“SLAFKA” is a prototype for safeguarding nuclear material based on distributed ledger technology (DLT), commonly known as blockchain. It is the first DLT prototype in the world to be developed for a nuclear regulator.
Nuclear safeguards are a set of technical measures used to verify that States are upholding their international commitment to use nuclear materials for peaceful purposes only. At the national level, States are required to maintain a system of accounting for nuclear materials and allow access for international inspectors. DLT offers the potential to increase efficiencies and effectiveness in accountancy and verification by increasing the integrity of safeguards data, provenance of nuclear materials and streamlining reporting.
Increase trust and participation
SLAFKA demonstrates how a permissioned DLT platform not only address data integrity by providing an immutable, append-only ledger with access controls strictly applied, but also how DLT allows for greater participation among operators.
Currently, safeguards reporting is hierarchical and one-directional from operator to regulator (and then onwards to regional and/or international regulator). In SLAFKA, the ledger works differently with operators digitally transacting materials between one another and the regulator(s) sees (and verifies) this. Access controls aligned with the confidentiality of nuclear accounting information means that facilities can only see nuclear material possessed by them or being sent to them while the regulator can observe (and verify) all transactions.
Current Safeguards Reporting
SLAFKA Safeguards Reporting
Holders should feel a greater sense of involvement and participation while regulator(s) are given a wider view to activities related to all nuclear materials within a State
First of Its Kind
SLAFKA is a joint project with the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) and Stimson’s Blockchain in Practice Program . It is the first DLT prototype developed for a nuclear regulator to test the technology’s potential to solve challenges related to the management of nuclear safeguards information.
