With the technical support of the Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety, a workshop entitled “Evaluation of nuclear security threats and management of design-based threats” was held in Yerevan. The event was organized by the RA Nuclear Security Regulatory Committee and the Sandia National Laboratories operating under the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
The workshop was attended by experts from the USA, as well as representatives of the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the Armenian Atomic Power Plant, the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the National Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Revenue Committee.
The main objective of the event was to strengthen Armenia’s capabilities to assess nuclear security threats and develop physical protection systems based on design baseline threat assessment to ensure the safety and security of the Armenian nuclear power plant.
The participants discussed the current challenges of protecting nuclear power plants from radiological sabotage, referred to the relevant guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency and discussed the methods of evaluating the effectiveness of physical protection systems.
The main topics discussed were:
Threat assessment. Assessing the motives, intentions and capabilities of potential external or internal/own enemies.
New risks. countering cyber threats, other unforeseen threats, and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by potential adversaries.
Scenario exercises. developing attack scenarios using the Lone Pine nuclear power plant model, conducting Tabletop Exercises and planning Force-on-Force exercises to assess the performance of physical defense systems.
The event emphasized the importance of close cooperation between competent state authorities and organizations operating nuclear facilities to strengthen nuclear security, reduce the risks of nuclear terrorism, and ensure the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The workshop also reaffirmed the ongoing cooperation between Armenia and the US in the field of nuclear security, in accordance with international standards and IAEA guidelines.
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