Nuclear Security News and Member Updates Roundup, May 2023

Dear Friends,

With Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant still in crisis, there are glimmers of hope this month that the International Atomic Energy Agency is closer to an agreement with both Russia and Ukraine on protecting the facility going forward. Meanwhile the persistent issue of nuclear waste is making headlines along with new fears about the use and abuse of artificial intelligence in the nuclear sphere. Please also save time to review member updates and opportunities below. 

Best wishes,

Christina

Interim Director, International Nuclear Security Forum

Join the conversation on Twitter: @INS_Forum

Updates

• The INSF 2023 Catalogue for Civil Society Activities to Strengthen Nuclear Security is accepting member contributions through June 9, 2023. Submit here. 

Nuclear Security News

Impact: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• IAEA Inspects Khmelnytskyi NPP and Carries Out Employee Rotations at Two Other Plants: “The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) successfully conducted an inspection at Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant on 3 May under an agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The inspection was carried out by an IAEA specialist with the participation of an expert from the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine. There were no comments from the IAEA specialist.”
• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Facing ‘Catastrophic’ Staff Shortage Amid Russian Evacuation: “Russia plans to relocate about 2,700 Ukrainian staff from Europe’s largest nuclear plant, Ukraine’s atomic energy company has claimed, warning of a potential “catastrophic lack of qualified personnel” at the Zaporizhzhia facility in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine. Workers who signed employment contracts with Russia’s nuclear agency Rosatom following Moscow’s capture of the Zaporizhzhia plant early in the war are set to be taken to Russia along with their families, Energoatom said in a Telegram post on Wednesday. The company did not specify whether the employees would be forcibly moved out of the plant, nor was it immediately possible to verify Energoatom’s claims about Moscow’s plan.”
• Exclusive: IAEA Chief Aims to Present Zaporizhzhia Deal to UN this Month – Diplomats: “U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi plans to present an agreement with Russia and Ukraine on protecting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to the U.N. Security Council this month, indicating a deal is close, four diplomats have told Reuters. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Grossi has been trying for months to secure an agreement to reduce the risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident from military activity like shelling at Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant, which is in Ukraine and has been occupied by Russia for more than a year…”The plan is (to present it to the Security Council) this month but the exact date has not been fixed yet,” the diplomat said, adding that Grossi was liaising with Switzerland, which holds the monthly Security Council presidency, on the date. Diplomats said Grossi would outline the so-called “principles” on protecting the plant that should by then have the backing of Russia and Ukraine. Some of these have long been known, such as neither firing at or from the plant.”
• Ukraine: Power Loss at Nuclear Plant Underscores ‘Highly Vulnerable’ Safety Situation: “The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine lost all external power for several hours on Monday morning, highlighting the urgent need to protect the facility and prevent an accident, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement. This marked the seventh time that Europe’s largest nuclear power plant had been completely disconnected from the national electricity grid since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion 15 months ago, the agency said, noting that the facility was forced to run on emergency diesel generators once again. The plant’s only remaining external 750 kilovolt power line had been cut around 5:30am, local time, and re-connected after more than five hours, according to IAEA experts located at the facility.”
• IAEA Chief Outlines Five Principles to Avert Nuclear ‘Catastrophe’ in Ukraine: “Following extensive consultations, including with the sides, Mr. Grossi developed five concrete principles essential for averting “a catastrophic incident” at the Zaporizhzhya plant. “There should be no attack of any kind from or against the plant, in particular targeting the reactors, spent fuel storage, other critical infrastructure, or personnel,” he said, outlining the first point. The nuclear plant also should not be used as storage or a base for heavy weapons, such as multiple rocket launchers, or military personnel that could be used for an attack emanating from it. Off-site power to the plant should not be put at risk, and all efforts should be made to ensure supply remains available and secure at all times, he said. Furthermore, all structures, systems and components essential to the safe and secure operation of the plant should be protected from attacks or sabotage. Finally, no action should be taken that undermines the principles. “Let me say something very clearly: These principles are to no one’s detriment and to everyone’s benefit. Avoiding a nuclear accident is possible. Abiding by the IAEA’s five principles is the way to start,” said Mr. Grossi.”

