for the period January 25 through February 7, 1997
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington

Editor's Note

This issue of the Activity Report includes a special summary of a risk assessment completed recently for Chornobyl Unit 3.

Russia

Balakovo Trainers Finalize Pilot Course. During the week of February 3, Balakovo NPP staff worked with a team from Sonalysts, Inc. to finalize a pilot training course for radiation protection technicians. This course will be implemented at the plant starting on February 10. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

VNIIAES Presents Seminar. During the week of January 27, VNIIAES representatives presented a five-day seminar on emergency operating instructions (EOIs). The seminar, held at Balakovo NPP, consisted of presentations on seven basic elements of EOI development and implementation. In attendance were members of NPP management, operations, training, and procedures development organizations. A Gidropress representative also attended. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

Balakovo Analytical Simulator. During the week of January 20, U.S. technical staff held discussions with contractor GSE Power Systems, Inc. (formerly S3 Technologies, Inc.) regarding status of the analytical simulator for the Balakovo NPP training center. The group decided on a strategy for continuing efforts to acquire the simulator. The simulator to be obtained will be based upon the GSE proposal of November 1996. GSE will provide, one month after contract award, a set of requirements for the simulator. The firm also will present a complete list of any expected differences between the requirements of the original Balakovo simulator specification and the simulator that will be provided. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

Specifications Finalized, Contracts Signed, for Novovoronezh Safety Parameter Display System Work. During meetings in Moscow and at Novovoronezh NPP, specifications for the Novovoronezh Unit 3 safety parameter display system were finalized. U.S. vendor Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) signed a contract with ConSyst, the Russian design organization that will develop the system displays and software. Novovoronezh staff are characterizing the input signals to be monitored by the new display system. SAIC is developing a plan to install hardware for the system during a plant outage scheduled to begin in September 1997. A VVER-440/230 safety parameter display system for Novovoronezh Unit 4 will be installed in May 1998. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

Circuit Breaker Technology Transfer Explored. On January 22 and 23, Bechtel National and U.S. team representatives met in Moscow with representatives of Rosenergoatom and a number of Russian manufacturing firms to discuss technology transfer for circuit breaker replacement. Through a survey of plant problems in 1996, Rosenergoatom had identified 6-kilovolt and 400-volt circuit breakers as a major safety concern. Bechtel National will discuss the Russian circuit breaker problems with U.S. manufacturers to identify opportunities for technology transfer to host countries. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

Leningrad Probabilistic Safety Assessment Working Group Meets. The working group for the Leningrad NPP probabilistic safety assessment met at the Leningrad plant January 20 through 22. Representatives of ENTEK, VNIPIET, ES-Konsult (Sweden), Atomic Energy Authority Technologies (Great Britain), and U.S. participants joined Leningrad plant officials for the meeting. Major actions included reviewing the design of the Leningrad plant, coordinating tasks associated with the probabilistic safety assessment with those of the deterministic safety assessment, and preparing for the March 11 project steering committee meeting in Washington, D.C. The working group concluded that the probabilistic safety assessment activities are on schedule. However, current delays in construction at the Leningrad plant represent a potential source of difficulty in maintaining the assessment schedule. (Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059)

Finnish Regulator Discusses Interest in Managing External Review of Leningrad Safety Analyses. On January 24, a member of the U.S. team met in Helsinki with representatives of STUK, the Finnish regulator, to discuss scope and level of effort required for an external review of the Leningrad NPP probabilistic safety analysis. STUK has expressed an interest in managing the external review. Participants included representatives from ES-Konsult (Sweden), STUK, and Gosatomnadzor. STUK representatives presented a comprehensive plan for conducting the external review of the probabilistic safety analysis. However, they expressed a desire for assistance from Gesellschaft fur Anlagen und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH (a German nuclear safety firm) with the review of the deterministic safety analysis. Meeting participants agreed that STUK would contact GRS within two weeks concerning the firm's interest and potential involvement. (Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059)

