for the period February 22 through March 7, 1997
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Simulator Design Specifications Under Review. U.S. contractor GSE Power Systems, Inc. (the former S3 Technologies) has completed the preliminary design specifications for the analytical simulator for Novovoronezh NPP. The U.S. team is now reviewing the specifications for approval to proceed withsimulator design. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

Work Begins on Analytical Simulator for Bilibino. U.S. team members have drafted the technical specifications for an analytical simulator to be developed for Bilibino NPP. A request for proposal to assemble the simulator is scheduled to be issued in late March. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

KOLISA Project Team Holds Review. At meetings in Moscow during the week of February 24, the KOLISA project team reviewed the status of the in-depth safety analysis under way for Kola NPP. Attending the meeting were U.S. team members and representatives from IBRAE, who are peer reviewers for the project work. The purpose of the meetings was to finalize the KOLISA project guidelines for the in-depth safety analysis. The team members reached agreement on changes remaining to be made in seven of the nine guidelines. The team also discussed the quality assurance audit process and preparation of the final plan for peer review. Other topics included creation of a single task order to cover all remaining project work, as well as planning for the next project tasks--the deterministic safety analyses and the Level 1 external events probabilistic risk assessment forKola Units 1 and 2. (Phil Pizzica, ANL, 630-252-4847)

Workshop Held on Nuclear Facility Licensing. U.S. technical staff from the legislative and regulatory project recently participated in a workshop on licensing of Russian nuclear facilities, held at Gosatomnadzor's Scientific and Engineering Center in Moscow. Papers presented at the workshop covered issues related directly to Russia's transition from a system of operating permits to one of licensing. During the workshop, U.S. staff obtained a large number of Russian regulatory documents. (Ed Branagan, DOE, 301-903-6509; George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836)

UKRAINE

Safety Analysis Planned for Zaporizhzhya Unit 5. During the week of February 24, representatives of the U.S. team and contractors Scientech, Inc. and TAI, Inc. (a Ukrainian subsidiary of Scientech) met with staff of Zaporizhzhya NPP in Energodar, Ukraine. The meeting signaled the start of the in- depth safety analysis project for Zaporizhzhya Unit 5, the lead unit for most VVER-1000 reactors in Ukraine. Agreement was reached on the scope, schedule, and approximate labor content for the project planning and guideline development tasks. Tentative agreement also was reached on the schedule for the overall project and on the scope through the Level 1 internal events probabilistic risk assessment.
The Zaporizhzhya plant will manage the overall project and be a major contributor to the technical activities. Selection of other technical subcontractors is in progress. (Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES

The reliability database will facilitate

• determining reliability values for safety-related systems and equipment
• performing probabilistic risk analysis and technical basis calculations for risk evaluations
• analyzing the root causes for events
• optimizing strategies for outage servicing and equipment maintenance.

The U.S. team reviewed databases already maintained at VNIIAES. The review revealed a wealth of information that can be incorporated into the reliability database. The meeting concluded with the signing of a detailed memorandum of understanding for use of the VNIIAES data. That memorandum also outlined the first four tasks to be undertaken by the project team.

The next major step in developing the reliability database will be to present the draft of the standardized data structure and collection guide to the operators of Russian-designed nuclear power plants (VVER and RBMK) from eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine--and obtain their input and concurrence. That activity is scheduled for a joint meeting with the U.S. team, planned for April in the Slovak Republic. (Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072)

Fire Protection Upgrades Discussed at International Conference. In late February, the Second International Conference on Fire Protection and Prevention in Nuclear Facilities, Fire & Safety '97, was held in London, England. In a workshop session, representatives of some of the U.S. team members and contractors involved in producing the Reactor Core Protection Evaluation Methodology for Fires at Soviet-Designed Nuclear Power Plants discussed how the methodology was developed. Representatives of VNIIAES and Derzhkomatom discussed plans for pilot implementations of the methodology at Smolensk (Russia) and Zaporizhzhya (Ukraine) NPPs. A U.S. fire safety expert also gave a presentation reporting on the progress of U.S.- funded fire safety upgrade efforts at Soviet-designed nuclear power plants. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

• "*" indicates the event is a new item or has been changed from the last report.
  
• "TBD" means the event date or location is to be determined.
  
• Note: in the interest of providing a timely update on the Soviet-Designed-Reactor Safety Program, no formal document review of this weekly report has been conducted by DOE or PNNL.

