Physical protection system effectiveness calculation in nuclear reactor facility using EASI code: case study sabotage scenario

Every nuclear facility must pay attention to the 3S aspect (Safety-Security-Safeguard) to prevent nuclear accidents. One element in the nuclear security aspects includes a reliable Physical Protection System (PPS), which aims to ward off security disturbances and other illegal acts, i.e., sabotage, theft, Etc. This study evaluates the PPS performance by adversary-path analysis approach using the EASI code for hypothetical nuclear reactor facility to anticipate sabotage attacks as the highest consequences scenario. We perform the probability of interruption (PI) calculation as represented by the effectiveness of the PPS. The study results show that in the PPS design, calculating the PI value using the EASI code confirms the need to pay attention in determining the MVP. The results provide feedback for the PPS designer to accept the current design or strengthen it to obtain a reliable PPS.

Application of modern learning technologies on development of qualification in physical protection

Two training technologies, developed and implemented by the George Kuzmich Training Center for Physical Protection, Accounting and Control of Nuclear Material of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in the training process for advanced training in physical protection, are considered. The first is a training technology based on the use of the Training ground "Complex of engineering and technical means of a physical protection system", which enables students to acquire practical skills in operational management and technical operation of a complex engineering and technical means of a physical protection system. The second is a technology based on the use of the Interactive training complex "Nuclear Power Plant with elements of the physical protection system", which allows interactively checking the configurations of the nuclear power plant physical protection system proposed by the students for the presence of vulnerable routes to the targets of adversaries. The effectiveness of using these technologies in the training process is discussed, as well as the development and implementation of other modern training technologies by the Training Center.

Effectiveness assessment of improvement measures in physical protection system monitoring center

The optimization measures in the physical protection system monitoring center of a nuclear power plant include the prioritization of alarm signals, optimization of sound and light alarm form, improvement of the layout of video monitor screen, security training, and strengthening of organizational management. Based on the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, the influence of these factors on the probability of alert assessment and guard’s respond time in the EASI method are quantitatively analyzed. Making full use of the measures for prioritization of alarm signals can effectively promote the improvement of human-computer interaction efficiency. The degree of influence of the four factors (guarder’s status, decision strategy, guarder’s training and organization management) on guard’s decision-making is roughly the same.

Assessing the risk of a nuclear power plant in a terrorist attack. Application of physical protection systems. Ray-tracing technology optimization techniques

Terrorism today is one of the main threats to human civilization. In recent years, international terror has proved its extreme cruelty, its readiness to stop at nothing in order to achieve its goals. As a result of committing terrorist acts, innocent people, children, women and old people suffer. For a terrorist, human life has no value. With the modern variety of potentially dangerous objects and their functional orientation, it is impossible to ensure safety with standard solutions, using uniform strategies, tactical schemes and techniques, and the same type of equipment. If we simply follow the path of ensuring the maximum level of safety, it may turn out that at most facilities the cost of the applied technological means will be many times greater than the cost of the technological equipment of the facility and even the facility itself. Hence, it follows that in order to create effective physical protection systems or to effectively modernize existing physical protection systems, it is necessary to analyze these systems, to identify the weakest and most protected places that need strengthening. At the same time, an important difference must be taken into account between physical protection systems and other safety systems used to protect against natural disasters (such as earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.) and against abnormal operating conditions (such as fire, malfunctions in electrical equipment, etc.). Unlike human violators, security breaches are subject to strict laws and do not happen without reason. For example, the fire of a fire can only burn while there is fuel and oxygen. If one of these elements is removed, the fire will go out. Also, a fire cannot decide where and when it will occur, and how it will progress. Conversely, the human adversary (intruder) has the ability to decide whether to attack, when and how to attack, can adjust to the measures of the physical protection system to counter it, and possibly even outwit and defeat them. All this introduces a significant element of uncertainty into the process of analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of the physical protection system. Taking into account the above, the task of developing a methodological approach to risk assessment when committing a terrorist attack using physical protection systems, taking into account the optimization of calculations of cost-intensive algorithms in real time, becomes more and more urgent. In this article, the authors attempt to create this approach.