International Architecture

• US Releases Nuclear Warhead Data in Bid to Pressure Russia: “The United States has announced it has 1,419 deployed nuclear warheads in its arsenal, as it urged Russia to release its data. The US Department of State said it was releasing the information publicly as part of its commitments under the New START Treaty, appearing to reverse an earlier decision not to share the data…“The United States calls on the Russian Federation to comply with its legally-binding obligations by returning to full implementation of the New START Treaty and all the stabilizing transparency and verification measures contained within it,” the State Department spokesperson added. The latest figures show that as well as the deployed nuclear warheads, the US had 662 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and heavy bombers. In total, it said as of March 1 it had 800 delivery systems both deployed and non-deployed, the maximum allowed.”
• Director General Grossi Highlights China as Indispensable IAEA Partner, Leader in Nuclear Energy: “China has more than 50 operational nuclear power units and 24 are under construction. By 2035, China’s nuclear power generation will account for 10 per cent of the country’s electricity generation, according to the latest Blue Book of China Nuclear Energy Development Report. On Monday, Mr. Grossi and other IAEA officials signed several agreements at the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), which reflect the diverse scope of work between the IAEA and China. The agreements will strengthen cooperation on small modular reactors, nuclear fusion, and nuclear data, fuel cycle and waste management, as well as communication activities. An agreement was also signed in support of Rays of Hope, the IAEA initiative to promote cancer care for all by improving availability of radiotherapy services, medical imaging and nuclear medicine that are critical for detecting and curing this disease.”
• Ukraine’s Envoy to Japan Urges G7 to Condemn Any Threat to Use Nuclear Weapons: “The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) rich nations must condemn any threat to use nuclear weapons and vow “decisive action” against such a move when they hold a summit next week in the city of Hiroshima, Ukraine’s envoy to Japan said…The envoy’s comments came as Russia launched drone, missile and air strikes on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and other cities in the run-up to its cherished Victory Day holiday on May 9 that celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany.”

Weapons, Materials, and Facilities

• Proposal Would Give Connecticut Oversight of Nuclear Materials Used in Medicine, Research: “Connecticut regulators are poised to take a more direct role in overseeing much of the radioactive materials used in medicine, industry and academic labs under a bi-partisan bill making its way through the state legislature. The legislation would help clear the way for Connecticut to become the 40th state to reach an agreement with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to transfer oversight of radioisotopes and certain other nuclear materials — such as those used in PET scans, radioactive dating and other everyday uses — to state officials. Under each of the agreements, the NRC retains its jurisdiction over radioactive material used in power plants, as well as spent nuclear fuel.”

Threats

• French Nuclear Group Evacuates Foreign Workers to Niger Capital Following Security Threat: “French nuclear group Orano has evacuated 18 expatriate workers from a uranium mining site in Arlit, northern Niger, to the capital Niamey on Friday, following a security threat, a spokesperson for the company said in statement to Reuters. Orano ceased exploiting uranium at the mine in 2021 due to the depletion of reserves, but plans to operate in the country to retrain workers and remediate the mining site for at least a decade. The spokesperson did not give details about the security threat but said it occurred in a village halfway between the border with Mali and Arlit, which lies some 800 km (500 miles) to the northeast of the capital.”
• Georgia Captures “$2M Worth” of Uranium: “State security officials released a video of a little bottle with a bright, greenish-yellow substance being checked with a radiation detector. … The seized material “contains the radioactive substance uranium and belongs to the category of nuclear materials,” said Davit Kutateladze, spokesperson for the State Security Service.”

