Nuclear Security News and Member Updates Roundup, December 2023

Dear Friend,

The risks of conflict and fragile electrical supply to Ukraine’s occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant caught December headlines just as they did throughout 2023. Yet amid such seemingly intractable issues, some positive developments stood out last month, including Congressional funding to address cybersecurity risks to U.S. nuclear weapons systems and the accession of the Republic of the Congo to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) as the 123rd State Party to this convention on December 14.

Best wishes for peace and security in 2024.

Christina

Director, International Nuclear Security Forum

Join the conversation on Twitter: @INS_Forum

Updates

• FUNDING APPEAL: If you appreciate this newsletter, please consider a donation to ensure sustainability into the future. Donate here and specify where indicated that your gift is intended to support the INSF. Institutional funding for civil society’s nuclear security work is increasingly hard to come by, as many readers already know, and the International Nuclear Security Forum appreciates your support!

Nuclear Security News

Impact: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Suffers Eighth Off-Site Power Loss: “The six-reactor plant, which is on the front line and has been under the control of Russian military forces since early March 2022, lost its connection to its last remaining back-up 330kV line… ‘due to an external grid fault.’ Five hours later…it also lost the main 750kV line, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) saying ‘the cause appeared to be in the outside grid far away’ from the plant. According to the IAEA: ‘As a result, the site’s 20 diesel generators automatically started operating. ZNPP staff then reduced the number in operation to eight diesel generators, enough to ensure that the plant’s six reactors – all of which are shut down – have enough power for essential cooling.’ The main 750kV line was restored [two days later].”
• Zaporizhia Depends on Single Power Line: “Ukraine’s Zaporizhia NPP (ZNPP) has for several days depended on a single power line for the off-site electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in his latest update. This leaves it highly vulnerable to any further grid disruptions during the military conflict. The site’s fragile power supplies continue to be at the center of concern regarding nuclear safety and security, underlined by the site’s recent eighth complete loss of external electricity after the separate connections to both of its remaining power lines were cut, apparently caused by external grid events outside the ZNPP. As a result, the plant temporarily relied on emergency diesel generators for power. It regained the connection to its main 750 kilovolt (kV) line after nearly five hours, but its last 330 kV back-up power line is still disconnected. The IAEA experts at the ZNPP have been informed that the repairs are expected to be completed by early next week. Before the conflict, the ZNPP had four 750 kV lines as well as several back-up options available.”
• IAEA Continues to Seek Reactor Rooftop Access at Zaporizhzhia: “International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts were told that security concerns meant they would not be going ahead with their planned access to the reactor rooftops at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant…According to the latest update on the situation from IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, no alternative date has yet been provided. IAEA teams have previously had access to the roofs of reactors 2, 3 and 4, but not the three other units. He said that the agency’s team at the site, which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022, also had a request to visit the north-western part of unit 5’s turbine hall rejected, adding that there has been no access to the north-western part of any of the six turbine halls since mid-October. They are also waiting to be able to see the maintenance plan for 2024…They have reported continuing to hear explosions outside of the site, which is on the frontline of Russian and Ukrainian forces.”

Weapons, Materials, and Facilities

• Chernobyl Gets Six-Year Extension for Work on Original Shelter: “An extension has been agreed for the dismantling of the parts of the original shelter facility most at risk of collapse. The structure was built in 206 days following the 1986 accident at Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The license for the storage of radioactive waste within the shelter has been extended from 2023 to 2029, with a 2025 deadline for the development of a new design for the dismantling of ‘unstable structures with an unacceptably high probability of collapse,’ and a 31 October 2029 deadline for completion of the dismantling. The Shelter Object – also known as the ‘sarcophagus’ – still contains the molten core of the reactor and an estimated 200 tons of highly radioactive material. The stability of the structure has developed into one of the major risk factors at the site. A project to shore up the structure was completed in mid-2008, but at that time the maximum life of the stabilized structures was determined as the end of 2023…The original deadline had been to complete the work by the end of October 2023, however a series of issues have been cited for the delay – including funding delays, the impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war which saw Russian forces occupy the site for two months in 2022.”
• Glove Box Fire Closed Part of Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility in November: “A sealed compartment with safety gloves attached caught fire at Los Alamos National Laboratory in November, resulting in officials shutting down a portion of the site’s plutonium facility for 10 days, according to the lab’s and government watchdogs’ reports. Employees were pulverizing 40-year-old legacy materials that were removed from the facility to create more storage and work space when they saw a flash and then a fire inside one of the glove boxes they were using for the task, according to a Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board report. They deactivated the equipment, sounded alarms and promptly left the room. They and other facility workers evacuated the building…There was no evidence of anyone being contaminated or breathing in any radioactive toxins in the Nov. 6 incident, the safety board said…Another glove box incident occurred a week after the fire. While preparing to package materials, a worker lost control of a container inside the glove box, causing it to slam against the window. It cracked the inner safety glass and shattered the outer leaded glass window used as radiation shielding, the board reported. Surveys of the surrounding area showed no contamination spread outside the immediate glove box area, so workers were able to package the contaminated shards, affix tape to the cracked window, and release the room for work later that day. Nasal swabs indicated the worker might have inhaled airborne contaminants, so the employee was given an examination known as a bioassay, the report said. At a fact-finding meeting, some participants noted the worker didn’t use a prying tool, which is encouraged but not required, to open the container. They also said there’s no standard response for a glove box window breach. Both the fire and the broken window are unusual glove box mishaps. Most breaches involve punctured or torn gloves.”

