Nuclear Security News and Member Updates Roundup, December 2021

Dear INSF Members,

This past month marked one year since we kicked off the International Nuclear Security Forum. When we introduced the forum concept to you, our goal was to provide a space for a diverse group of international experts to identify, create, and support strategies for reducing nuclear terrorism risks. I am incredibly proud of what this network has accomplished.

We have hosted discussions on a range of topics, convened workshops drawing connections between nuclear security and broader nuclear policy questions, and highlighted new thinking on insider threats. We have supported forum members’ expertise by publishing papers on nuclear security in Russia and the United Kingdom. We have highlighted members’ work through our newsletter and our catalogue of civil society activities. We have encouraged dialogue on our listserv and in social media around controversial issues like nuclear security in Iran and AUKUS. At every opportunity, this network has risen to the occasion.

Over the past year, I have seen evidence of three important lessons about our work. First, there is a thriving civil society community dedicated to preventing nuclear terrorism, with meaningful contributions to thought and implementation coming from around the world. Second, civil society is an essential part of the international nuclear security architecture, contributing to nuclear security in a myriad of ways. Third, there is an enormous amount of work still to be done, and some of that work will likely only be accomplished by civil society.

Thank you for those of you that have contributed to this network’s success. I wish you all a happy and healthy new year and look forward to working with you in 2022.

Best,
Nickolas Roth

Join the conversation on Twitter: @INS_Forum

Updates

Congratulations to INSF Advisory Board Chair, Ambassador Laura S. H. Holgate, who was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. Ambassador to the Vienna Office of the United Nations on December 18, 2021, by Senate Voice Vote.

Last month, the International Nuclear Security Forum in partnership with the Nuclear Threat Initiative opened submissions for the Nuclear Security Policy Menu project. The Policy Menu aims to anticipate the needs of future nuclear security actors by building a menu of nuclear security initiatives that might find traction in the aftermath of an intentional or accidental nuclear or radiological incident. The aim is not to focus on steps required to manage consequences in the immediate aftermath, but to help those tasked with thinking ahead in their efforts to prevent the next such event. Individuals interested in submitting a 1000-1500 word proposal should email Nick Roth ([email protected]) and Sneha Nair ([email protected]) with a brief description of their topic for more information on the submission process and eligibility to earn a $300 USD participation fee for contributing to the Policy Menu. Please contact Nick and Sneha with any questions.

Nuclear Security News

International Architecture

• 25 Years of Strengthening Nuclear Security with Physical Protection Peer Advice: “This year, the IAEA’s International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) marks 96 reviews, including 22 follow-up reviews, in 57 countries. IPPAS, is a peer review service, in which international experts and IAEA specialists review nuclear security in a country or at a facility. Over the last 25, years more than 240 experts from 40 countries have contributed to IPPAS missions.”
• Safe and Secure Transport of Radioactive Material: New IAEA Publication Issued: “The safe and secure transport of radioactive material requires a framework that combines regulatory requirements, package certification, inspections and a monitoring system that meet the needs of both disciplines. ‘The authorities should ensure that security measures for radioactive material in transport are taking into account those measures established for safety, and vice versa. This way the two sets of measures re-enforce each other,’ said David Ladsous, Head of the IAEA’s Transport Security Unit. ‘This publication offers an exhaustive analysis of the safety-security interface and provides very practical tips.’”
• Corey Hinderstein Sworn in as Deputy Administrator for NNSA’s Office Of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation: “Corey Hinderstein was sworn in Dec. 6, as the Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (DNN) of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA). Confirmed by the U.S. Senate Nov. 30, 2021, she now leads NNSA’s efforts to help the U.S. Government prevent, counter and respond to global nuclear security threats. She was sworn in by Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm… ‘Corey Hinderstein will help build stronger international partnerships and bring new ideas and technologies to our nonproliferation work,’ said Jill Hruby, DOE Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator. ‘She will lead our efforts to secure and reduce worldwide stocks of nuclear material, strengthen global arms control, and reduce the threat posed by nuclear weapons programs of concern. She brings with her a breadth of knowledge and we welcome her back to NNSA.’”
• G7 Nuclear Safety and Security Group: statement 9 December 2021: “The G7 Nuclear Safety and Security Group (NSSG) which was established at the Kananaskis Summit in 2002 and responsible to Leaders, provides technically informed strategic policy advice on issues that could impact safety and security in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, in close collaboration with multilateral organisations and avoiding duplication of tasks or efforts that are being addressed by existing organisations or entities… The NSSG met 3 times under the United Kingdom’s G7 Presidency and were joined in nuclear safety and security policy discussions and exchange of experience by representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the OECD-Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS), the European Commission (EC) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.”
• The Implications of Next Generation Reactors for Emergency Preparedness and Response: “Over the past four years, the IAEA has held a series of technical meetings on emergency preparedness and response as it relates to ‘next generation reactors’: innovative nuclear reactor designs under research and development, including those recently deployed or intended for near term deployment. This meeting was the latest in the series, which concentrates on the safety of [Next Generation Reactors], specifically: how safety improvements may impact emergency preparedness and response arrangements for these reactors and the applicability of specific emergency preparedness and response IAEA safety standards for these reactors.”
• IAEA Completes Nuclear Security Advisory Mission in Senegal: “The team observed that Senegal has established a nuclear security regime. The team provided recommendations and suggestions to support Senegal in enhancing and sustaining nuclear security. Good practices were identified that can serve as examples to other IAEA Member States to help strengthen their nuclear security activities.”

