November 1, 1996
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Russian Participants Train on Newest PRONET Software. Representatives from Scientech (formerly Halliburton NUS) conducted training sessions at VNIIAES and the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant (NPP) during the weeks of October 6 through October 23. Focus of the training was the new Windows version of PRONET, a word processing software designed to assist the NPPs "write and manage" emergency operating instructions (EOIs) and other procedures. The new software resolves many of the concerns voiced by the NPPs about the earlier version of PRONET. The new version, which uses Microsoft Word and operates in the Windows environment, was installed at both locations on computers purchased by the program. A key feature of the new software is the "cascading" change capability that enables making multiple changes of items (that frequently appear throughout the network of procedures) with a minimum of key strokes.

Members of the Novovoronezh NPP EOI development team voiced their intent to start using the software immediately in their EOI development activities. In addition, the plant's Deputy of Quality Control expressed a desire to apply the software toward improving the plant's document control system. Several members from the Novovoronezh regional office of Gosatomnadzor (GAN) and a representative from Kurchatov Institute also received training. Onsite training will continue next month at two other pilot NPPs, tentatively Kola and Balakovo. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

KOLISA Project Steering Committee Meets. Technical staff from the U.S. program met in Helsinki, Finland, with other members of the steering committee for the Kola in-depth safety analysis (KOLISA) project. They summarized their peer review and quality assurance team's evaluation of IBRAE's review of the Kola NPP safety analysis. In addition, program staff met with the IBRAE team to discuss completed and future work, as well as work scheduled for the next two months. (Ted Ginsberg, BNL, 516-344-2620)

Balakovo Trainers Continue Instructional Materials Development Work. During the week of October 21, representatives from Balakovo NPP continued working with Sonalysts, Inc. at the latter's facilities in Connecticut. The session focus was on materials development for the training program in radiation protection technician training. The visitors also received instruction on the systematic approach to training and instructor skills. They toured Indian Point and Millstone NPPs and the Millstone Training Center and held technical discussions with their American counterparts in the training department. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Training Needs Assessment Conducted at Novovoronezh NPP and Training Center. A team representing the United States, Rosenergoatom, VNIIAES, the Novovoronezh Training Center, and Balakovo NPP conducted a needs assessment visit to Novovoronezh NPP and the Novovoronezh Training Center during the week of October 21. Current training practices, resources, and facilities at the two sites were reviewed. The results of the needs assessment will be presented in a report after all sites have been visited. (See Planned Activities for a complete schedule of training technology transfer needs assessment visits.) (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

UKRAINE

Chornobyl EOI Development Project Makes Significant Progress. Four representatives from Chornobyl NPP worked from October 5 through October 26 at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to refine the flowcharts for their plant's symptom-based EOIs developed previously during program-provided work sessions at the Chornobyl plant. In addition, they made considerable progress toward drafting the technical basis documents supporting the five EOI flowcharts. During the three-week effort in Richland, Washington, the participants received technical support from three EOI experts representing U.S. contractor Ciel Consultants of Rathdrum, Idaho.

While drafting the technical support documents, the Chornobyl participants identified areas in which additional analysis will be required for full validation of the EOIs. Follow-on work after their return to Ukraine includes completing the lists of needed analyses, obtaining the independent analyses, and then incorporating the analyses into the flowcharts. (Bob Moffitt, PNNL, 509-372-4108)

Chornobyl Trainers Continue Instructional Materials Development for Balakovo NPP. Two representatives from Chornobyl NPP remained with the Balakovo NPP contingent at Sonalysts, Inc. to continue their development work on a training program in radiation protection. The Chornobyl personnel also received additional training in instructor skills and the systematic approach to training and accompanied the Balakovo staff on tours of Indian Point and Millstone NPPs and the Millstone Training Center (see related article under Russia above). (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Simulator Instructor Training Course Held at Zaporizhzhya NPP. During the week of October 21, a team from Sonalysts, Inc. and Balakovo NPP presented a course in simulator instructor training to simulator instructors from Kozloduy Training Center and Zaporizhzhya NPP. The simulators at Zaporizhzhya NPP were used to support the training. The course was developed jointly by Balakovo NPP and Sonalysts as a pilot program at Balakovo NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Simulator Projects Discussed in Maryland Meeting. U.S. program team members met with staff from Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs and Derzhkomatom in Columbia, Maryland, to discuss the full-scope simulator projects for each plant. Participants from simulator vendors GSE Power Systems, VNIIAES, and the Engineering Technology Center of Ukraine also were present. Proposed contractual arrangements were reviewed. As a result of the agreements reached during the meeting, GSE will be requested to revise its proposals for both projects. The U.S. program will investigate the possibility of accelerated contracting action. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

