room, and a number of control points. It also assists with physical inventory taking. The instrumentation used to implement these functions will include US commercial equipment as well as Russian-designed and -fabricated items