Nuclear Waste: Intelligence Summary 05 February 2007 – 11 February 2007

Taiwan May Vote Next Year On Site For Nuclear Waste
07 February 2007

CHINA POST (TAIPEI) - After failed bids to move the radioactive material to Russia, China and North Korea, Taiwan may ask residents near four sites of a proposed nuclear waste dump to vote on the plan next year. The selected site will get NT$5 billion in compensation. Taipower, the island's biggest power producer (and the state-owned utility) runs nuclear plants that supply more than a fifth of the electricity on an island where the 200 earthquakes that strike in an average year have heightened public opposition toward the use of reactors. Taipower had agreements with North Korea and Russia for nuclear waste disposal. [US interests] have blocked the plan to store waste in North Korea because facilities there are "inadequate," while Russia has since banned imports of nuclear waste. Source: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/archives/business/200727/101989.htm (Reliability: 3)

Nuclear Materials Control: Intelligence Summary 05 February-11 February 2007

Russia Pins Energy Hopes On New Nuclear Monopoly
08 February 2007

RIA NOVOSTI (MOSCOW) - President Vladimir Putin recently signed the so-called "tunnel law," which is opening new vistas for Russia's civilian nuclear power industry. The law is designed to rationalize the legal and institutional conditions for the operation of the energy-and-industry sector, and make it more competitive internationally and more attractive for investment. It separates the Russian nuclear power sector into military and civilian parts. The law is designed to rationalize the legal and institutional conditions for the operation of the energy-and-industry sector, and make it more competitive internationally and more attractive for investment. It separates the Russian nuclear power sector into military and civilian parts. Source: http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20070208/60389611.html (Reliability: 7)

Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials: Intelligence Summary 05 February - 11 February 2007

Nuclear Power Plants Are Well Protected
09 February 2007

PANTAGRAPH.COM (WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Nuclear power plants are the nation's best-defended industrial facilities, in no small part because plant owners recognize that these facilities are vital to our nation's domestic energy supply and protect them accordingly. Since 2001, the industry has spent more than $1.5 billion on improving commercial nuclear plant security. We have increased the number of security officers by 60 percent to a total of 8,000 officers; increased the size and numbers of defensive weapons systems; extended plant security perimeters; increased the intensity of training, including ``force-on-force'' mock terrorism drills. Source: http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/02/10/opinion/letters/123310.txt (Reliability: 6.5)

International Safeguards: Intelligence Summary 05 February - 11 February 2007

US Takes Step Toward Joining UN Nuclear Fuel Bank Project
07 February 2007

ENERGY DAILY (WASHINGTON, DC) - The US took a step toward joining a proposed UN-supervised international nuclear fuel bank aimed at deterring the spread of nuclear weapons. Tom Lantos, chairman of the House of Representatives committee on Foreign Affairs, introduced a bill on 7 February 2007 that authorizing US participation in a nuclear fuel bank. The bill drew immediate support from the Bush administration. IAEA director Mohamed Elbaradei proposed the idea of a fuel bank in September, 2006 as a way to keep countries like Iran from developing their own uranium enrichment programs. Source: http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/US_takes_step_toward_joining_UN_nuclear_fuel_bank_project_999.html (Reliability: 7)

Analysis: It is likely that the US will join the UN fuel bank to put pressure on Iran to give up its enrichment program. Keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of countries like Iran and limiting the amount of uranium enrichment programs worldwide are issues that are too important to deal with unilaterally, so joining this bank will help the US in its dealings with Iran. (Analytic Confidence: 8)

Packaging & Transportation: Intelligence Summary 05 February - 11 February 2007

New York To Test Ways To Guard Against Nuclear Terror
08 February 2007

NEW YORK TIMES (WASHINGTON D.C.) - Starting in spring 2007 at a Staten Island port terminal, the federal government will assess new detection machines designed to screen cargo and distinguish between naturally occurring radiation and critical bomb-building ingredients. Later in 2007, the government plans to begin setting up an elaborate network of radiation alarms at some bridges, tunnels, roadways and waterways into New York. The detection equipment, some of which would be mobile, would be electronically connected and monitored. Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/09/nyregion/09nuke.html?em&ex=1171170000&en=6507810ff9f35d06&ei=5087%0A (Reliability: 7)

Analysis: It is unlikely that the government will test a similar network in any other U.S. city in 2007. The system carries a large cost and its effectiveness is unproven. (Analytic Confidence: 8)

Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials: Intelligence Summary 29 January - 4 February 2007