Material Minimization

• U.S. Secretaries of Energy and Health and Human Services Jointly Certify Sufficient Worldwide Supply of Critical Medical Isotope: “U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra jointly certified that there is now enough worldwide supply of the medical isotope molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) made without using highly enriched uranium (HEU) to meet the needs of patients in the United States. This certification paves the way for a nuclear nonproliferation milestone and supports U.S. companies by triggering a congressionally mandated ban on exports of HEU for foreign medical isotope production… Achieving a sufficient supply of Mo-99 produced without the use of HEU is a result of significant accomplishments by DOE, HHS, and the commercial Mo-99 industry.”

Weapons, Materials, and Facilities

• Safety, Security Paramount in our Preparations to go Nuclear: “Professor Benjamin J.B. Nyarko, Board Chairman, Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), says the Organisation has prioritised safety and security as it prepares towards building and operating the country’s first Nuclear Power Plant… ‘Safety and security is the key issue considered in nuclear power. The design of the reactor is done in a manner that does not affect the operation of the system’… Ghana is working on the construction and operation of its first nuclear plant by 2030.”
• Work on Physical Protection System of Belarus NPP Have Been Completed Successfully: “Works [sic] on physical protection system (PPS) of Belarus [Nuclear Power Plant (NPP)] (its General Contractor and General Designer being Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division) were completed on 5 December 2021… Physical protection system includes physical protection engineered features, physical protection staff and a set of organizational measures. PPS is a part of unified system of organizational and technical measures, ensuring safety of nuclear power facilities operation.”
• U.S. Hits Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant in Ohio with 5 Safety Violations: “The public release of a 65-page report outlining more problems at Energy Harbor’s Davis-Besse nuclear plant in Ottawa County has been described as ‘deeply disturbing’ by one of America’s most high-profile nuclear watchdogs. One of the two outstanding violations involved ‘’the apparent failure of licensee personnel to inspect the Emergency Diesel General Field Flash Selector Switch.’”
• Bolivia and Paraguay to Enhance Nuclear Security at New Irradiation Facilities: “Bolivia and Paraguay are finalizing the design, selection and integration of the most appropriate physical protection measures against potential malicious acts at their new irradiation facilities, with support from the IAEA… The facilities use radioactive sources, which could be misused in the wrong hands, and therefore need to be protected. Putting in place physical protection systems is one of the most important milestones in the process of commissioning such facilities.”
• NNSA Highlights Regional Transport Security Engagement: “Because nuclear and radioactive materials are most vulnerable to theft and sabotage when they are being transported, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) is on a mission to make nuclear and radioactive material transport more secure globally. The most recent opportunity was during a side event at the International Conference on the Safe and Secure Transport of Nuclear and Radioactive Materials sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency… The side event featured speakers from the NNSA Office of Global Material Security, as well as representatives of Romania and Colombia, who shared positive impacts from NNSA-sponsored, virtual information-sharing activities in their regions.”

Security Culture

• Federal Judge Denies Motion to Block Savannah River Site Vaccine Mandate: “A Federal Judge in Columbia, South Carolina has denied a motion to stop vaccine mandates at the Savannah River Site. Ninety employees from Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) filed a lawsuit to prevent SRNS from requiring COVID-19 shots, including a restraining order.”
• Outdated NNSA Narrative Spoils Relationship with Pentagon, Says Former Agency Boss: “Misconceptions and outdated talking points about the National Nuclear Security Administration’s abilities and performance have poisoned its relationship with the Department of Defense, a key partner in protecting the U.S., a former leader of the agency said last week… ‘It is well past time, well past time, especially given NNSA’s more recent track record, to change the narrative that NNSA can’t do anything right in managing large-scale programs… and to acknowledge how well it actually has done, and is continuing to do, to reestablish the capabilities of the U.S. nuclear weapons enterprise, following 20 years of neglect and underfunding that immediately followed the collapse of the Soviet Union.’”

