August 8, 1997
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Second Pipe Lathe Reaches Leningrad Plant. During the week of August 3, a second pipe lathe was delivered to Leningrad nuclear power plant (NPP). This equipment, ordered for the plant in June, will be used in conjunction with other U.S.-supplied weld preparation equipment, enabling plant maintenance workers to precisely cut and prepare main coolant piping for welding. (Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072)

Novovoronezh In-Depth Safety Assessment Gets Under Way. The steering committee and the project team for the in-depth safety assessment at Novovoronezh Units 3 and 4 held meetings during the week of July 21 at Novovoronezh NPP to review the scope and status of the effort. The steering committee consists of one representative each from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Rosenergoatom (REA), and Novovoronezh NPP. In addition, representatives from EDO Gidropress, the Kurchatov Institute, Atomenergoproekt, and the Nuclear Safety Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBRAE) participated in the meetings. U.S. representatives from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) also attended. Participants agreed to finalize the statements of work for the remaining analysis tasks. As a result of the meetings, REA and ANL will discuss the possibility of forming an advisory committee to assist the steering committee in technical matters.

The first training workshop on probabilistic risk assessment was conducted at the Novovoronezh plant July 25 through 31. The first day of the workshop was intended primarily for plant managers whose support for the project is key to implementation of the assessment. The agenda included an overview of the project and probabilistic risk assessment methodology presented by U.S. specialists and SAIC staff. Four days of general training on probabilistic risk assessment followed, conducted by SAIC specialists. This general training was for analysts who will be involved directly in the project. Russian participants from Novovoronezh NPP and Atomenergoproekt attended the full workshop; representatives from the Kurchatov Institute and Gidropress attended part of the training. (Jordi Roglans, ANL, 630-252-3283)

UKRAINE

Khmelnytskyy Trainers Help Coordinate Transfer of Training Technology to Ukraine NPPs. Khmelnytskyy NPP training specialists met with U.S. team members at the General Physics Corporation office in Aiken, South Carolina, during the week of August 4. The group coordinated preparations for upcoming work to transfer the Systematic Approach to Training methodology to other NPPs in Ukraine. Participants discussed responsibilities of the U.S. and Khmelnytskyy training specialists to ensure successful transfer of the training technology to the participating NPPs. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

U.S. Team to Support Further Safety Assessment Work at Rivne Unit 1. Members of the U.S. team met with Rivne NPP staff and management in Kuznyetsov, Ukraine, on July 28 and 29. Rivne representatives reviewed their past probabilistic risk assessment work for Unit 1 and outlined the safety assessment effort they want to perform in support of the Safety Analysis Report update required by Ukrainian regulations. Because Rivne Unit 1 is the lead plant for the VVER-440/213 units in Ukraine, it was agreed in principle that the U.S. team will provide support for this work. A first planning meeting was scheduled tentatively for September 1997. (Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)

In-Country Safety Assessment Work Reviewed with Ukraine State Department for Nuclear Energy. Representatives of the U.S. team met with management of the recently formed State Department for Nuclear Energy and representatives of Energoatom Company in Kyiv on July 30 to review the status of U.S.-supported in-depth safety assessment projects in Ukraine. The discussions also covered the implementation of peer review for the assessment efforts and plans for continued training for Ukrainian analysts. (Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)

Plan Finalized for South Ukraine Probabilistic Risk Assessment. A member of the U.S. team and representatives of Scientech, Inc., held discussions with the South Ukraine NPP coordination group for the Unit 1 in-depth safety assessment. Together they revised and finalized the plan for the first project phase (probabilistic risk assessment Level 1). Plans and scope for subsequent project phases (design-basis accident, beyond-design-basis accident, Level 2 probabilistic risk assessment) also were discussed. Selection of the Ukrainian peer review organization for the Unit 1 in-depth safety assessment was addressed with plant management. South Ukraine NPP managers agreed to discuss the selection with Energoatom Company within the next few weeks. (Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)

CHORNOBYL SHELTER PROJECT

Specifications Finalized for Early Biddable Projects. The Shelter Implementation Project (SIP) team met in Darmstadt, Germany, during the week of July 21 to complete initial drafts of bid package specifications for the SIP Early Biddable Projects (EBPs). The project team consisted of the U.S. coordinator and technical support staff from Parsons Power Group and Science Applications International Corporation. The European Commission team included its coordinator as well as staff from Trischler und Partner (TUP) and Grabowski and Poort. Based on requests from Chornobyl NPP and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the SIP team merged the 18 EBPs into four packages of related technical content. Initial drafts of the specification packages were transmitted to Chornobyl NPP on August 6 for translation and review. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Slovakia: Instructor Skills Training Workshop Held for Trnava Specialists. On August 8, training specialists from the Trnava training center completed two weeks of training in instructor skills. The training, conducted by General Physics Corporation in Aiken, South Carolina, focused on developing and refining trainer skills to facilitate more effective training of personnel at the Trnava center. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

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 SafetyProgram, no formal document review of this weekly report has been conducted by DOE or PNNL.

