The Maisiagala Repository Site in Lithuania.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear and Radiological Threat Reduction Task Force (NA-20.2) supports a national security initiative to reduce the threat of a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) incident. Such an incident would instill terror in the populace, causing mass public and economic disruption. To prevent these attacks, the Radiological Threat Reduction (RTR) program seeks to reduce the threat of an RDD attack against the United States by ensuring that radioactive source materials across the world are kept secure.

One site identified for security upgrades under the program was the Maisiagala Repository Site in Lithuania. Located outside of Vilnius, Lithuania, the Maisiagala Repository Site was used by the Russian military from 1963 to 1988 and stores high-risk nuclear materials, much of it kept underground. Complete storage records for the Maisiagala site are available from 1973 to 1988, but there are no records from 1963 to 1973. The unknown nature of the materials being stored makes the security of the Maisiagala Repository of particular interest to both the RTR Program and to the Lithuanian government.

In 2003, a DOE conducted an initial assessment of the Maisiagala Repository and determined that a safeguards surveillance system in conjunction with certain physical security upgrades was required in order to secure the site against theft or intrusion. In October 2003, the DOE, in conjunction with RATA (the Lithuanian Radioactive Waste Management Agency which operates the site), contracted Canberra Albuquerque, Inc. to design, install, and maintain a specialized surveillance system for the Maisiagala site. CANBERRA Albuquerque, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canberra Industries, Inc. with extensive experience in the design, production, and installation of safeguards and surveillance systems, was chosen to help achieve RTR Program goals in Lithuania.

CANBERRA Albuquerque installed a surveillance system at the Maisiagala Repository site as part of a unique security enhancement effort. Employing CANBERRA Albuquerque’s Gemini-N systems and QuickView monitoring software, the installation employs cameras, motion detection sensors, and metal detectors in order to insure the physical security of the site.

A team of specialists from both Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) and CANBERRA Albuquerque conducted an assessment of the Maisiagala Repository site in November 2003. Based on the assessment and follow-on discussions with INTA (the Lithuanian integrating contractor), and Sandia, CANBERRA Albuquerque provided a detailed system design for the installation that was performed in May 2004. CANBERRA Albuquerque provided an analysis of the site and a design plan in November 2003, and began installation in December 2003. Installation and training of guard personnel was completed in May 2004.

The GEMINI-N system, designed and manufactured by CANBERRA Albuquerque, allows the monitoring of networked cameras from multiple locations. The system is linked to an on-site guard station and to a review station at the Lithuanian Federal Police Station 40 km away. Additionally, video and event data is transmitted to a review station in the US to provide additional oversight. Review stations are equipped with CANBERRA Albuquerque QuickView monitoring software, enabling realtime monitoring of the site by local and remote authorities.

The system installed at Maisiagala ensures that:

• Video and alarm data is transmitted in real-time to remote response forces.
• Video and alarm data is simultaneously transmitted to the national regulatory authorities and to US Government officials.
• Remote alarms are triggered if an intruder attempts to steal radioactive materials, enabling a response forces to quickly take action.
• US Government regulatory authorities can monitor the site to ensure that the monitoring system is operating properly and that no radioactive materials have been stolen.

Since its installation, the Maisiagala monitoring system has enabled Lithuanian and US oversight authorities to continuously monitor the site. During that time, data connectivity from the police station to the Repository has averaged 97%, and 97% from RATA to the Repository.