Threats

• How to Get on a Watchlist (S2, E8): How to Steal a Nuke: “‘How to Get on a Watchlist” is a podcast on dangerous acts, people, and organizations, from the team at Encyclopedia Geopolitica. In each episode, we sit down with leading experts to discuss dangerous activities…In this episode, we talk to Vitaly Fedchenko about the fascinating world of nuclear security. Vitaly Fedchenko is a Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme. He has worked at SIPRI since 2005 and has 20 years of experience in nuclear security research and nuclear security assistance program implementation.
• Why the World Should Still Worry About Dirty Bombs: “In the years after the 9/11 attacks, a new threat loomed large in the minds of policymakers and the public: the dirty bomb. This term describes a radiological weapon that used an explosive to disperse radioactive material over a limited area. A dirty bomb is far less powerful than a nuclear bomb, but it is easier and cheaper to assemble and can cause tremendous panic and disruption…But visions of dirty bombs and radiological terrorism obscured the fact that the threat from radiological weapons was not limited to terrorist groups. Indeed, for decades, major countries including the United States and the Soviet Union pioneered the development of these weapons. And now, as the norm against nuclear weapons is weakening and tensions between great powers mount, there is reason to worry that the dangers posed by radiological arms proliferation may be growing again. In the past, at least five states expressed interest in weapons designed to disperse radioactive material without a nuclear detonation. Four states actively pursued them, and three—Iraq, the Soviet Union, and the United States—tested them on multiple occasions before ultimately choosing not to deploy them. The largely obscure history of the development of radiological weaponry helps to explain its appeal, especially in the context of rising international hostilities, a breakdown in nuclear arms control, and a loss of faith in the credibility of security assurances.”
• More Ugandans Exposed to Radiation, Say Experts: “More Ugandans are being exposed to toxic artificial radiation due to gaps in the country’s education systems and lack of professionals to run systems that emit radiation, the Atomic Energy Council has said. The Council is the government’s authority responsible for monitoring and enforcing worker and radiation source safety, as well as safeguarding patients, the people and the environment from the hazards of ionizing radiation and radioactive waste. Ms. Lynn Ninsiima, a senior radiation protection officer at the Council, said the mismatch in the country’s education system and lack of public knowledge on the severe impact of exposure to ionizing radiation, is exposing more Ugandans to radiation. She added that most people, including the operators of facilities running applications that emit radiation, are ignorant of the dangers of ionizing radiation. Ms. Ninsiima said the formal education system in Uganda has failed to adequately address radiation protection, safety and nuclear security.”

