U.S. Department of State: Nonproliferation Assistance Programs - Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety and Security (NESS) Activities

Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety and Security (NESS) - Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Security mission analysis and management of all aspects of peaceful nuclear cooperation, including the following: coordinating and negotiating nuclear cooperation agreements; leading USG efforts in bilateral dialogues involving Joint Standing Committees on Nuclear Cooperation (JSCNC) with other countries; providing technical advice and recommendations on sensitive fuel cycle developments, in particular with regard to IAEA; advising U.S. delegations to the IAEA and other international bodies on nuclear energy issues, including leading efforts to strengthen the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and the Waste Management Convention.

NESS also works closely with the Department of Energy on USG efforts to minimize the use of high enriched uranium (HEU) in civilian applications, including converting HEU-fueled research reactors and isotope production processes to low enriched uranium (LEU), international aspects of the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor program, and the secure transport repatriation, and disposition of HEU and plutonium.