August 12-16 -- Slavutych, Ukraine.
The technical working group for the Chornobyl NPP deactivation, decontamination, and decommissioning effort will hold its first meeting. Attendees include members of the U.S. technical team and management representatives of Chornobyl NPP. (Riaz Awan, DOE, 301-903-2687)

August 15-24 -- Moscow and Kurchatov, Russia.
A U.S. technical specialist and representatives of Superior Machine & Valve will conduct a training workshop at Kursk NPP for designated technical training personnel from each of the five RBMK reactor sites. They will provide expert instruction on use of the EFCO valve repair equipment provided to the RBMK sites. (Greg Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581)

*August 18-22 -- Energodar, Ukraine.
U.S. team members and representatives of Scientech, Inc., will meet with Zaporizhzhya NPP management and staff to continue the planning and implementation of the in-depth safety assessment project for Zaporizhzhya Unit 5. Discussions will focus on details of the project organization (including subcontractors) and on the resolution of contracting issues. (Walter Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628; Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)

August 18-22 -- Zaporizhzhya NPP, Ukraine.
U.S. training specialists will conduct a Simulator Instructor Training workshop at Zaporizhzhya NPP. Attendees will include simulator training specialists from Khmelnytskyy and Zaporizhzhya NPPs and the Engineering Technical Center on Personnel Training for Nuclear Energy. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*August 21-29 -- Darmstadt, Germany; Kyiv and Slavutych, Ukraine.
A U.S. technical specialist will review structural documentation of the Chornobyl Shelter and extract material for inclusion in a technical support package for work tenders being developed by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development as part of the Shelter Implementation Plan. (Frank Goldner, DOE, 301-903-2025)

*August 21-September 18 -- Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA.
An introductory training course in applying the RELAP5 computer code to safety assessments of Soviet-designed NPPs will be conducted. This session?s participants will be specialists from Rivne, Khmelnytskyy, and Zaporizhzhya NPPs, and the Energoatom organization, all in Ukraine. (Don Fletcher, INEEL, 208-526-7652; Ross Jensen, ANL, 208-533-7911)

*August 22-30 -- Moscow, Russia.
Two U.S. specialists and representatives of RDIPE, Rosenergoatom, and Kursk NPP will organize the framework and draft the initial statements of work for the Kursk Unit 1 in-depth safety assessment. (Walter Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

August 24-29 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Technical staff from the U.S. team and Scientech will coordinate the joint project work plan for U.S. support of the Ukraine quality assurance working group. That working group was chartered to improve reactor safety in Ukraine by applying modern quality assurance practices. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

August 25-29 --Trnava, Slovakia.
U.S. training specialists will conduct a Simulator Instructor Training workshop at the Trnava training center. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*August 25-30 -- St. Petersburg and Sosnovy Bor, Russia.
A U.S. specialist and representatives of Leningrad NPP will discuss plant-specific procedures for collecting data for use in the Leningrad Unit 1 probabilistic safety analysis. The meeting goal is to integrate generic data collection information with specific plant information to produce a working draft of the data collection procedure to be used. (Walter Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

August 25-September 4 -- Moscow, Russia.
Nuclear safety inspectors from Gosatomnadzor will attend a criticality safety training course. Staff of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education will present the course at Gosatomnadzor headquarters. (Ed Branagan, Jr., DOE, 301-903-6509; George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836)

September 1-5 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
A U.S. training specialist will work with Chornobyl NPP staff to prepare training materials for the Control Room Reactor Operator training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 1-12 -- Novovoronezh Training Center, Russia.
A U.S. training specialist will conduct a working visit to assist in preparation of training materials for the Shift Supervisor training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 1-12 -- Novovoronezh NPP, Russia.
A U.S. training specialist will conduct a working visit to assist in preparation of training materials for the Shift Supervisor training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 1-12 -- Kalinin NPP, Russia.
U.S. training experts will conduct a working visit to assist in the preparation of training materials for the Mechanical Maintenance training course at Kalinin NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 1-12 -- Kursk NPP, Russia.
U.S. training experts will assist in preparing training materials and then observe the implementation of the Mechanical Maintenance training course at Kursk NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 1-12 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation staff will work with training staff from Chornobyl NPP to continue development work on the Control Room Reactor Operator training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*September 7-11 -- Moscow and Novovoronezh NPP, Russia.
A U.S. specialist and representatives of Parsons Power Group, Inc., will meet with representatives of Rosenergoatom, Gosatomnadzor, and Novovoronezh NPP to discuss the Novovoronezh configuration management project. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

*September 8-12 -- Prague, Czech Republic.
Specialists from Science Applications International Corporation will conduct a training workshop on probabilistic risk assessment at the company?s offices in Prague. Russian participants in the Novovoronezh Units 3 and 4 in-depth safety assessment will participate, as will a representative of the U.S. team. The hands-on workshop will include practice applications of the software to be used in the probabilistic risk assessment work. (Jordi Roglans, ANL, 630-252-3283)