Security Culture

• New Regulators from Latin America and Caribbean Trained in Radiation Safety and Nuclear Security: “New staff of regulatory bodies from six countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have completed the IAEA’s first training for regulators that combines radiation safety requirements and nuclear security recommendations in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Boosted by the knowledge and training provided by the course, the 12 participants — seven women and five men, reflecting support for a gender-inclusive environment in nuclear related careers — are expected to quickly become expert regulators for their countries. ‘The new course has been specifically designed to draw on the commonalities in radiation safety and nuclear security regulations, and to amplify the advantages that can come from combining the two in regulatory activities,’ said Lydie Evrard, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security. Professionals from Argentina, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Panama and Peru took part in the six-week program, held from 2 October to 10 November 2023. It was hosted by Argentina’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) at their regional training center, part of the IAEA’s network of centers that assist countries in the region to build competence in radiation, transport and waste safety.”
• NDAA Provision Looks to Close Cybersecurity Gaps in Nuclear Weapons Systems:“A bipartisan proposal in the recently passed defense policy bill will establish a working group tasked with mitigating previously identified cybersecurity gaps in the nation’s nuclear weapons systems…The measure will create a ‘Cybersecurity, Risk Inventory, Assessment and Mitigation Working Group’ within the Department of Defense charged with developing a “comprehensive strategy for inventorying the range of systems of the [National Nuclear Security Administration] that are potentially at risk in the operational technology and nuclear weapons information technology environments, assessing the systems at risk based on mission impact and implementing risk mitigation actions.’”
• IAEA Mission to Cambodia Finds Progress in Nuclear Security Arrangements, Encourages Continued Improvement: “The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) completed an advisory service mission to Cambodia focused on assessing the country’s nuclear security regime for nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control (MORC). The team said the country has implemented measures to detect and respond to criminal or intentional unauthorized acts involving such material and encouraged Cambodia to further improve its legal and regulatory framework…The mission aimed to review the current state of nuclear security in relation to MORC in Cambodia and provide recommendations on how to strengthen it in accordance with international guidance and best practices…The INSServ team visited the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP), the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) and the Phnom Penh International Airport (PPIA) to assess the detection and response measures in place. The team also went to the NACW Institute of Explore and Experiment on Substance in Kampong Chhnang Province. ‘Cambodia established a solid basis for a comprehensive nuclear security regime,’ said Team Leader Khammar Mrabit, former Director General of the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security and member of the Moroccan Parliament.”
• Ensuring Radiological Protection During Armed Conflict: “The war in Ukraine has raised new and urgent questions about radiological protection and how to improve operational and regulatory resilience in times of armed conflict. While the existing principles of radiological protection remain valid, all countries can benefit from bolstering their plans and procedures to best cope with such new threats and heightened levels of uncertainty. The NEA Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health (CRPPH), which has reviewed these complex issues since the start of the war in Ukraine, and the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), which has been deeply engaged with Ukrainian nuclear safety activities for many years, co-organized a workshop in Oslo during 22-24 November to deepen understanding of the lessons learnt in Ukraine. This workshop, ‘Radiological Protection During Armed Conflict’ brought together 130 experts from 28 countries, NGOs and international bodies to share experience and discuss ways to improve the resilience of radiological protection (RP) in such volatile circumstances.”

Material Minimization

• IAEA Supports Removal of High-Activity Disused Radioactive Sources in Chile: “A record number of 31 disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRSs) were removed from Chile earlier this year, and transferred to a recycling facility abroad, in a large removal operation supported by the IAEA. The removed radioactive sources were mainly cobalt sources previously used for cancer treatment in Chile’s hospitals and clinics. Since the end of their use in 1992, they have been in temporary storage at a specialized facility managed by the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CCHEN). The DSRSs transfer operation is part of an IAEA interregional project aimed at improving nuclear safety and security by providing comprehensive technical assistance for the sustainable management of DSRSs.”

Member Organization Announcements and Updates

Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project, University of Texas

• The NPPP has obtained and released the first USG documents ever made public about the ongoing, 8-year program to develop LEU fuel to replace HEU fuel in nuclear-propelled Navy vessels – submarines and aircraft carriers – to reduce risks of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism. The LEU fuel potentially could be used in US/UK Navy vessels and/or the AUKUS submarines. Read more here.

Odesa Center for Nonproliferation

• Ali Alkis presented on nuclear security during armed conflicts and the role of international law at a doctoral seminar in The Hague, organized by the Asser Institute. Read more here.

Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

• In Arms Control Today’s December 2023 edition, VCDNP Research Associate Louis Reitmann analyses policy options for renewed UK leadership on nuclear risk reduction and disarmament following the 2024 general election in an article titled “How the Next UK Government Could Reduce the Risk of Nuclear War.” Read more.

World Institute for Nuclear Security

• WINS published “Nuclear Security 2.0” on December 14, 2023. The special report provides insight into the new nuclear security environment following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing occupation of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Read more.

