Nuclear security for small modular novel advanced reactors

Speakers: Kristof Horvath, Unit Head Nuclear Material Security at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Anita Nilsson, former Director of the IAEA Nuclear Security Office.

Chair: Dr. Ross Peel, Research and Knowledge Transfer Manager at the Centre for Science and Security Studies, King's College London.

Description:

There is great interest globally in moving from large conventional nuclear power plants to a range of evolutionary and innovative nuclear power plant designs, including small and very small modular reactors. These new power plants will use significantly different technology compared to the reactors that are operating and under construction worldwide today. The new technology presents a range of interwoven security, safeguards, safety and operational considerations. The new innovative power plants are currently in an early development/design stage, which is a valuable opening to implement security-by-design features and brings a wide range of benefits.

This webinar will explore the unique security considerations for these new reactor technologies and how nuclear sector stakeholders can ensure that security is delivered both effectively and economically.

Biographies: 

Mr Kristof Horvath holds an MSc on nuclear engineering and a PhD on military engineering. He was the Deputy Chairman of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority until 2017 where he was responsible for regulatory issues, including radiation protection, nuclear security, emergency preparedness, legal and public affairs. In 2017, he moved to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where, as a senior nuclear security officer within the Division of Nuclear Security, he was responsible for IAEA International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) missions, as well as threat assessment, nuclear security culture related topics. Since 2021, he is the head of the unit responsible for the nuclear security of nuclear material and nuclear facilities, covering all the different nuclear facilities and their lifecycle stages.

After having served at senior positions with the Swedish regulator (Swedish Nuclear Safety Authority), Ms Anita Nilsson, MSc and MD joined the IAEA in 1996 as Senior Coordinator for international safeguards. In 2003, she was appointed Director of Nuclear Security, taking on a tenure as leader of the IAEA nuclear security programme until 2011. Her records include serving as Associate Fellow at Chatham House, being a member of the World Federation of Scientists, a Senior Associate of the Partnership for Global Security and a member of the Board of Directors of ISEC Monitoring Systems AB. Since 2017, she has been a member of the IAEA  Advisory Committee on Nuclear Security, AdSec.

Dr Ross Peel is a Research and Knowledge Transfer Manager in the Department of War Studies and the Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS). In this role, Ross manages the research and knowledge transfer activities of a team of ~15 researchers within CSSS, covering topics on non-proliferation, strategic trade and open-source intelligence.

Ross gained his PhD from the University of Sheffield through the Nuclear FiRST Centre for Doctoral Training in September 2017, studying chemistry and physics aspects of thorium-based nuclear fuel cycles and spending three months working with AREVA in Paris. He holds an M.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering with French, also from the University of Sheffield, which included a year studying abroad at INSA Lyon in France.