Ukraine

Khmelnytskyy Trainers Implement Training Course. A team from General Physics Corporation worked with training staff from Khmelnytskyy NPP to finalize and implement the pilot course for chemical operators. During the week of January 27, the Khmelnytskyy trainers received additional instructor skills training and practiced teaching course material. During the week of February 3, the Khmelnytskyy trainers presented the pilot course to chemical operators from the plant. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Training Program Development Continues at Chornobyl. From January 27 through February 7, General Physics Corporation and Sonalysts, Inc. worked with the Chornobyl NPP training development group on development of the Control Room Reactor Operator and Radiation Protection Technician training programs. These working sessions focused on the design of training programs. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Progress Made in Safety Parameter Display System Development for VVER-1000 Reactors. On January 27 and 28, Burns & Roe staff and U.S. team representatives met in Kyiv with staff of Derzhkomatom, Khmelnytskyy and Zaporizhzhya NPPs, and the State Scientific and Engineering Center for Control Systems and Emergency Response. The center will coordinate efforts in the project within Ukraine, as well as develop software and display formats. Plant-specific information needed for developing preliminary bid specifications was determined. The group developed a schedule to complete installation of the safety parameter display systems at Khmelnytskyy Unit 1 and Zaporizhzhya Unit 5 in May 1998. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

Chornobyl Center Completes Risk Assessment. The Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology in Slavutych recently completed a review of the risk of a serious accident at the operating Chornobyl Unit 3 reactor if the damaged structures of the adjacent Unit 4 reactor were to collapse. The assessment marks the first project completed for the United States by the Center. The United States supported Ukraine in establishing the Center in 1996. A three-page summary of that assessment is attached at the end of this Activity Report. (Roger Anderson, PNNL, 206-528-3300)

Central and Eastern Europe

Lithuania: Ignalina EOI Development Group Assesses Progress. The status of emergency operating instruction development for Ignalina NPP was reviewed on January 27 through 29. Project participants meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, for the review included representatives from ENTEK, Ignalina NPP, Sweden, and the United States. The latter two countries are working cooperatively with the Ignalina plant in the development of EOIs based on U.S. methodologies and on operational insight provided by the Ignalina NPP probabilistic safety assessment. Participants discussed development issues, project status, and future planning. ENTEK provided a status report on its analysis activities, noting that calculation work in support of the Ignalina EOIs is scheduled for completion in August. Staff of Ignalina expressed concern regarding the fact that the Ignalina safety analysis report officially documents the plant's EOIs as a deficiency. The mid-1998 date scheduled for implementing the instructions at Ignalina may require reassessment based on the plant's response to the identified deficiency. (Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059)

Cross-Cutting Activities

Russia, Ukraine To Perform Safe Shutdown Analyses for Fire Hazards. The reactor core protection evaluation guidelines for fires at VVER and RBMK nuclear power plants, completed in November 1996, will be used in performing safe shutdown studies at Smolensk (Russia) and Zaporizhzhya (Ukraine) NPPs. On January 21, U.S. specialists met in Moscow with staff of Rosenergoatom and VNIIAES and agreed on the Russian scope of work for the Smolensk study. On February 4 in Washington, D.C., U.S. team members discussed the Zaporizhzhya analysis with a representative of Derzhkomatom. Agreement on these studies grew out of host country responses to workshops held in the United States in November and December 1996. Nuclear industry executives (including regulatory and utility representatives) from Russia, Ukraine, and Armenia attended those workshops. Training sessions for host country staff who will implement the guidelines were completed in the United States during the past week. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

Planned Activities

"*" indicates the event is a new item or has been changed from the last report.

February 9-11 -- Slavutych, Ukraine.
Technical leads for the U.S. effort will participate in the emergency operating instruction analysis workshop for Chornobyl NPP. They also will meet with Chornobyl's chief engineer to review progress on three projects under way at the plant. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

*February 10-14 -- Argonne, Illinois, USA.
Representatives from South Ukraine NPP and its subcontractors will meet with U.S. team members and representatives of Scientech, Inc., to plan the in-depth safety analysis project for South Ukraine Unit 1. (Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)

February 10-12 -- Vilnius, Lithuania.
U.S. technical experts and contractor Burns & Roe will meet with representatives of Ignalina NPP to develop a memorandum of understanding for the battery and switchgear upgrade project. (Norman Fletcher, DOE, 301-903-3275)

