Applicability of the Milestones Approach to Deployments of Transportable Nuclear Power Plants (TNPPs)
Transportable nuclear power plants (TNPPs) can provide potential benefits to countries embarking on nuclear programs, offering reduced infrastructure requirements, shorter timeframes for implementation, cost savings and greater deployment flexibility than larger conventional reactors. However, the deployment of a TNPP in a Host State comes with the obligation to establish sufficient regulatory, institutional, and technical infrastructure, which, among others, includes a legal and regulatory framework and a competent regulatory body to implement a State’s safeguards obligations. This paper considers how the unique technical and deployment features of TNPPs may affect the process of preparing for and implementing safeguards in nuclear newcomer countries. Evaluating this issue through the lens of the IAEA’s Milestones Approach, this paper discusses some potential implications arising from the shortening of some milestones phases due to reduced construction or licensing time for TNPPs, and the need for increased cooperation between Host States and Supplier States in preparing for and meeting certain safeguards obligations. These considerations are potentially relevant to various stakeholders: newcomer States considering TNPP deployment; the States and companies that supply such reactors; as well as organizations that support international safeguards capacity building.