Strategic safeguards considerations of the global nuclear energy renaissance

As nuclear energy use advances through the next decade, the international community has an important opportunity to work together to ensure that nonproliferation is an essential element of the development process. For the United States, this idea is incorporated in the U.S. initiative titled the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) announced by the U.S. Department of Energy in February 2006. GNEP is one of the key conceptual international fuel cycle approaches that have been proposed to enhance nonproliferation as nuclear energy use expands worldwide. This paper will look at how basic elements of two hypothetical international fuel cycle approaches could impact international safeguards approaches and technologies. For example, designing advanced safeguards directly into new nuclear energy systems and fuel cycle facilities could help ensure that any diversion of nuclear materials or modification of the energy systems would be revealed. New international approaches could also encourage vendors of nuclear fuel cycle components, systems, and facilities to work with the IAEA and others to incorporate safeguards systems into the purchased product. This paper will look specifically at how 1) reliable fuel cycle service arrangements and 2) international fuel cycle facility approaches create advantages as well as challenges for the international safeguards system. (author)