CHORNOBYL SHELTER PROJECT

New Project Subtask Will Enhance Industrial Safety at Chornobyl Shelter. U.S. program staff began work this week on a new subtask to provide industrial safety materials and equipment to the Chornobyl Shelter. Items to be provided through this effort include protective clothing, scaffolding and fall-protection gear, two-way radio communication systems, a video surveillance system, and fire detection and suppression equipment. U.S. team members hope to make the first delivery of priority equipment by the end of 1996. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

European Commission Shelter Project Nearing Completion. Representatives of the European Commission Shelter Project finalized the project report on October 31; the document is now being printed for distribution next week. Consensus exists on a list of short-term measures to reduce operations risks to workers and prevent structural collapse. The long-term measure/shelter recommendation was presented as a list of functions and requirements for a shelter, not as a specific design. The functions and requirements are consistent with the light, compact, and relatively economical bridge-type structure that was the consensus solution. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Bulgaria: Management and Operational Controls Project Team Meets. The multinational project team for developing and implementing management and operational controls procedures met at Kozloduy NPP on October 21 through 25. The team shared operational safety information, discussed issues and status, and planned steps to complete implementation of the procedures. The team includes representatives from eight countries with Soviet-designed reactors, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, a U.S. utility, and the U.S. program. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

Lithuania: International Stakeholders Plan Coordination for Lithuanian Projects. U.S., Swedish, and other representatives met at Swedish International Project headquarters, Stockholm, Sweden, on October 24 and 25 to coordinate assistance to the Lithuanian regulator, VATESI. VATESI is reviewing the Ignalina NPP safety analysis report and is involved in the licensing process for Ignalina Unit 1. The meeting also provided the opportunity to coordinate all U.S. and Swedish projects with Lithuania. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

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

November 2-6 -- Darmstadt, Germany.
As part of the European Commission's Chornobyl shelter project, U.S. program scientists will attend a meeting to address recent incidents of increased neutron activity observed in the damaged Chornobyl Unit 4 reactor. Information obtained during the meeting will provide the basis for designing upgrades to the real-time monitoring system inside the shelter. (Frank Goldner, DOE, 301-903-2025)

November 4-6 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
The RBMK Maintenance Advisory Board will meet to discuss project progress to date and to determine and prioritize project activities for 1997. Chornobyl NPP will host the meeting at its Kyiv offices. U.S. program team members will attend. (Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072) (Workshop No. 96-124; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

November 4-7 -- Wolf Creek NPP, Kansas, USA.
Members of the VVER-1000 EOI working group from Balakovo, Zaporizhzhya, and Rivne NPPs and REA will attend a management workshop on EOIs and operational safety. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068) (Workshop No. 96-1000; Travel Coordinator Vicki Glasford, PNNL, 509-372-4653)

November 4-8 -- Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
Members from regulatory bodies in Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, as well as representatives from plants in these countries with VVER reactors, will attend an EOI workshop for VVER reactors at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Technical Training Center. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068) (Workshop No. 96-113; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

November 4-16 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation will assist Khmelnytskyy NPP with the implementation of the pilot Refueling Operator Training program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

November 5-10 -- Berlin, Germany.
The Ignalina Safety Panel will meet to review the safety analysis report prepared for the Ignalina plant. The U.S. program technical lead for the RBMK reactor safety project will attend to assist the safety panel in drafting the summary for its final report. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

November 7-16 -- Kyiv and Slavutych, Ukraine.
Members of the U.S. team and Chornobyl NPP staff will continue work on the dose reduction project for the Chornobyl shelter. Discussions will be held on the selection of radiological protection equipment for the shelter and data collection needed for future project work. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

November 11-22 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation and Sonalysts, Inc. will work with the Chornobyl NPP training development group on the development of the Control Room Reactor Operator and Radiation Protection Technician training programs. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

November 11-22 -- Balakovo NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts staff will assist Balakovo in the implementation of the water chemistry training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