NRC Approves Final Rule Amending Security Requirements
29 January 2007

NRC NEWS (WASHINGTON) - The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a final rule, protected from public disclosure, that enhances security regulations governing the design basis threat. NRC Chairman, Dale Klein stated, “Overall we are taking a multi-faceted approach to security enhancements in the post 9/11 threat environment, and looking at how best to secure existing nuclear power plants and how to incorporate security enhancements into design features of new reactors.” This rule, which provides modes of attack, weaponry capabilities and intentions of adversary, is the first of several planned security-related rules to enhance protection of nuclear power plants. Other rules being developed include proposals to add security assessment requirements for new power reactor designs; proposals to revise and update requirements for physical protection at existing and new reactors; and proposals to establish how technical requirements, including those related to security, are to be examined in applications for NRC review of new reactor designs and operations. Source: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2007/07-012.html (Reliability: 8.5)

Nuclear Materials Control: Intelligence Summary 29 January 2007- 04 February 2007

Savannah Facts Put Fears At Ease
04 February 2007

DAILY PRESS (NEWPORT NEWS) - It wasn't long ago the U.S. Maritime Administration termed the nuclear merchant ship Savannah a potential hazard to the Newport News Virginia area. In a 2003 document, the Administration said that the USS Savannah, then docked at the James River Reserve Fleet, could attract terrorists. The Maritime Administration "can no longer maintain the remnants of the ship's nuclear reactor," said the statement, still posted on the agency's web site Friday 2 February 2007. Now, however, the agency, also called MARAD (Maritime Administration), has a different take. Source: http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-44524sy0feb04,0,137744.story?coll=dp-news-local-final (Reliability: 7.5)

Nonproliferation And Arms Control: Intelligence Summary 29 January-04 February 2007

Feds Update Nuclear Power Plant Security Regulations
29 January 2007

NCTIMES (WASHINGTON) - On January 29, 2007, US Federal government ordered nuclear power plant operators to ratchet up security to protect against terrorist attacks by land vehicles, boats and computers -- but declined to require protection against attacks from the sky. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission decided against ordering security measures against attacks like the ones carried out by al-Qaida terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, because protection against airborne threats was the responsibility of the military and other agencies. Source: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01/30/news/top_stories/1_03_381_29_07.txt (Reliability: 7)

International Safeguards: Intelligence Summary 29 January 2007 - 4 February 2007

Emergency Shutdown At Russian Nuke Plant
30 January 2007

ASSOCIATED PRESS (MOSCOW) - An unspecified safety problem prompted an emergency shutdown at a Russian nuclear power plant, but there was no increase in radiation levels. The incident occurred in Saratov at the first unit of the Balakovo plant on Monday, 29 January 2007. The plant has 4 1,000-megawatt pressurized water reactors. Nuclear regulators said the problem was located and corrected on Tuesday, 30 January 2007. A false alarm occurred at the plant in 2004 after a turbine malfunction prompted a shutdown and sparked panic among nearby residents. Source: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070130/russia_nuclear_shutdown.html?.v=1 (Reliability: 7)

Nuclear Waste: Intelligence Summary 29 January 2007 – 04 February 2007

Nuclear Wasteland
February 2007

IEEE SPECTRUM MAGAZINE (NEW YORK, NY) — Areva would clearly be interested in licensing its reprocessing and MOX Reactor technology to non-nuclear-weapons countries which do not choose to participate in the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). The GNEP proposes that nations with “secure, advanced nuclear capabilities” reprocess the spent fuel from non-nuclear-weapons countries. However, without breeder reactors, which burn up all the residual fissile material found in spent fuels, reprocessing will simply concentrate high-level waste in a form that’s hotter and harder to handle. France’s attempt to build and run breeder reactors reliably at a commercial scale failed. Source: http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/feb07/4891 (Reliability: 5)

Analysis: It is highly likely that an increase in nuclear fuel reprocessing and the use of MOX fuel will increase nuclear proliferation, accidental criticalities (unexpected nuclear chain reactions during reprocessing), and nuclear accidents and contamination involving waste. (Analytic Confidence: 4)

Packaging & Transportation: Intelligence Summary 29 January 2007 - 04 February 2007

Strathmore Completes LOI With $8 Million Commitment From Yellowcake Mining
30 January 2007

MARKET WIRE (KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA)— Strathmore Minerals Corp. has entered into a binding letter of intent to form a joint venture with Yellowcake Mining Inc. to develop The Baggs, Juniper Ridge Project properties in Wyoming. The project is located in the Poison Basin uranium district in south central Wyoming. Strathmore will be in charge of all operations on the Baggs Property during the Earn-in Period. As part of the deal, Yellowcake will finance the evaluation of uranium prospects in Texas. Source: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=209314 (Reliability: 9)