Tabletop exercise as a tool of evaluating physical protection system

Matsuzawa, Reina

Evaluation of designed and implemented physical protection system (PPS) is essential for ensuring the effectiveness of PPS. In Japan, based on its national law requiring performance-based assessment of PPS, nuclear facility operators have conducted performance test of PPS element and periodical trainings as well as annual PPS exercise with relevant agencies. In addition to these practical or field efforts, non-field tool for evaluating PPS effectiveness such as tabletop exercise (TTX) can be utilized as it is applied in the USA and other countries. This paper discusses the potential advantage of TTX as an evaluation tool of PPS effectiveness, looking at the characterizations of TTX in comparison to field evaluations, and potential cases where operator would get benefit from TTX especially.