Protect | National Nuclear Security Administration

The Nuclear and Radiological Material Protection subprogram supports the protection of at-risk WMD-usable nuclear and radiological materials worldwide from theft and sabotage until a more permanent threat reduction solution can be implemented.  These efforts result in threat containment because WMD-usable materials are protected from theft and sabotage. This subprogram includes:

• Protecting nuclear materials by providing safe and secure long-term storage of the nearly three tons of weapons-grade plutonium and ten tons of HEU in spent fuel from the shutdown BN-350 fast breeder reactor in Kazakhstan.
• Protecting international materials by working in cooperation with foreign counterparts and international agencies to install security upgrades on high-priority, vulnerable nuclear and radiological material located at civilian sites overseas.
• Protecting domestic materials by working in cooperation with Federal, State, and local agencies, and private industry to install security upgrades on high-priority nuclear and radiological materials located at civilian sites in the United States.