*September 8-12 -- Obninsk, Russia.
The Second International Information Exchange Forum on Analytical Methods and Computational Tools for NPP Safety Assessment will be conducted at the Institute for Physics and Obninsk, Russia. Both the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency have committed support for the workshop. A wide range of participants is anticipated, representing bilateral and multilateral assistance projects involving safety analysis of Soviet-designed reactors. (Jan Van Erp, ANL 630-252-3381; Jeff Binder, ANL 630-252-7265)

September 8-12 -- Oradell, New Jersey; Washington, D.C., USA.
Representatives from Armenia NPP will meet with U.S. project team counterparts to conduct a project review meeting. A technical tour of Indian Point NPP is planned. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

*September 8-16 -- Moscow, Russia, and Kyiv, Ukraine.
Members of the U.S. team will meet in Moscow with NPP management from Kola, Kalinin, Novovoronezh, Balakovo, and Bilibino to discuss the status of simulator projects for each site. Similar discussions will be held in Kyiv for Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982; Walter Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

September 8-19 -- Rivne NPP, Ukraine.
U.S. training experts will conduct the first working visit to assist in the preparation of training materials for the Instrumentation and Control training course at Rivne NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 8-19 -- Zaporizhzhya NPP, Ukraine.
U.S. training experts will conduct the first working visit to assist in the preparation of training materials for the Water Chemistry training course at Zaporizhzhya NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 8-19 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
U.S. training experts will assist in preparing training materials and then observe the implementation of the Mechanical Maintenance training course at Kozloduy NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*September 9-13 -- Argonne, Illinois, USA.
Two representatives of Slovakia?s Nuclear Regulatory Authority will attend an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting at Argonne National Laboratory. (Gary Smith, PNNL, 509-375-4482) (Workshop No. 97-079; Travel Coordinator Jennifer Carpenter, PNNL, 509-372-4139)

* Dates changed to September 10-12 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Representatives of Ukraine?s State Scientific and Technical Center, the Bulgarian Regulatory Authority, and Rivne, Zaporizhzhya, and Kozloduy NPPs will discuss and finalize the first section of a draft regulation for emergency operating instructions for VVER reactors in Ukraine. U.S. team members will provide technical support during the meetings. (Ed Branagan, Jr., DOE, 301-903-6509)

*September 12-18 -- Kyiv and Energodar, Ukraine.
A U.S. technical specialist and representatives of Stone & Webster Engineering Company will meet with representatives of Energoatom and Zaporizhzhya NPP for discussions about the Zaporizhzhya configuration management project. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

September 15-19 -- Sofia and Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
U.S. representatives will meet with representatives from the Ministry of Energy, the regulatory organization, technical support organizations, and Kozloduy NPP to review current projects and to plan activities for 1998. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

September 15-26 -- South Ukraine NPP, Ukraine.
U.S. training experts will conduct the first working visit to assist in the preparation of training materials for the Instrumentation and Control training course at South Ukraine NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 15-26 -- Argonne, Illinois; Richland, Washington, USA.
Gosatomnadzor representatives will participate in a workshop on decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of nuclear facilities. Staff from Argonne National Laboratory and representatives of the Hanford contractors at Richland will conduct the workshop. The development of regulatory requirements for safe conduct of D&D activities will be emphasized. (Ed Branagan, Jr., DOE, 301-903-6509; George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836)

September 22-October 3 -- Smolensk NPP, Russia.
U.S. training experts will assist in preparing training materials and then observe the implementation of the Mechanical Maintenance training course at Smolensk NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 22-October 3 -- Smolensk Training Center, Russia.
U.S. training experts will assist in preparing training materials and then observe the implementation of the Shift Supervisor training course at the Smolensk training center. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 27-28 -- Smolensk Training Center, Russia.
U.S. experts will participate in a training technology transfer project coordination meeting at the Smolensk training center. Attendees will include representatives from VNIIAES, Rosenergoatom, Balakovo NPP, the Novovoronezh training center, and Minatom. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 27-October 3 -- Helsinki, Finland.
The Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) will hold its second meeting for simulator and plant analyzer specialists. Participants, limited to specialists nominated by delegates to the CSNI, will exchange information and experiences and discuss the future of simulators and plant analyzers. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

September 29-October 10 -- Bilibino NPP, Russia.
U.S. training experts will conduct the second working visit to assist in preparing training materials for the Shift Supervisor training course at Bilibino NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*October 2-29 -- Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA.
An introductory training course in applying the RELAP5 computer code to safety assessments of Soviet-designed NPPs will be conducted. This session?s students will be specialists from Kalinin NPP and the Research Institute of Nuclear Reactors (NIIAR) in Dimitrovgrad. (Don Fletcher, INEEL, 208-526-7652; Ross Jensen, ANL, 208-533-7911)

October 13-17 -- Vilnius and Ignalina NPP, Lithuania.
U.S. representatives will meet with representatives from the Ministry of Economy, the regulatory organization, technical support organizations, and Ignalina NPP to review current projects and to plan activities for 1998. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)