Threats

• Prevent, Counter, and Respond—A Strategic Plan to Reduce Global Nuclear Threats: “Prevent, Counter, and Respond—NNSA’s Plan to Reduce Global Nuclear Threats (FY 2022-FY 2026), below, is an annual report outlining the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration’s (DOE/NNSA) activities to address the risk of nuclear terrorism and proliferation.”
• Country Reports on Terrorism 2020: “Country Reports on Terrorism 2020 is submitted in compliance with Title 22 of the United States Code, Section 2656f (the “Act”), which requires the Department of State to provide to Congress a full and complete annual report on terrorism for those countries and groups meeting the criteria of the Act… During 2020 the United States and its partners made significant major strides against terrorist organizations; however, the terrorism threat has become more geographically dispersed in regions around the world. Together with international partners, the United States has responded to the evolving threat… Reflecting the growing threat from racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism (REMVE), the Department of State also designated a white supremacist terrorist organization for the first time in 2020”
• Norway Deploys Radiation Drones Along its Coast Amidst Nuclear Emergency Concerns: “Caused by increased military tensions, both NATO and Russian nuclear submarines are more frequently patrolling the strategically important North Atlantic. A drone can help measure levels of radiation in close vicinity to the vessel in distress without exposing any of the emergency response teams to danger.”
• Report: Missile Strike Risks to Middle East Nuclear Reactors: “Produced by the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center (NPEC), a Washington, DC-based research institute, the study offers a rare publically available analysis of conflict risks to nuclear facilities in the Middle East, warning that a successful strike on a commercial nuclear power plant there ‘could result in the evacuation of millions of people, many of whom would not be able to return to their homes for several decades.’”
• What is Accelerationism? Finland Foils Far-Right Terror Plot, Detains 5 Neo-Nazis: “The Finnish police have not only arrested five people for their alleged involvement in the planned attack, but also retrieved homemade explosives and dynamites. So far, various terrorist outfits have carried out bloody attacks in different parts of the globe. However, it is the first time when a Far-Right Group has planned to trigger such an attack in the Nordic country.”
• Report on Countering Extremist Activity Within the Department of Defense: “This report outlines ongoing work by the Department of Defense to address the threat posed by prohibited extremist activities. The Department of Defense has long prohibited Service members from actively engaging in extremist activities. Since 1969, the Department of Defense has provided policy guidance that enumerates the prohibition of specific activities, and has routinely updated its guidance to clarify prohibited activities, clarify the investigative authorities that commanders have at their disposal, and ensure that all military departments implement training on these policies.”

Member Organization Announcements and Updates

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

• John Mecklin interviewed Stanford’s Herbert Lin on “Cyber Threats and Nuclear Weapons” for the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. Read the Interview.

Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Project on Managing the Atom

• Project on Managing the Atom Associate, Nobuyasu Abe, published a commentary for the Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament of Nagasaki University, “The Biden Nuclear Posture Review and Its Implications for US Asia-Pacific Allies.” Read the piece.

The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies

• From November 29th to December 3rd, 2021, CNS has gathered over 50 experts from the Black Sea region, primarily women, for a virtual workshop to discuss and launch a new professional women network called Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network (BSWN).  This is sponsored by the U.S. DOE NNSA and the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, and implemented by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in partnership with the Odessa Center for Nonproliferation and WiN Ukraine.  BSWN is an informal, regional network for connecting, advancing, and increasing the prominence of women professionals working in nuclear fields. Interdisciplinary by nature, the network brings together women in STEM and policy working in national governments, industry, civil society, and academia from Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Moldova, and other countries. The network will serve as a platform to promote gender equity, professional exchange, mentorship, training opportunities, and women’s leadership roles in nuclear security and nonproliferation.

CRDF Global 

• CRDF Global is hiring a Senior Project Lead in Nuclear Security. INSF members are encouraged to get in touch with Nilsu Goren ([email protected]) for referrals and further information regarding the position. View the vacancy.
• On December 9, 2021, CRDF Global, in partnership with the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, convened a webinar “Exploring Ukraine’s Critical Infrastructure Protection Development.” More than 160 participants from state organizations, the scientific community, Ukraine’s private sector, partner governments, and international organizations attended the webinar. Ukrainian speakers presented their vision for enhancing critical infrastructure protection in Ukraine and emphasized the need for extensive training and development of Ukrainian CIP specialists, encouraging new curricula in universities, providing E-learning courses, adapting risk assessment programs, and defining registers of critical infrastructure, as well as the crucial need for ongoing policy and political leadership. Learn more.

Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)

• NTI project Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy partnered with ReThink Media to offer fully funded training opportunities to a group of 30 women in the nuclear policy community to address the gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on professional development opportunities in the nuclear field.  Learn more here.

Third Way

• Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program is seeking a policy advisor to contribute to its expanding efforts in advanced and existing nuclear energy. View the posting.
• Universiteit Antwerpen, Departement Politieke Wetenschappen
• Tom Sauer co-authored a piece with Joelien Pretorius entitled, “When is it legitimate to abandon the NPT ? Withdrawal as a political tool to advance nuclear disarmament” in: Contemporary Security Policy, published on December 2, 2021. Read the piece.

University of Texas at Austin

• On December 20, 2021, Alan J. Kuperman and the Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project (NPPP) published a statement on the Departments of Energy and Health and Human Services announcement certifying sufficient worldwide supply of medical isotope Mo-99 produced without HEU use, triggering a congressionally mandated ban on exports of HEU for foreign medical isotope production. Read the statement.
• NPPP issued a release on December 11, 2021, sharing that a U.S. government report obtained under the Freedom of Information Act found that the nuclear reactor planned for use in a manned Moon mission does not require weapons-grade highly enriched uranium fuel, countering previous assertions to the contrary. Read the release.  
• Alan J. Kuperman recently authored a Japanese language op-ed on the AUKUS agreement, published in the Nagasaki Shinbun. Read the op-ed.

Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP)

• The VCDNP Task Force on Peaceful Uses has published recommendations for increasing access to nuclear science and technology for peaceful uses in advance of the tenth NPT Review Conference and for the IAEA, its Member States and other stakeholders. Read the report.
• On 9 December 2021 the VCDNP hosted a virtual launch of Dr. Togzhan Kassenova’s new book, Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave Up the Bomb, detailing Kazakhstan’s decision to disarm through the lens of the activists and citizens who drove the movement. Watch the launch event.
• VCDNP is accepting applications from graduate and post-graduate students in IT and engineering for its short course on the spread of nuclear weapons to be held from 23 to 25 February 2022. Apply here.
• VCDNP’s spring short course for diplomats and practitioners on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, to take place 14-18 March 2022 is now accepting applications. Apply by 4 February 2022. Learn more.
• In his new piece published in Arms Control Today, “Back to the Future: Reviving U.S.-Russian Lab-to-Lab Cooperation.” VCDNP Research Associate Noah Mayhew argues that restoring formal US-Russia lab-to-lab cooperation would be a positive first step in normalizing relations. Read the piece.

World Institute of Nuclear Security (WINS)

• From December 6 – 8, 2021, WINS hosted a Spanish language event, “Desarrollo De Capacidades En Ciberseguridad,” a roundtable discussion focused on cybersecurity in the nuclear industry, that sought to encourage information sharing between participants and experts on their countries’ experiences in cybersecurity implementation. Participants compared and analyzed the current state of their countries’ regulatory frameworks related to cybersecurity, and exchanged best practices, including lessons learned for protecting information technology and operational technology systems as well as lessons learned from other sectors related to a country’s critical nuclear infrastructure. Learn more.

Individual Member Updates:

• Artem Lazarev shared updates from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
• UNODC contributed to an IAEA Regional Workshop to Promote the Universalization of the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (A/CPPNM) for Africa, which was held virtually on 13-14 December 2021. UNODC delivered presentations on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), its synergies with the A/CPPNM, and benefits both instruments offer to States Parties. UNODC also provided an overview of its technical and legislative assistance program and presented its resources available to Member States, including the newly developed UNODC’s ICSANT website.
• UNODC contributed to the International Safety and Security Transport Conference organized by the IAEA on 13-17 December 2021 and participated in a panel discussion on women in nuclear transport.
• On 1 December 2021, UNODC contributed to the seminar on the A/CPPNM for the students of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme organized by the IAEA and provided presentations on the ICSANT, UNODC’s related assistance programs, and tools.
• UNODC delivered remarks at the second technical meeting of the Points of Contact for Integrated National Security Support Plans organized by the IAEA on 30 November-2 December 2021 and participated in a panel discussion on the legislative and regulatory framework for nuclear security.