Gap Analysis of Advanced Reactor Construction and Safeguards Implementation

Advanced reactor (AR) designs differ from traditional light-water reactors in nearly every facet, including the heat transfer fluids, operating temperatures and pressures, and fuel cycle requirements. To account for these differences, significant effort will be required to ensure appropriate safeguards implementation for US-based reactors intended for global deployment. This is the third in a series of three papers that examine the facets of this issue. The first paper investigates potential construction schedules for ARs to create a baseline understanding of the timeframes involved. The second paper characterized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards implementation schedules for potential ARs. Finally, this paper examines gaps that exist for safeguards implementation at ARs.