August 22 through September 5, 1997
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Training Equipment Delivered. On August 12, the first delivery of equipment for the training technology transfer effort was made to Leningrad nuclear power plant (NPP). The delivery consisted of classroom supplies and gear, including audio/visual equipment. On August 13, Minatom received a shipment of computers, scanners, printers, and a copier. Minatom staff will use the equipment to assist in the technology transfer effort under way at Leningrad NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Kursk Maintenance Department Adds Own Extensions to Transferred Technologies. while at Kursk NPP to conduct a mid-August training workshop (see Cross-Cutting Activities, page 2), U.S. team members noted that the plant's maintenance department has, on its own initiative, developed and adapted several modern ways of increasing maintenance efficiency and reducing personnel exposure to radiation. For example, department staff have developed practical mockups and test facilities and are using them as training aids in conjunction with the new method-ology and equipment provided to the Kursk plant as part of the maintenance technology transfer to RBMK reactors. According to maintenance staff representatives, these extensions help ensure that their department's personnel achieve proficiency with the equipment and techniques before actual- ly using them in the field. (Greg Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581; Francis Buck, PNNL, 509-372-4102)

VNIIAES Submits First Major Deliverable in Reliability Database Development Effort. vNIIAES developed and delivered a table listing all major systems, acronyms, and system designators for all Soviet-designed commercial reactor types (VVER-440/213, VVER-440/230, VVER-1000, and RBMK). The table also includes a cross match with modern commercial plant systems. The acronyms and system designators from this table will be used as the standard for all reliability database work in Russia. (Greg Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581; Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072)

Russian Engineers Receive Training on Fire Safety-Related Methodology. Fourteen Russian engineers received training in mid-August on the use of the U.S. DOE Reactor Core Protection Evaluation Methodology for Fires in RBMK and VVER Nuclear Power Plants. The trainees represented VNIIAES, Atomenergoproekt, Smolensk NPP, State Fire Fighting Service, Laboratory NTTsATE, and Laboratory ENCO Center. The engineers are evaluating Smolensk Unit 3, an RBMK-1000 reactor, for fire-induced safe shutdown problems. Staff from Bechtel National, Inc., provided the training in Moscow during the week of August 18. The interactive training sessions were focused on the collection and evaluation of existing plant documentation. Follow-on training will be provided while those data are verified and analyzed. (Andy Minister, PNNL, 509-376-4938)

UKRAINE

Ukraine Quality Assurance Group Agrees to Joint Project Work Plan. Members of the Ukraine Quality Assurance Project Group finalized and signed a joint project work plan during a late-August meeting in Kyiv. The signed work plan confirms agreements regarding the nature and extent of support to be provided by the U.S. team toward fulfilling the group's charter. The group, comprising representatives of Energoatom, the Main State Inspectorate, and each NPP in Ukraine, was chartered to improve the safety of NPP operations through the application of quality assurance practices at the reactor sites.

With the agreed-upon plan in place, three members of the group immediately began work on the first task--the development of pilot guidelines for conducting quality assurance assessments at Ukraine's NPPs. In addition, representatives of Zaporizhzhya NPP requested the group to conduct a two-week quality assurance audit of that plant's maintenance and repair organization.

Before the guidelines are finalized, three to five representatives of each plant will review the completed drafts and provide comments. These efforts will result in a national industry standard for providing a consistent approach to quality assurance at the NPPs in Ukraine. (Lief Erickson, PNNL, 509-372-4097)

Zaporizhzhya In-Depth Safety Assessment Moves Forward. At mid-August meetings in Energodar, Ukraine, agreement was reached on the first task under the in-depth safety assessment for Zaporizhzhya Unit 5. The task is the development of a detailed project plan for work covering the Level 1 internal events probabilistic risk assess- ment. Representatives of Zaporizhzhya Unit 5 and the U.S. team signed the task order. Zaporizhzhya staff and management, members of the U.S. team, and Scientech, Inc., also discussed project organization and selection of subcontractors to perform the analysis tasks. (Christian A. Kot, ANL, 630-2522-6151)

