CNCAN 8

 

Enhancement of CNCAN capabilities for safeguard activities

 

Purpose:

To strengthen the safeguard regime in Romania and to enhance the effectiveness of the inspection and control activities performend by National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN).

 

Background:

As of May 1, 2010, Romania fully apply the provisions of EURATOM Regulation 302/2005, sending reports only EURATOM safeguards control and became a non-side letter in terms of preparation and submission of declarations on Romania under the Additional Protocol to safeguards Agreement.

Because CNCAN is responsible for preparing and submitting reports to EURATOM safeguards for WRMZ material balance area and declarations under Art. 2 of (i), (iv), (ix) (x) and 2 b (i) of Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the Republic of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland , Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the Portuguese Republic, Spain, Sweden, the European Atomic Energy Community and the International Atomic Energy Agency, on the application of art. Paragraph 1 and Article III. 4 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear  Weapons, adopted by the Romanian Parliament by Law no. 185/2007 resulting need to establish a database including all relevant information for developing these types of reports. Nuclear material accountancy (NMA) relies on the principle of conservation of matter. Any changes to the inventory of material present in a defined area must be equal to the net production or loss of such material the area plus flow of such material from outside, minus the flow out of the area. Effective verification based on principle requires knowledge of the flow and inventory of the nuclear material and the compilation of periodic nuclear material balance. Area defined in nuclear facilities for application of the conservation principle is called material balance areas (MBAs). An NMA cycle starts with the determination by the operator and verification by the EURATOM and IAEA of the physical inventory for an MBA. The operator maintains a book inventory based on the initial physical inventory, adding increases and deducting decreases.

The NMA cycle is closed by an ending PIV and by evaluation of the material balance for the period considered by the operator. Both are verified by the EURATOM and IAEA.

Currently, CNCAN is elaborating the guidelines on the obligations of small users of nuclear materials to assure the safeguards control and Physical Inventory Tacking (PIT).

CNCAN does not have a database yet that allows in real time to track the movement of nuclear material and to generate safeguards reports  and EURATOM asked CNCAN to prepare such a database.

This sub-project is a new proposal and it is based on the recommendations issued by IAEA ISSAS MISSION REPORT, Romania, 1 - 5 September 2008 and provision of Commission Regulation (Euratom= No. 302/2005) of 8 February 2005 on the application of Euratom safeguards, Commission Recommendation of 11 February 2009 on the implementation of a nuclear material accountancy and control system by operators of nuclear installations (notified under document number C(2009) 785) (2009/120/Euratom) and Commission Recommendation of 15 December 2005 on guidelines for the application of Regulation (Euratom) No 302/2005 on the application of Euratom safeguards(2006/40/Euratom)

Also, CNCAN has the obligation to implement responsibilities for the information to be provided to the IAEA pursuant to Articles 2 and 3 of the Protocol Additional to the Safeguards Agreement (INFCIRC/193) between the IAEA, European Atomic Energy Community and the Non-nuclear Weapon Member States (NNWS).

 

Results:

The programme will achieve its purpose described here above and in particular delivered:

  • A new guideline on the obligations of the small users of nuclear materials to assure safeguards control and the Physical Inventory Tacking (PIT);

  • Trained  CNCAN staff involved in safeguards control in MBA WRMZ;

  • A procedure for preparation and submission of PILs and MBRs to ensure that these reports are issued in accordance with IAEA and EURATOM requirements;

  • Trained CNCAN staff and of representatives of the small users responsible for ensuring safeguards control;

  • A functional database that allows in real time to track the movement of nuclear material in WRMZ and to generate safeguards reports.

 

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