Individual Member Updates

• Artem Lazarev from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shared that:
• Since 2018, UNODC has been working with the Republic of the Congo to promote and facilitate the country’s adherence to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT). On 14 November 2023, the Republic of the Congo deposited its instrument of accession to ICSANT and became 123rd party to this Convention on 14 December. Read more.
• On 14 November, UNODC conducted an online regional workshop on the universalization and effective implementation of ICSANT for the Pacific countries not party to ICSANT. The workshop was funded by the European Union (EU) under its ICSANT project and brought together participants from Cook Islands, Palau, Tuvalu and Vanuatu and featured experts from INTERPOL, UNODC and other UN entities. Read more.
• On 15 November, UNODC contributed virtually to an event aimed at fostering dialogue and action to address nuclear security concerns, which was held by Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Through the funding of Canada, UNODC presented virtually on the importance of adhering to and implementing ICSANT. Read more.
• On 22 November, UNODC conducted an online meeting with representatives of Brunei Darussalam on facilitating adherence to and implementation of ICSANT. Funded by the EU, the meeting built upon the results of the UNODC visit to Brunei Darussalam on 27 June 2023, which aimed at raising awareness on the key provisions of ICSANT, benefits of adherence to it and UNODC tools and technical assistance available under its CBRN Terrorism Prevention Programme. Read more.
• On 28-30 November, UNODC contributed to the National Workshop on Effective Implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004) in the Lao PDR, held by UNODA in Vientiane, Lao PDR. UNODC presented on “Synergies between international non-proliferation and counter-terrorism instruments and UNSCR 1540”. UNODC’s contribution was under a project funded by the EU. Read more.
• On 4 December, UNODC conducted an online regional workshop on the universalization and effective implementation of ICSANT for countries in the Southeast Asia that are not party to ICSANT. The last one within a series of four online regional workshops funded by the EU, the event brought together participants from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and featured experts from INTERPOL, UNODC and other UN entities. Read more.
• On 11-12 December, UNODC conducted a national seminar on ICSANT in Podgorica, Montenegro, for members of the national judiciary and law-enforcement bodies. Funded by the EU, the event aimed at enhancing the capacity of the participants to effectively implement ICSANT and raising awareness vis-à-vis the Convention, and used the material developed by UNODC under the previous EU ICSANT project. Read more.
• On 12-13 December, UNODC contributed to the First EU CBRN Centres of Excellence–African Union Forum on Mitigating Risks Related to CBRN Materials, jointly organized by the African Union, the European Union and UNICRI in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. UNODC presented on its activities and tools to assist States with adherence to and implementation of international legal instruments dealing with CBRN terrorism. Read more.
• Bahram Ghiassee published a report titled “Ukraine’s Nuclear Shadow: National Security Implications for NATO and the UK” on December 11, 2023 and hosted a panel discussion about the report. Read more. Watch the recording.
• On 12-14 December 2023, UNODC contributed to the International Air Law Treaty Workshop for States to which the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Asia and Pacific Office is accredited, organized by ICAO with support of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. UNODC presented on the international legal framework related to CBRN terrorism, with a focus on 2010 Beijing Convention and linkages with UNSCR 1540. Read more.

Opportunities

• The Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) is offering grants to support attendance at its 2024 Annual Meeting, which will be held in Portland, Oregon, July 21-25, 2024. The grants, generously supported by the NNSA Office of Radiological Security, are intended to increase diversity in the INMM community and incorporate the topic of radiological security into the INMM’s portfolio. The grants will cover annual meeting registration, travel expenses (including airfare, hotel accommodations at the Portland Marriott Downtown Hotel, per diem for meals and incidental expenses, and terminal allowances), registration for an INMM-sponsored workshop on radiological security to be held on July 19, and a full one-year membership in the INMM. Read more.  
• The International Journal of Nuclear Security (IJNS) Special Issue on Women in Nuclear Security is soliciting abstracts for paper submissions. It is presented jointly by IJNS and NNSA’s Nuclear Security Women. Topics of interest include papers authored by women and gender-diverse people on topics related to nuclear security, nonproliferation, and adjacent fields, as well as papers that address how women, as technical experts, legal and policy advisors, and government or regulatory officials, have changed the field. Abstracts are due January 5, 2023. Read more.
• The Stanley Center is now accepting applications for the fourth cohort of the Accelerator Initiative, a career development opportunity for early-career women and nonbinary individuals working in nuclear weapons policy. The 2024-2025 cycle of the Accelerator Initiative will focus on nuclear risk reduction. Accelerators will participate in events organized by the Stanley Center for two calendar years. Travel and accommodations are provided. Applications are due by January 15, 2024. Read more.
• The Partnership for Global Security (PGS) is seeking applicants for their Research Internship. The intern will primarily focus on researching nuclear security, nuclear energy, and transnational governance issues. Current research projects that interns will support include: exploring the nexus of climate change, nuclear power growth and global security; understanding the growth of nuclear energy in the Middle East and East Asia; tracking the evolution of nuclear security policies and governance structures; using existing voluntary frameworks as a model for nuclear security governance structures; and examining cybersecurity and other potential threats prompted by new technology developments. Read more.