Russian Nuclear Security Update #3
Grossi visits ZNPP, as Russia acknowledges mines; progress toward Russian land-based SMR; Rosatom maintains intl cooperation; SCC hires; "winter fence" at Mayak
Welcome to the new issue of weekly updates on current developments related to nuclear security in Russia, Russia’s impact on nuclear security globally, and lessons for nuclear security elsewhere.
Despite comprehensive sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine, many countries are still willing to continue nuclear energy cooperation with Russia. According to Rosatom's Annual Report, in 2022, Rosatom signed new nuclear cooperation agreements with 16 countries and intends to expand the cooperation and construction of NPPs overseas in the coming years. This cooperation often includes nuclear security components, such as support in developing national nuclear security infrastructure, designing physical protection systems for new nuclear sites, and training physical protection personnel. Every week brings multiple new evidences of Russia’s international nuclear cooperation at multiple levels - from high-level meetings to the supply of nuclear fuel and training courses for the nuclear industry personnel.
GROSSI VISITS ZNPP AS RUSSIA ACKNOWLEDGES LAYING MINES AROUND THE PLANT PERIMETER
February 8, 2024
In its Note Verbale provided to the IAEA on January 31. Russia acknowledged the mining perimeter of the Zaporizhzhya NPP (ZNPP) and declared it is “an acceptable practice that does not contradict any IAEA recommendations.” In Notes Verbale provided on February 2 and February 8, Russia also stated that between January 23 and February 5, a total of 342 “aerial vehicles launched by Ukraine with the aim of attacks and provocations against ZNPP and the town of Enerhodar were suppressed.” Russia does not report any damage from these drone attacks. I am not a prominent expert on the use of drones, but these claims look unrealistic based on what we know about statistics in general and the effectiveness of Ukrainian drone attacks lately in particular. The Russian statement also claims that the time of the IAEA Director General Grossi’s stay at the ZNPP was significantly reduced because the Ukrainian side refused to guarantee a cease-fire for the whole initially planned stay and transportation of the IAEA delegation to and from the plant and this was the reason why IAEA delegation could not visit all initially planned rooms and facilities at the plant. The IAEA update released immediately after Director General Grossi’s visit to ZNPP does not address the issue of mining, drone attacks, and reasons for limited access. The update notes, though, that there had been no shelling of ZNPP since May last year. The IAEA update raised the issue of staffing. Still, it does not comment on the sufficiency of the current staffing levels at ZNPP, instead promising to closely monitor the situation in this regard.
ROSENERGOATOM ACHIEVES AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE TOWARD THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST LAND-BASED SMR
February 2, 2024
Rosenergoatom, a company managing all Russian nuclear power plants (NPP), received the status of “operating organization” for a low-capacity nuclear power plant to be built in Yakutiya. This is a mandatory step towards obtaining a license to construct NPP. Yakutiya NPP will be the first Russian land-based NPP using the RITM-200 reactor, one of the small modular reactor (SMR) designs Russia is going to market worldwide.
RUSSIA WILL SUPPLY LEU NUCLEAR FUEL FOR A RESEARCH REACTOR IN EGYPT
February 8, 2024
Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant, one of Russia’s nuclear fuel manufacturing enterprises, signed the contract for low-enriched uranium fuel supply with Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority. Delivery will be completed in 2024. The fuel is intended for the ETRR-2 reactor of the Nuclear Research Center, which is used for research and the production of isotopes.
ROSATOM DELIVERS PHYSICAL PROTECTION TRAINING TO AKKUYU NPP PERSONNEL.
In 2023, experts of the Global Nuclear Security and Safety Institute (GNSSI), physical protection (PP) training division of Rosatom Technical Academy, delivered several training courses on PP of materials and sites to personnel of Akkuyu NPP built by Rosatom in Turkey:
In June 2023, GNSSI conducted a “General Course on Analytical Work and Internal Control in the Physical Protection System.”
In August 2023, GNSSI conducted a “General Course on Physical Protection of Radioactive Sources during Its Use.”
In October 2023, GNSSI delivered a training course that covered topics of nuclear security, information security, and physical protection equipment.
All training courses were conducted within the framework of a comprehensive plan for the training of specialists in the physical protection of nuclear power plants in the field of nuclear security designed for the period up to 2027 and took place in Turkey. It is expected that future training will be conducted in the specialized training center, which is currently being built at the Akkuyu NPP site.
GNSSI was one of the key beneficiaries of the nuclear security cooperation between the United States and Russia. The US invested substantial funding and technical expertise in training GNSSI instructors, developing GNSSI infrastructure, and training courses delivered there.
THE SIBERIAN CHEMICAL COMBINE HIRES OVER 300 NEW EMPLOYEES ANNUALLY
March 22, 2023
In the story published in March 2023, Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC), one of Russia’s largest nuclear fuel cycle sites, reported that it hired 325 employees in 2022, achieving a total headcount of 3349 as of January 1, 2023. SCC was expected to hire over 400 employees in 2023 and 500 employees in 2024. More than 200 specialists were required for the Experimental Demonstration Energy Complex for the “PRORYV [BREAKTHROUGH]” project, including 40 new employees for the BREST reactor and 70 new employees for the accompanying fuel manufacturing facility.
SCC did not report on the number of retiring personnel.
MAYAK INSTALLS A NEW FENCE ALONG THE COASTLINE OF LAKE IRTYASH
February 9, 2024
Lake Irtyash is not immediately adjacent to the site of Mayak, a key enterprise of Russia’s nuclear defense complex, but borders the “closed city” of Ozersk that hosts Mayak. During summer months, the lake is patrolled by the naval squad of the National Guard protecting Ozersk and Mayak. This new fence is presumably intended to prevent intruders from trespassing Ozersk borders from the ice-covered lake.
Most of the sources for this update are in Russian. I provide a brief English summary for each link or set of links, but for the sake of time, I will not provide a translation or a detailed summary unless there is something I consider extremely interesting and important. For complete translation, please use Google Translate or its alternatives. However, if you have specific substantive questions or think that machine translation does not make sense, feel free to reach out.
There is always a chance I miss something interesting. Let me know if you want me to comment on anything interesting you hear from other sources.