Measuring progress in reactor conversion and HEU minimization towards 2020 - The case of HEU-fuelled research facilities

The primary impediment that prevents nuclear proliferation is the lack of access to fissile materials. Thus, a recognized objective internationally has been to minimize the use of HEU and reduce the number of locations with HEU present. Yet, nearing the 30 year anniversary of this objective, the number of HEU-fuelled research facilities in operation remains high, HEU is still being used in large quantities, and significant quantities of HEU is still to be found in a large number of unsecured locations worldwide. This paper identifies the most important indicators for measuring progress for the historical and future national and international efforts for research reactor conversion and decommissioning of vulnerable facilities