A Strategic Framework for Proliferation Resistance: A systematic Approach for the Identification and Evaluation of Technology Opportunities to Enhance the Proliferation Resistance of Civilian Nuclear Energy Systems

The United States’ Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee recently completed a study “Technological Opportunities To Increase The Proliferation Resistance Of Global Civilian Nuclear Power Systems (TOPS).” That effort included the development of a set of both intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to proliferation that technologies can directly impact. In this paper we will review these barriers as and framework for assisting in the evaluation of the relative proliferation resistance of various nuclear fuel cycles, technologies and alternatives.