Plans Finalized for Rivne In-Depth Safety Assessment. During the first week of September, a planning meeting was held in Argonne, Illinois, for the in-depth safety assessment of Rivne Unit 1. Rivne staff and management represent- atives, Ukrainian subcontractor Energorisk, Ltd., U.S. contractor Scientech, Inc., and the U.S. team participated. The group discussed overall project schedule, scope, and organization, and prepared draft statements of work for the initial project tasks. (Charles Dickerman, ANL, 630-252-4622)

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Lithuania: Ignalina Receives Computer Hardware, Software, and Training. computer hardware and software for the joint U.S./Swedish configuration management/reliability maintenance management system (CM/RMMS) were delivered to Ignalina NPP in late August. The items are part of the effort to support Ignalina NPP in emplacing a comprehensive configuration and maintenance management system. Such a system will help ensure that plant equipment is operated and maintained within its safety design basis and that operational documents accurately reflect the physical configuration of the plant. The shipment to the plant included U.S.-purchased items (a network server, 15 personal computers, and 5 printers) and CM/RMMS software modules provided by Sweden. In addition to delivering equipment, the computer vendor IFS conducted the first of nine scheduled computer training classes. In this first class, Ignalina NPP computer specialists received instruction on the maintenance and data conversion requirements of the new CM/RMMS hardware and software. (Dan Couch, PNNL, 509-372-4591)

Slovakia: Simulator Instructors Attend Training Workshop. During the week of August 25, U.S. training specialists conducted a workshop for Slovakian NPP simulator instructors. The workshop, conducted at the Trnava Training Center, was designed to show the instructors how to more effectively use simulators for training plant staff. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Slovakia: V1 Simulator Upgrade Successfully Verified and Validated. A draft report describing the verification and validation program for the V1 simulator upgrade was completed and transmitted to the specialists at the Nuclear Power Plant Research Institute, Trnava, Slovakia. The report indicates that the verification and validation were completed successfully for the project. Several discrepancies were identified during the validation. However, technical analyses indicated that differences in the results were due to improved reactor modeling that is provided in the upgraded simulator. The final report will be issued after the Slovakian specialists complete their review. (Bill Shier, BNL, 516-344-2385)

CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES

RBMK Technical Trainers Attend Instructional Workshop. Designated technical training personnel from all five plants with RBMK reactors met at Kursk NPP in mid-August for a week-long workshop on maintenance training. The workshop, conducted by experts from U.S. contractor Superior Machine & Valve, provided instruction on the proficient use of valve repair equipment and technology supplied by EFCO USA, Inc., for transfer to Chornobyl, Ignalina, Kursk, Leningrad, and Smolensk NPPs. The 18 NPP trainers also participated in activities to develop a systematic training course that will include classroom instruction and hands-on equipment training using the EFCO-supplied equipment. The technical trainers will implement that course to train additional maintenance personnel on use of the valve repair equipment at their respective home plants. (Greg Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581; Francis Buck, PNNL, 509-372-4102)

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.

September 6-13 -- St. Petersburg, Russia.
Representatives of the U.S. team will brief prospective Russian bidders on the Shelter Implementation Plan task to be tendered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Briefings will cover both the structure and logic of the plan and the European Bank's contracting process. Briefings will be held with representatives of the Khlopin Radium Institute, the All-Russian Planning and Design, Research and Technological Association, the Kurchatov Institute, Institute of Physics and Power Engineering, Research and Development Institute for Power Engineering, and the Russian Academy of Sciences Nuclear Safety Institute. (Ray Hunter, DOE, 202-586-2240)

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 take part, 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 Power Engineering in Obninsk, Russia. Both the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 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 8-16 -- Moscow, Russia, and Kyiv, Ukraine.
Members of the U.S. team will meet in Moscow with plant management from Kola, Kalinin, Novovoronezh, Balakovo, and Bilibino NPPs 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 assist in preparing 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 assist in preparing 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 8-23 -- San Diego, California, USA.
Three Russian participants will attend a training course covering quality assurance for circuit breaker manufacturing. U.S. technical specialists also will attend. (Ron Wright, PNNL, 509-372-4076) (Workshop No. 97-099; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

September 9-12 -- Kyiv and Slavutych, Ukraine.
A member of the U.S. team and the European Commission Shelter Project Coordinator will meet with staff from Chornobyl NPP and the Ukrainian ministries to review the specification packages for the early biddable projects. (Ray Hunter, DOE, 202-586-2240; Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