Security Culture 

• NNSA Seeking Tech for Global System to Flush Out Nuclear Material Smuggling: “The National Nuclear Security Administration, in cooperation with U.S. partner nations, plans to establish an integrated global system to detect smuggled nuclear material before it can be used in acts of terrorism.”
• West Hartford Simulates Massive CT Contamination Incident Response: “The exercise included about 150 staff and volunteers, as well as role-players, portraying evacuees from Montville and Waterford. Personnel from FEMA, the state Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the American Red Cross, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Connecticut State Animal Response Team, the Connecticut Medical Response Corps, the Disaster Behavioral Health Response Network, Dominion Energy and the towns of Waterford and Montville participated…“One of things I love about these exercises is the collaboration between the municipality, state agencies and federal agencies,” said Brenda Bergeron, deputy commissioner of the state Division of Emergency Services and Homeland Security. She added that other exercises are done in the EPZs to practice the facilitation of evacuations. The federal agencies, Bergeron said, are there to evaluate the exercise, but it’s also a very “working relationship”.”
• World’s Biggest Nuclear Plant May Stay Closed Due to Papers Left on Car Roof: “Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Japan’s Niigata prefecture, said an employee placed a stack of documents on top of a car before driving off and losing them. The mishap is the latest in a string of mistakes for the utility and is likely to further erode the regulator’s confidence in Tepco. Safety lapses and a strict regulatory process have stopped Japan from restarting most of its nuclear reactors shut in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The nation’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, which oversees safety protocols of Japan’s remaining 33 reactors, decided just last week to keep a de facto ban on the power station from resuming operations, saying that the utility’s preventative measures are inadequate.”
• Watchdog Urges Energy Dept. to Improve Nuclear Security Protections: “The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan federal agency that audits the government and answers to Congress, published a report on Wednesday saying the Department of Energy has dragged its feet for over a decade establishing required measures to combat “fraud, espionage, and terrorist activity.”…The department’s implementation, or lack thereof, of insider threat protection measures was so poor, NASA pulled out of an agreement to work with them on the program three years early, the report says. The report comes shortly after an Air National Guardsman was charged with leaking highly classified national security documents online. The guardsman was allowed to keep his top-secret security clearance for months after he began repeatedly being detected by his colleagues and superiors. “The theft of nuclear material and the compromise of information could have devastating consequences,” the GAO said in its report.”

New and Emerging Technologies

• Never Give Artificial Intelligence the Nuclear Codes: “The world’s major military powers have begun a race to wire AI into warfare. For the moment, that mostly means giving algorithms control over individual weapons or drone swarms. No one is inviting AI to formulate grand strategy, or join a meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But the same seductive logic that accelerated the nuclear arms race could, over a period of years, propel AI up the chain of command. How fast depends, in part, on how fast the technology advances, and it appears to be advancing quickly. How far depends on our foresight as humans, and on our ability to act with collective restraint.”
• Dirty-Bomb Antidote: Drug Trial Begins in US: “The first human trial of a new type of dirty-bomb-antidote pill, designed to remove harmful radioactive contamination from the body, is starting in the US. The drug, HOPO 14-1, is thought to work against several materials that might be used in weapons, including uranium. If it proves safe and effective it could guard against potential harm from nuclear accidents or terrorist attacks. About 42 volunteers will try different doses, checking for side effects. There will be “intensive safety monitoring”, with results from the phase one study expected in 2024, say the trial leaders from SRI International of Menlo Park, California, who are receiving funding from US government agency the National Institutes of Health.”

Member Organization Announcements and Updates

Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network

• Nataliia Klos, Valeriia Hesse, and Margarita Kalinina-Pohl hosted a lunch and learn session about the Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network at the INMM annual meeting on May 22, 2023. Find more info here.

Center for Radiological and Nuclear Security, Purdue University

• Jason T. Harris co-chaired a special session at the INMM annual meeting titled “Status of Graduate Academic Programs in Nuclear Nonproliferation International Safeguards in the United States” on May 23, 2023. Find more info here.
• Jason T. Harris presented a session at the INMM annual meeting titled “Development of Risk Criteria for an Integrated Nuclear Safety and Security Potential Facility Risk Index (PFRI)” alongside Joeun Lee on May 23, 2023. Find more info here.
• Jason T. Harris presented a session at the INMM annual meeting titled “Integration of Nuclear Safety and Security in Research Reactors using a Monte Carlo Simulation aided Analytical Hierarchy Process” alongside Theodore Thomas on May 23, 2023.  Find more info here.

Centre for Science and Security Studies, King’s College London

• The first few chapters of The Oxford Handbook of Nuclear Security have now been published online. Find more info here.

