Plutonium Production Reactor Agreement (PPRA)

Overview

Potential Facility Impacts

Current Activities

Overview

Purpose and Background

The Plutonium Production Reactor Agreement (PPRA) [long title: The Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning Cooperation Regarding Plutonium Production Reactors] prohibits the resumption of operations at specific U.S. and Russian plutonium production reactors that have been shut down. The Agreement established the Joint Implementation and Compliance Commission (JICC), which meets in Moscow or Washington, DC (usually no more than twice per year) to discuss and resolve implementation concerns.

In March 2003, the United States and Russia signed an amendment to the PPRA, calling for the shutdown of Russia's three remaining plutonium production reactors at Seversk and Zheleznogorsk, and the replacement of their energy production with fossil fuel sources. These reactors provide essential heat and power for tens of thousands of residents of Siberia. The Seversk reactors were shut down on April 21 and June 5, 2008. The Department of Energy expects the single reactor at Zheleznogorsk to be shutdown not later than 2010. U.S. contractors will oversee the work, most of which will be done by Russian firms.

Potential Facility Impacts

Key Verification Measures

The PPRA applies to 14 shutdown U.S. plutonium reactors and 13 Russian plutonium reactors, 12 of which have been shut down. The remaining Russian reactor at Zheleznogorsk is expected to be shut down by 2010. The United States and Russia are permitted to conduct monitoring visits once per year at the other's shutdown reactors to monitor the non-weapons use of the plutonium. The United States also has the right to monitor the two Russian plutonium storage facilities, located at Seversk and Zheleznogorsk, twice each year. During these visits, personnel visually inspect and place seals on plutonium oxide storage containers, and observe the non-destructive assay of containers to ensure they contain weapons-grade plutonium.

The PPRA allows the Parties to designate information transmitted under the Agreement as "sensitive" to prevent nonparty individuals and organizations from having access to this information. Because the U.S. reactors were government-owned and are located at current U.S. government facilities, there is no potential impact to any other nuclear facility.

Current Activities

Recent Developments

The Agreement continues to be implemented. Both sides host reciprocal visits by joint expert groups at their respective shutdown reactors. The United States continues to monitor the fissile material stored at Seversk and Zheleznogorsk.

To assist with implementing the PPRA amendment, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Nuclear Risk Reduction established the Seversk Plutonium Production Elimination Project (SPPEP) and the Zheleznogorsk Plutonium Production Elimination Project (ZPPEP).

In Seversk, refurbishment of a 1950s era fossil fuel plant began in April 2005 to replace the output of the two reactors there. The NNSA assisted the Russian state corporation Rosatom to provide fossil fuel and electricity during the transition from nuclear energy to fossil fuels.

On April 21, 2008, the NNSA announced that the first of the two Seversk reactors had been shut down eight months ahead of schedule. This marked the first shutdown of a weapons-grade plutonium production reactor in fifteen years. The second reactor at Seversk was shut down on June 5, 2008. NNSA project closeout activities will continue throughout 2009 at Seversk.

In Zheleznogorsk, the remaining reactor will be replaced by a new coal-powered plant. This work began in the fall/winter of 2005. Also in 2005, the United States Congress agreed to allow the Department of Energy to accept international funds for the completion of the work at Zheleznogorsk. Six additional countries have contributed more than $31 million to the on-going project design and construction. Contributors include the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands.

As of December 2008, design of the Zheleznogorsk coal-powered plant was nearly complete and construction was approximately 40 percent complete. The operating contractor had been named and the startup/commissioning contractor will be selected in early 2009. Completion of the reactor shutdown is targeted for not later than 2010.