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)

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 -- Stockholm, Sweden.
The steering committee for the Leningrad Unit 2 probabilistic and deterministic safety assessment will hold its biannual meeting to review and discuss project milestones, management issues, and financial status. Meeting participants will include senior management from all involved organizations including the Swedish International Projects office, ENTEK, AEA-Technologies, Gosatomnadzor, and Leningrad NPP. U.S. technical specialists also will attend. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

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 13-19 -- Darmstadt, Germany.
The specifications team for the early biddable projects will meet to complete the specifications packages. The team's goal is to deliver an electronic copy of the packages to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development by September 20. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

* September 14-17 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
A U.S. technical team leader and representatives of Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs will discuss funding for modeling work on simulator projects. The discussions will be held at the Engineering and Technical Center for the Training of Nuclear Industry Personnel (ETC). (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

September 15-19 -- Sofia and Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
U.S. team members 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 assist in preparing 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) (Workshop No. 97-088; Travel Coordinator Jennifer Carpenter, PNNL, 509-372-4139)

* September 16-19 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Representatives of the U.S. team and contractor Burns & Roe will meet with Energoatom and the Scientific and Engineering Center for Control Systems and Emergency Response to discuss the Ukraine VVER reactor safety parameter display systems scheduled for installation during the spring 1998 outage. (Norman Fletcher, DOE, 301-903-3275)

* September 17-18 -- Bratislava, Slovakia.
A U.S. technical team leader will meet with representatives of VUJE regarding the V-2 simulator upgrade project. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

* Rescheduled to September 22-24 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
The coordinating committee for the Ukraine plant fire safety upgrade will begin work on upgrade activities. Participants include representatives of Derzhkomatom, Energoproekt, the Ukraine State Department for Fire Safety, the Nuclear Facility Licensing Department of the Nuclear Regulatory Administration, and Zaporizhzhya NPP. (Chuck Ramsey, DOE, 301-903-5999)

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 25-28 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
U.S. technical experts and representatives of Energoatom will discuss issues related to a cooperative agreement between Energoatom and the National University of Ukraine. The agreement would to establish a centralized training and certification program in nondestructive examination for Ukraine. (Tom Taylor, PNNL, 509-375-4331)

* September 28-October 4 -- Konstantinovka, Ukraine.
A pilot study of risk-based inservice inspection will begin at South Ukraine NPP. U.S. technical experts will collaborate with plant staff to get the study under way. (Tom Taylor, PNNL, 509-375-4331)

* Rescheduled to September 29-30 -- 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 29-October 3 -- Armenia NPP, Armenia.
Specialists from the U.S. manufacturing firm of Keeler and Long will provide training at Armenia NPP on the installation of fire-resistant floor coating material. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

* September 29-October 10 -- Kalinin NPP, Russia.
U.S. training experts will assist in preparing training materials for the plant's Mechanical Maintenance course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 29-October 10 -- Novovoronezh NPP, Russia.
A U.S. training specialist will assist in preparing training materials for the Shift Supervisor training course. (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)

October 2-10 -- 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)

* Canceled 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)

* October 19-November 1 -- Desnagorsk, Russia.
U.S. technical specialists and representatives of SKF Condition Monitoring will conduct a workshop at the Smolensk training center and Smolensk NPP. The workshop will train participants on the use of vibration monitoring and analysis equipment provided to RBMK reactors by the U.S. effort. (Greg Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581)

TBD -- Bilibino NPP, Russia.
U.S. training experts will assist in preparing training materials for the plant's Shift Supervisor training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

* Rescheduled to October 30-November 26 -- Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA.
An introductory training course in applying the RELAP5 computer code to safety assessments of Soviet-designed NPPs will be conducted for specialists from the Slovakia Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Kalinin NPP, and the Research Institute of Nuclear Reactors (NIIAR) in Dimitrovgrad. (Don Fletcher, INEEL, 208-526-7652; Ross Jensen, ANL, 208-533-7911)

* Rescheduled to November 1-8 -- 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) (Workshop No. 97-141; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

* December 8-12 -- Armenia NPP, Armenia.
The U.S. team will take the next steps on current projects and plan activities for 1998 at a project meeting at Armenia NPP. A representative from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to attend to coordinate regulatory support activities. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)