Quantifying Safeguards Innovations: Impacts of Innovations on International Atomic Energy Agency Safeguards Inspection Effort

Abstract

The scope and breadth of nuclear safeguards activities are expanding as new nuclear facilities begin operations and countries sign new or extended safeguards agreements. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has adopted technical and policy innovations to meet these increasing safeguards demands within their constrained resources. This study analyzes prominent safeguards innovations to determine their impact on safeguards inspection effort, measured in person-days of inspection. The most significant impact on inspection effort resulted from optimized safeguards measures called Integrated Safeguards, which are implemented in states for which the IAEA has concluded that all nuclear materials remain in peaceful uses (known as the “broader conclusion”). The impact of Integrated Safeguards on inspection effort could justify striving for broader conclusions for more states.

Keywords

• International nuclear safeguards
• innovation
• efficiency
• International Atomic Energy Agency
• Integrated safeguards