|
Tbilisi
Address: 6 Tamarashvili Street, Tbilisi
380077
Georgian Academy of
Sciences
Director: Giorgi A. Kharadze
Founded in 1950, the Andronikashvili Institute of
Physics conducts research on physics of condensed matter, high-energy
physics, plasma physics, biophysics, and applied physics.
One (shutdown)
Mtskheta, approximately 20km from Tbilisi
IRT-M
pool
8MW
From criticality in October 1958 to September 1969,
the reactor ran on IRT-1000 fuel assemblies consisting of EK-10
fuel elements with 10% enriched uranium. From October 1969 to January
1988, the reactor ran on IRT-2M fuel assemblies consisting of fuel
elements with 90% HEU.[1] In 1986 the Institute of Physics received 17 IRT-3M
assemblies, which were later shipped to the Institute
of Nuclear Physics in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in August 1995.[1] The
exact details of this transaction are unclear: a source from the Georgian Academy of Sciences
indicates that Georgia sold Uzbekistan 5kg of fuel rods for $20,000[2],
while a New York Times article indicates that Georgia sent 11 pounds
of HEU to Uzbekistan at a cost of $6,000.[3] In April 1998 under Operation Auburn
Endeavor/Project Olympus, all HEU- and LEU-based spent and fresh fuel
was removed to Dounreay, Scotland. US government
documents indicate that approximately 4.3kg of
fresh fuel (largely HEU, with some LEU) and approximately 800g of
HEU/LEU-based spent fuel were removed.[4] Documents from the
United Kingdom House of Commons indicate that an additional 5.8kg of LEU-based fresh fuel and 3.7kg
of LEU-based spent fuel were also removed.[5]
Shut down in January 1998.
Prior to Operation Auburn
Endeavor/Project Olympus, the
United States assisted Georgia in improving MPC&A for the fresh fuel at
Mtskheta by installing a security system and a brick barrier in and around
the single alarmed building that housed the fuel.[1,2] Georgian Ministry of
Internal Affairs police guarded the building.[2] According to Institute of
Physics Director Giorgi Kharadze, there were never any problems with the
security alarm, TV cameras, and barriers that comprised the reactor's 24-hour
security system.[3] In addition, the International Atomic Energy Agency gave Georgia $2.5 million for its
nuclear radiation and safety program in 1996, a part of which went toward
improving MPC&A at Mtskheta.[4]
During its lifetime, the IRT-1M reactor used 201
fuel assemblies, of which 196 were transported to reprocessing enterprises
in Russia at various times during the Soviet era. The last shipment of
44 fuel assemblies took place in March 1991.[1] Five assemblies
(containing 800g of HEU and LEU)[2] could not be accommodated on the train
at the time and were left in the spent fuel cooling pond in Mtskheta.[3] These
five assemblies were removed to Dounreay, Scotland in May 1998 under Operation
Auburn Endeavor/Project Olympus. There are several facilities at the IRT reactor for storage of liquid and
solid wastes, including underground repositories on the reactor site and dry
shafts in the reactor building. According to unconfirmed information, there
are several radioactive waste disposal sites. Concrete is used at these
underground facilities to neutralize or decrease the radiation level.[4]
One
Breeder-1
A subcritical assembly, fueled by an unspecified amount of HEU, began
operation at the Institute of Physics in 1984. Since all
remaining HEU fuel was removed from the site during Operation
Auburn Endeavor/Project Olympus, it is presumed that the subcritical assembly is no longer
in operation.
4/23/98: HEU/LEU FUEL REMOVED FROM MTSKHETA REACTOR
On 23 April 1998, after
more than two years of negotiations, the
United States, the United Kingdom, and Georgia successfully carried out
Operation Auburn Endeavor, in which HEU- and LEU-based fresh
and spent fuel was transferred from the shutdown IRT-M research reactor in
Mtskheta, on the
outskirts of Tbilisi, Georgia, to the Dounreay Nuclear Complex in Scotland.
US government documents indicate that the material consisted of approximately 4.3kg of
fresh fuel (largely HEU, with some LEU, as well) and approximately 800g of
HEU/LEU-based spent fuel.[1] Documents from the UK House of Commons indicate that an additional 5.8kg of
LEU-based fresh fuel and 3.7kg of LEU-based spent fuel were also
removed.[2] For more information, see the Operation
Auburn Endeavor section of the NIS Profiles Database.
4/22/98: CHECHEN OFFICIAL DENIES SEEKING NUCLEAR
MATERIALS
Chechen Deputy Prime Minister Kazbek Makhashev has denied that
Chechnya has any interest in acquiring and using nuclear
materials as weapons. The statement was prompted by Western media
reports that nuclear material to be transferred from Georgia to the United
Kingdom could fall into Chechen hands. The radioactive material
consists of about 4kg of HEU and about 800g of spent nuclear fuel.
11/3/97: UNRESOLVED FATE OF HEU PROMPTS
GEORGIAN THREAT, FRENCH INTEREST
On a number of occasions, Georgian officials
have noted their willingness to sell the 4.5kg of HEU from Mtskheta.
The director of the Political-Military Department of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Georgia, David Dondua, appreciated the US government's concern
over security of the facility in Mtskheta, but he was rather disappointed by
the US government's delay in action.[1] The Political Counselor of the
Embassy of Georgia in the United States has made comments along the same
lines. He has mentioned that unless the US government decides to purchase
the uranium, and if Russia continues to insist on conditions unacceptable to
Georgia, Georgia might have no other option but to sell the uranium to
countries which constitute a proliferation threat.[2] Meanwhile, some
private companies have expressed interest in purchasing the uranium from
Mtskheta, including the French company Cogema. Mr. Jack Rame, director of
the general mission of Cogema to Georgia, visited Georgia and met with the
President Eduard Shevardnadze on 31 July 1997, to discuss prospects for
future cooperation.[3,4]
7/15/97: IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL MEETS CHAIRMAN OF THE GEORGIAN
PARLIAMENT
IAEA Director General Hans Blix met with the Chairman of the Georgian
Parliament Zurab Zhvania and discussed the MPC&A system for the 5 kg of
HEU (as reported) at the Mtskheta nuclear reactor. Zhvania expressed
to Blix his concern over the "out-of-date" technologies used at
the Metsamor
Nuclear Power Plant in neighboring Armenia.
1/97: GOVERNMENT DEVELOPS PROGRAM TO ENSURE RADIATION SAFETY
The Scientific Research Institute of Radiology and Radioecology and the
Institute of Physics of Georgia are responsible for the implementation of a
government program to protect the Georgian population from radiation
exposure in the case of an accident at a nuclear plant in a neighboring
country. The program also creates a consolidated state environmental
monitoring system, equips monitoring centers and regional laboratories, and
introduces fundamental legislation and regulations for these activities.
According to the Georgian Ministry of the Economy, execution of this program
will take place over the course of three years and will require the
investment of approximately 580,000 Lari (GEL) ($400,000).
Last updated 10 May 2001
Comments or questions? Contact Kenley Butler at
MIIS CNS: Kenley.Butler@miis.edu
|