February 10-14 -- Balakovo NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts, Inc. will assist staff of the Balakovo NPP Training Center in implementing the pilot training course, Radiation Protection Shift Supervisor. Training staff representatives from Chornobyl and Khmelnytskyy NPPs and the Novovoronezh Training Center also will attend. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575) (Workshop No. 97-021; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

February 10-13 -- St. Petersburg, Russia.
Representatives from the U.S. team and contractor Bechtel National, Inc. will participate in joint technical/contractual meetings with Leningrad NPP officials. Participants will discuss issues regarding the Leningrad proposal for purchase and installation of new plant fire detection equipment. Also to be discussed is a potential task with Leningrad NPP for work related to development of safety parameter display systems. (Rich Reister, DOE, 301-903-0234)

*February 10-28 -- Darmstadt, Germany.
U.S. members of the International Shelter Project will meet to develop functions, requirements, cost, dose, and schedule estimates sufficient to support G-7 pledging and initiate development of tasks for implementing the European Commission Chornobyl Shelter study recommendations. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

*February 11-15 -- Bratislava, Slovakia.
Members of the U.S. team will meet with officials from the Slovakian Nuclear Regulatory Authority to discuss upcoming plant safety evaluation efforts. The team then will meet with Bohunice NPP officials to discuss ongoing technical work under way at that plant. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

February 15-March 8 -- Columbia, Maryland, USA.
Seven simulator specialists from Zaporizhzhya NPP will participate in a training course at GSE Power Systems, Inc. (formerly S3 Technologies). This course will provide training in UNIX and the simulation software that operates on the full-scope simulator at Zaporizhzhya. (Bill Shier, BNL, 516 344 2385)

February 17-21 -- Moscow, Russia; and Kyiv, Ukraine.
U.S. team members will participate in meetings to sign memoranda of understanding for four simulator projects. Discussions also will be held regarding project organizations and other technical details. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

February 17-28 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
Staff from General Physics Corporation and Sonalysts, Inc. will work with Kozloduy NPP training center staff to develop training programs for control room operators and mechanical maintenance/ rotating equipment. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575).

February 17-28 -- Waterford, Connecticut, USA.
Staff from Balakovo NPP will work with U.S. contractor Sonalysts, Inc. to develop materials for the safety inspector training program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575) (Workshop No. 97-019; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

February 20-21 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Program participants from Ukraine will meet with U.S. program technical leads to discuss the work plan and schedule for the Ukraine training technology transfer effort. Representatives from Derzhkomatom and the South Ukraine, Rivne, Zaporizhzhya, and Khmelnytskyy NPPs will attend. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

February 22-28 -- Moscow, Russia.
U.S. technical experts will visit VNIIAES to evaluate data on its suitability for inclusion in the Russian RBMK reliability database. (Bob Moffitt, PNNL, 509-372-4108)

February 22-March 1 -- Washington, D.C., and Richland, Washington, USA.
Representatives of Rosenergoatom will meet to discuss customs and maintenance issues related to the U.S. efforts to improve the safety of Soviet-designed reactors. (Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072) (Workshop No. 97-025; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

February 23-March 1 -- Moscow, Russia
U.S. experts in plant safety evaluation will meet with staff of ENTEK to discuss the deterministic safety analysis portion of the probabilistic and deterministic safety analysis for Leningrad Unit 2. ENTEK also will present a progress report on the pressure tube rupture propagation efforts under way for Leningrad Unit 2. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

* Date Change February 24-26 -- London, England.
A U.S. fire protection expert will present a paper at Fire & Safety '97, the Second International Conference on Fire Protection and Prevention in Nuclear Facilities. The presentation will cover the status of fire safety upgrades at VVER and RBMK facilities being supported by the United States. In conjunction with the conference, a workshop will be held in which U.S. contractors and Russian and Ukrainian representatives will discuss the safe shutdown guidelines and plans for safe shutdown studies in the host countries. (Rich Reister, DOE, 301-903-0234; Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412) (Workshop No. 97-001; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

