With the technical support of the NRSC, a workshop entitled “Nuclear Security Threat Assessment and Design Basis Threat Management” was held in Yerevan. The event was jointly organised by the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority and Sandia National Laboratories, a division of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
The workshop brought together experts from the United States, as well as representatives of ANRA, the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the National Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia.
The main objective of the workshop was to strengthen national capabilities in assessing nuclear security threats and developing Design Basis Threat (DBT)-based Physical Protection Systems (PPS) to ensure the safety and security of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant.
During the workshop, participants examined current challenges related to protecting nuclear power plants against radiological sabotage, reviewed IAEA recommendations (guidelines NSS No. 13 on “Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities” and NSS No. 10-G on “National Nuclear Security Threat Assessment and Design Basis Threats“), and discussed methodologies for evaluating the effectiveness of Physical Protection Systems.
Key topics included:
- Threat Assessment: Assessing the motivations, intentions, and capabilities of potential external adversaries and insider threats.
- Emerging Risks: Addressing cyber threats, beyond-design-basis threats, and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones) by potential adversaries.
- Scenario-Based Exercises: Developing attack scenarios using the “Lone Pine” nuclear power plant model, conducting tabletop exercises (TTX), and planning force-on-force (FoF) exercises to evaluate the performance of physical protection systems.
The workshop underscored the importance of close coordination among competent state authorities and nuclear facility operators in strengthening nuclear security, mitigating the risks of nuclear terrorism, and ensuring the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The workshop reaffirmed the continued cooperation between Armenia and the United States in strengthening nuclear security in line with international standards and IAEA guidance.
