Status of the generation IV Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection (PR-PP) - 5460

Methodologies have been developed within the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) to support the assessment and improvement of system performance in the areas of sustainability, safety and reliability, economics, proliferation resistance and physical protection (PR-PP). The last of these four areas was assigned to the GIF Working Group on Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection (PRPPWG). Since the PR-PP methodology (now at Revision 6) represents a mature, generic and comprehensive evaluation approach, and is freely available on the GIF public web-site, several non-GIF technical groups have chosen to utilize the PR-PP methodology for their own goals. Indeed, the results of the evaluations performed with the methodology are intended for 3 types of generic users: system designers, program policy makers, and external stakeholders. The PRPPWG developed the methodology through a series of demonstration and case studies. In addition, over the past few years various national and international groups have applied the methodology to inform nuclear energy system designs, as well as to support the development of approaches to advanced safeguards. A number of international workshops have also been held which have introduced the methodology to design groups and other stakeholders. In this paper we summarize the technical progress and accomplishments of the PR-PP evaluation methodology, including applications outside GIF, and we outline the PR-PP methodology's relationship with the IAEA's INPRO methodology. Current challenges with the efficient implementation of the methodology are outlined, along with the path forward for increasing its accessibility to a broader stakeholder audience - including supporting the next generation of skilled professionals in the field of nuclear non-proliferation and security. (authors)