February 24-27 -- Moscow, Russia.
U.S. team members from the legislative and regulatory project will participate in a workshop on licensing of nuclear facilities in Russia at the Gosatomnadzor (GAN) Scientific and Engineering Center. This workshop, which also marks the tenth anniversary of GAN's Scientific and Engineering Center, will cover a variety of issues directly related to Russia's transition from a system of operating permits to one of licensing. (Ed Branagan, DOE, 301-903-6509; George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836)

*February 24-28 -- Energodar, Ukraine.
Representatives of the U.S. effort and contractor Scientech, Inc. will meet with Zaporizhzhya NPP personnel and the plant's subcontractors. The representatives will plan the in-depth safety analysis project for Zaporizhzhya Unit 5. (Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)

*Date Changed February 24-28 -- Moscow, Russia.
U.S. experts in probabilistic safety analysis will participate in a review meeting for the Kola in-depth safety analysis (KOLISA) project. Expected to participate are staff from Kola NPP, IBRAE, the Kurchatov Institute, and U.S. contractor SAIC. The U.S. team members then will hold working meetings with their technical counterparts on the IBRAE quality assurance and peer review teams. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

February 24-March 7 -- Zaporizhzhya NPP, Ukraine.
U.S. specialists will train technical and engineering staff from Ukrainian NPPs on the use of manual ultrasonic equipment. The seminar also will cover modern ultrasonic techniques for determining the through-wall extent of defects. (Tom Taylor, PNNL, 509-375-4331)

February 24-March 7 -- Kursk NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts, Inc. staff will work with Kursk NPP training staff to develop a training program on mechanical maintenance as part of the training technology transfer program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

March 1-7 -- Vermont Yankee NPP, Vernon, Vermont, USA.
The plant manager and staff representatives from Novovoronezh NPP will participate in a WANO-sponsored exchange meeting with staff of Vermont Yankee NPP. The exchange will cover operational safety topics--conduct of operations, management and operational controls, emergency operating instructions, operator training--plus recent plant events and other items of mutual interest. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068) (Workshop 97-014; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

*March 3-14 -- Smolensk NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts, Inc. staff will work with Smolensk NPP training staff to develop a training program on mechanical maintenance as part of the training technology transfer program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*March 3-14 -- Smolensk Training Center, Russia.
Sonalysts, Inc. staff will work with Smolensk Training Center staff to develop a training program for the shift supervisor position as part of the training technology transfer program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*March 10-March 14 -- Upton, New York, USA.
U.S. specialists will present a one-week workshop at Brookhaven National Laboratory on verification and validation procedures for nuclear power plant simulators. Staff from Khmelnytskyy and South Ukraine NPPs and from the Engineering Technical Center in Kyiv have been invited to attend. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

March 10-21 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
Staff from General Physics Corporation and Sonalysts, Inc. will work with the Chornobyl NPP training staff to develop training programs for radiation protection technicians and control room reactor operators. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

March 15-April 12 -- Aiken, South Carolina, USA.
Twelve representatives of Russian research reactors will participate in a training workshop at General Physics Corporation facilities. General Physics staff will train the group on the Systematic Approach to Training and instructor skills. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575) (Workshop No. 97-004; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

March 17-22 -- Mohovce NPP, Slovakia.
Regulatory agency representatives from host countries with VVER reactors will attend a regulator workshop hosted by Mohovce NPP. Personnel from each VVER reactor site also will participate. The workshop, which continues work begun at the November meeting in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will cover topics associated with emergency operating instruction development, implementation, and regulation for VVER reactors. U.S. technical staff also will attend. (Larry Sherfey, PNNL, 509-372-4080)

*March 17-28 -- Beloyarsk NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts, Inc. staff will work with Beloyarsk NPP training staff to develop a training program on mechanical maintenance as part of the training technology transfer program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

March 17-28 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation will work with staff of Khmelnytskyy NPP on the Control Room Operator training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

April 14-25 -- Waterford, Connecticut, USA.
Personnel from the Chornobyl NPP training development group will work with staff from Sonalysts, Inc. on the Radiation Protection Technician training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575) (Workshop No. 97-020; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)