Civil Council on Defense and Security

• Shorena Lortkipanidze presented at the INMM on May 23, 2023 on a panel titled “Advancing Women in Nuclear Fields Through Regional Engagements” and contributed a paper. Find more info here.

The Critical Mass

• The Critical Mass (TCM) and The Institute of General Energy of the NAS of Ukraine sign agreement to support the activities of domestic scientists and create opportunities for the implementation of joint scientific projects at the international level. Read more.
• Shakib Noori joins TCM as Program Operations Manager. Read more. 
• Mariya Chukhnova shares takeaways from running a critical project in support of the Ukrainian scientific community in “TCM Thoughts on Ukrainian Science and Innovation – Challenges in Days of War”. Read the article here.

The Stimson Center

• Sneha Nair presented alongside NTI’s Nickolas Roth on building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive nuclear security culture at the INMM annual meeting on May 22, 2023. Additionally, she co-authored a corresponding paper about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the nuclear security space. Find more info here.
• Christina McAllister, Sneha Nair, and David Solimini virtually presented the Radiological Security Lexis tool for tracking radiological material security legislation on May 25, 2023, at the INMM annual meeting and submitted a corresponding paper. More info can be found here.
• Sneha Nair and Annina Pluff virtually presented on artificial intelligence bias & implications for nuclear security at the INMM annual meeting on May 22, 2023. Find more info here.

Institute of Nuclear Materials Management

• From May 22-26, 2023, INMM and ESARDA hosted their joint annual meeting in Vienna, Austria. The program included plenary sessions, technical talks, poster presentations, exhibits, and a return to face-to-face, in-person networking. Find more info here.

International Institute for Strategic Studies 

• Zuzanna Gadera published a piece on the DF-27 titled “Intelligence leak reveals China’s successful test of a new hypersonic missile.” Read here.
• Nick Childs published a piece on SSBNs and future deterrence titled “Submarines surface in more overt deterrence role.” Read here.
• Joe Dempsey published a piece on DPRK’s SLCM and its possible nuclear role titled “Pyongyang’s Sea Cruise.”Read here.
• William Alberque published a piece on constraining Iran’s nuclear program titled “Mitigating the risks of an unconstrained Iranian nuclear programme.” Read here.
• William Alberque authored an analysis on what Ukraine has revealed about Russia’s non-strategic nuclear-capable missiles: Read here.
• William Alberque and Paul Fraioli on Russia’s new foreign policy strategy and arms control: Read here.

Nuclear Threat Initiative

• Nickolas Roth chaired a panel titled “What’s Next for the Amended Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material?” at the INMM annual meeting on May 23, 2023. The panel focused on the first-ever review conference of the CPPNM in 2022, factors that impacted the prevailing situation, and strategies for advancing implementation and universalization. Find more info here.
• NTI convened nuclear security leaders from across governments and industry, as well as international, research, and non-governmental organizations, for the sixteenth meeting of the Global Dialogue on Nuclear Security Priorities. Held in Vienna, Austria from April 12-14, 2023, it was the largest meeting of the Global Dialogue since before the COVID-19 pandemic—a signal of renewed interest and enthusiasm in international nuclear security cooperation at a challenging time. The day before the Dialogue began, NTI hosted the first-ever Emerging Nuclear Security Leaders session. Learn more.

Odesa Center for Nonproliferation

• Ali Alkis of the Odesa Center for Nonproliferation published “Türkiye in the New World Order: The Nuclear Debate” by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.  Read here.

Universiteit Antwerpen (University of Antwerp)

• Mathias Reveraert has successfully defended his PhD titled ‘Exploring insider threat awareness and mitigation: more than the devil in disguise’ on May 4, 2023, at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). Members of the jury included Matthew Bunn (Harvard University), Rona Beattie (Glasgow University), and Tom Sauer (University of Antwerp, supervisor). 

Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation 

• On May 8, 2023, the VCDNP hosted a panel discussion on the contribution of ionizing radiation to trade and agriculture development, including the role of the private sector and the support provided by the IAEA. Find more info here.
• In their food-for-thought paper, Thomas Markram, CNS, and the VCDNP’s Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova review which aspects of the review process are in greater need of improvement and where changes are most feasible. Read here.
• On May 12-14, Hanna Notte spoke at the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn, the premier conference on defense, security and foreign policy in the Baltic states. Read here.
• The VCDNP held a mini-course for Vienna-based ambassadors on nuclear issues, hosted by Ambassador Pirkko Hämäläinen, Permanent Representative of Finland to the International Organizations in Vienna. The course program covered topics such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its review process, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safeguards system and the work on peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, and nuclear security. See more here.
• Following the AUKUS countries’ announcement of their intention to move forward with the provision of nuclear powered submarines to Australia, VCDNP Research Associate published his analysis “AUKUS and nuclear-powered submarines: Let’s all just take a breath” in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Read here.

Individual Member Updates

• Artem Lazarev from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shared the following updates:
  • On May 24, UNODC participated in an Advocacy event with the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Manila and briefed the House’s Committee on Nuclear Energy on the core provisions of, and benefits of adhering to, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), as well as on UNODC’s related assistance under a EU-funded project to promote the universalization and effective implementation of the Convention. UNODC also held bilateral meetings with relevant stakeholders, including the Department of Science and Technology and several members of the House of Representatives to sensitize them to the need to adhere to the Convention.
  • On May 9-11, UNODC contributed to the Regional Workshop to Promote the Universalization of the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (A/CPPNM), organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which took place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. UNODC staff delivered presentations on ICSANT and UNODC related technical and legislative assistance, as well as contributed to the joint IAEA-UNODC presentation on synergies between ICSANT and A/CPPNM. UNODC also participated in panel discussions and facilitated an exercise on a fictional case study. Additionally, UNODC staff held bilateral consultations with several States participating in the event.
  • On May 8-10, UNODC organized a workshop on Promoting the Universalization and Effective Implementation of ICSANT for the Pacific Region in Nadi, Fiji, thanks to the EU support. Bringing together some 40 participants from the Parliament, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, law enforcement agencies and other relevant institutions in the region, the workshop aimed at raising awareness of the importance of adhering to, and effectively implementing, the Convention. The event also provided participants with a forum to discuss the benefits and challenges of adhering to the Convention and incorporating its provisions into national legislation. UNODC took the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with representatives of participating States and discuss the technical and legislative assistance services that the Office can offer in connection with both the universalization and effective implementation of ICSANT. Read more here.
• Naeem Salik from the Strategic Vision Institute published an article titled “Recurring India-Pakistan Crises and the Danger of Inadvertent Escalation” in the Center for International Strategic Studies Journal on Strategic Thought Winter 2021 Issue. Read here.
• Trevor Findlay published a chapter titled “The IAEA’s Critical Role in Nuclear Security” in the The Oxford Handbook of Nuclear Security that was published on May 22, 2023. Read here.
• Matteo Gerlini presented the International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN) at the INMM annual meeting on May 22, 2023 and submitted a corresponding paper. Find more info here.
• Igor Khripunov published a chapter titled “Nuclear Security Culture” in The Oxford Handbook of Nuclear Security that was published on May 22, 2023. Read here.

Opportunities

• General Dynamics Information technology is seeking a Nuclear Threats Reduction Program Advisor. Learn more.
• The Capital Area Division (CAD) of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) has an outstanding opportunity for an exceptional Nuclear Subject Matter Expert with experience identifying, characterizing, and assessing global nuclear and radiological threats including proliferation and procurement trend analysis. Learn more.
• CSIS’s Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) will host its 2023 Summer Conference at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on July 26 and 27. PONI is now soliciting applications for the conference. Apply to present.
• CRDF Global is seeking a Technical International Development Fellow for the Sustained Dialogue on Peaceful Uses (SDPU) program. The SDPU will bring key individuals and organizations from the development community, corporations, and the public sector in developing countries to address systemic development issues and challenges and opportunities related to nuclear technology. Learn more.
• The Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Center for Non-Proliferation Studies is seeking a Research Assistant/Office Manager for their Washington, D.C. office. Learn more.