EU - ABACC Cooperation: Strengthening Safeguards Capabilities

Following initial discussions in 2006 within the framework of the EURATOM – ABACC R&D Cooperation Agreement, in 2012 the European Union engaged into a cooperation project to strengthen Safeguards Capabilities at ABACC (the Brazilian-Argentinean Agency for Accountancy and Control). ABACC expressed interest in having access to two new Safeguards capabilities based on two JRC technologies approved for Safeguards use by both EURATOM and IAEA. This four-year cooperation project is funded by the European Commission Directorate General for Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid (DEVCO), under the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC). The new capabilities to be created at ABACC are: (i) Verification of complex plant design and lay-out ("as-is") and (ii) Containment of Spent Fuel in a complex Storage Environment. This is to be achieved by transferring to ABACC two JRC-owned technologies: (a) 3D Laser Verification System and (b) Ultrasonic Seals. The development of the two technologies to be transferred were funded by JRC's internal work-programme and targeted to Safeguards under the framework of the European Commission Support Programme to the IAEA (tasks EC-E-1425 and EC-E-1559). The transfer of technologies includes a set of comprehensive training actions and field support activities. Close coordination with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) takes place during the whole project’s lifetime. The European Commission Directorate General for Energy (EURATOM Safeguards) is also informed on the project progress and achievements. Given the technologies to be transferred have been approved and are used by the IAEA, it will be possible at the end of the project to have the Safeguards equipment being jointly used by ABACC and the IAEA. This paper details all aspects of this cooperation project.

GONCALVES Joao;  LITTMANN Francois;  SEQUEIRA Vitor;  SIRONI Marco;  ANDERSEN Martin;  MACHADO Luís;  PEIXOTO Orpet;  DE ALMEIDA Silvio;  FERNANDEZ MORENO Sonia; 

2015-10-07

Publications Office of the European Union

JRC95758

978-92-79-49495-6,   

1831-9424,   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC95758,   

10.2789/099293,