March 7-13 -- London, England.
U.S. experts will participate in a steering committee meeting for the Leningrad NPP Unit 2 probabilistic and deterministic safety assessment. Participants will include representatives from Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The meeting agenda includes 1) a comprehensive review of project status, 2) discussion of work scope options, 3) presentation of the external review plan including potential participants and their level of effort, and 4) resolution of management issues. Working level meetings are planned prior to and following the March 11 steering committee meeting, toassist with problem identification and resolution. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

March 8-14 -- Sofia and Kozloduy, Bulgaria.
A technical lead from the U.S. team and a representative of GSE Power Systems, Inc. will meet with the director and training staff of Kozloduy NPP to discuss technical aspects of the simulator upgrade project. The goal of the meeting is to finalize the technical specifications and sign a memorandum of understanding for the effort. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

March 8-14 -- Vienna, Austria.
A U.S. technical lead will participate in an advisory group meeting at International Atomic Energy Agency headquarters. The meeting topic is "Experiences in the Use of the Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) for NPP Personnel Training." In addition, NPP training staff from Russia, Ukraine, and Bulgaria will attend and contribute their lessons learned in the use of SAT as a direct result of participating in the U.S. training activities. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650; Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852) (Workshop No 97-041; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375- 6554)

* Date and Location Changed to March 10-21 -- Khmelnytskyy 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) (Workshop No. 97-033; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

*March 10-21 -- San Diego, California, USA.
Representatives from Ignalina NPP will attend a technical assistance workshop on quality assurance auditing techniques for the design and manufacture of electronic equipment. (Ron Wright, PNNL, 509- 372-4076) (Workshop No. 97-038; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

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 10-26 -- Darmstadt, Germany.
U.S. members of the International Shelter Project team will meet to develop estimates sufficient to support G-7 pledges of assistance to Ukraine and to begin work to implement recommendations from the European Commission Shelter Study. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301- 903-2852)

*March 14-21 -- Moscow, Russia.
Technical staff from the U.S. team will meet with IBRAE representatives to finalize the scope and manpower estimates for new efforts in the legislative and regulatory area. Additional discussions are planned with ENTEK staff regarding the deterministic safety assessment for Leningrad NPP. The U.S. staff will meet with Kursk NPP personnel to discuss that plant's participation in the Leningrad NPP assessment. The team also will meet with Rosenergoatom representatives to discuss participation and coordination activities. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

March 15-April 12 -- Aiken, South Carolina, USA.
Twelve representatives of Russian research reactors and two Bilibino NPP staff 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 17-18 -- London, England.
A U.S. team member will provide technical support at a meeting of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development and the U.S. Department of State. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628; Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265)

*March 17-21 -- Pennsylvania, USA.
A representative of the U.S. team will participate in an IAEA-sponsored event, "Consultants' Meeting on the Training and Development of Management Personnel for Nuclear Power Plants." (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516- 344-3575)

March 17-21 -- Armenia Nuclear Power Station, Armenia.
U.S. team members will meet with representatives of Armenia nuclear power station to take the next steps on the fire safety upgrades under way. They also will begin work on two new projects (an alternative decay heat removal system and an auxiliary feedwater system) and hold preliminary discussions of potential new projects. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

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) (Workshop No. 97-037; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

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) (Workshop No. 97-045; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

March 23-29 -- Neteshin, Ukraine.
U.S. team members will participate in discussions with representatives of Khmelnytskyy NPP and GSE Power Systems, Inc. Talks will cover project developments, participating in and inspecting simulator model testing, status of the training center, and review of plant staff participation in the Khmelnytskyy full-scope simulator project. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

* Date Changed to March 24-April 4 -- 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 dates TBD -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Ukraine.
A U.S. technical expert and a representative of SAIC will meet with Khmelnytskyy personnel regarding support for that plant's safety analysis work. The start of data collection activities is expected to be discussed. (Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265).

* Date Changed to April 4-14 -- 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) (Workshop No. 97-046; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

April 7-10 -- Visaginas, Kaunas, and Vilnius, Lithuania.
Meetings will be held at the Swedish International Project office, Ignalina NPP, the Lithuania Energy Institute, the regulatory agency, and the Ministry of Energy. Representatives of the U.S. team will work to coordinate projects with those sponsored by Sweden and other countries, to review current projects, and to plan new projects. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

April 7-18 -- 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)

April 7-18 -- Balakovo NPP, Russia.
Personnel from Sonalysts, Inc. will assist Balakovo NPP staff in implementing the Safety Inspector training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

April 14-25 -- Leningrad NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts representatives and Balakovo NPP training staff will work with Leningrad plant staff to continue development of the training course for unit shift supervisors. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

April 15-May 3 -- Aiken, South Carolina, USA.
Chornobyl NPP staff will travel to General Physics Corporation headquarters to continue developing the Control Room Reactor Operator training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*April 21-25 -- Bratislava, Slovakia.
The International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy will hold their second joint workshop on probabilistic risk assessments for Soviet-designed reactors. The workshop will focus on issues related to reliability data and serve as the starting point for a project to develop a robust collection of generic data on probabilistic risk assessments of Soviet- designed reactors. (Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265)