November 11-14 --Upton, New York, USA.
Thermal-hydraulic representatives from Kozloduy Unit 6 will hold a calculational review meeting at BNL to discuss a set of transients requested to be evaluated by a visiting Bulgarian specialist. The draft results and future calculation support needs for Kozloduy NPP will be discusssed. (Gregory Slovik, BNL, 516-344-7983)

November 11-December 6 -- Aiken, South Carolina.
As part of the training technology transfer program, representatives from Kursk, Beloyarsk, Leningrad, Smolensk, and Smolensk Training Center will attend a detailed training course on the systematic approach to training and instructor skills at the General Physics facility in Aiken. The course will be presented by General Physics and Sonalysts. A visit to a training center at a U.S. nuclear power plant will be included. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

November 16-27 -- Garching, Germany.
U.S. program technical staff will participate in two meetings sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Topics to be covered are three-dimensional computer code validation/modeling of the RBMK reactors and the use of Japanese data provided to the IAEA for validating the RELAP5 computer code for phenomena related to the potential for multiple tube ruptures in RBMK reactors. The meeting objectives are to review the state of development of three-dimensional computer codes used for core and system analysis of nuclear power plants with RBMK reactors, to assess the status of code validation, to identify code requirements, to promote the exchange of information among experts working in this field, and to propose additional activities in this field. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

November 17-23 -- Zurich and Murten, Switzerland.
The U.S. manager for instrumentation and controls projects will participate in the reactor instrumentation working group meeting of the International Electrotechnical Commission's Technical Committee 45 in Zurich. Presentations will be made by representatives from Sweden, Germany, and the United States. Commission members from Finland, Hungary, Austria, Japan, and the United Kingdom will attend. In Murten, the project manager will travel to the KKM plant to observe a demonstration of SIMON, a computer program that monitors reactor core instability. The director of the Ignalina NPP has expressed interest in implementing SIMON at the plant. (Norman Fletcher, DOE, 301-903-3275)

* Date Changed November 18-22 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Netishin, Ukraine.
Program staff from Brookhaven National Laboratory and S3 Technologies will inspect progress of the full-scope simulator work before the start of the hardware/software integration effort. Meetings also are planned with Khmelnytskyy plant personnel to discuss issues related to the project. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

November 18-22 -- Vienna, Austria.
At the invitation of the IAEA, a representative from the program's training projects will participate in the final meeting of the advisory group for the IAEA world survey of nuclear power plant personnel training. Survey results will be published after this meeting. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

November 18-22 -- Zaporizhzhya NPP, Ukraine.
There will be a VVER-1000 EOI working group meeting at Zaporizhzhya NPP. Representatives from all VVER-1000 NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

November 18-22 -- Smolensk NPP, Russia.
There will be an RBMK EOI working group meeting at Smolensk NPP. Representatives from all RBMK NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

November 18-22 -- Bohunice NPP, Slovakia.
The VVER-440/213 EOI working group will meet. Representatives from all VVER-440/213 NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

November 25-29 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
Sonalysts, Inc. staff will present a follow up workshop for Kozloduy plant staff to continue efforts to draft a plant-specific EOI Writer's Guide and User's Guide. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

December 2-6 -- Indian Point NPP, New York, USA.
VVER-440/230 working group members from Kozloduy, Novovoronezh, and Bohunice NPPs will attend an EOI workshop. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068) (Workshop No. 96-101; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

December 2-6 -- Richland, Washington, USA.
U.S. program staff, in cooperation with the IAEA, will sponsor a week-long seminar for selected host country regulatory agency representatives. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory experts will train participants to use the COBRA-SFS code, a computer program for predicting in-cask storage temperatures of nuclear fuel. U.S. experience with programs supporting dry storage of spent fuel also will be covered during the seminar. (Mike McKinnon, PNNL, 509-372-4198) (Workshop No. 96-135; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

December 2-6 -- St. Petersburg, Russia.
A team representing the United States, Rosenergoatom, VNIIAES, the Novovoronezh Training Center, and Balakovo NPP will conduct a needs assessment for training technology transfer at Leningrad NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

December 2-12 -- Moscow, Russia.
Programmatic review meetings are planned for a number of ongoing simulator projects. Staff from Kola, Kalinin, Novovoronezh, and Chornobyl NPPs will meet with S3 Technologies, VNIIAES, and U.S. program team members to discuss the progress of the simulator projects at each respective plant. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982) (Workshop No. 96-125; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

December 9-10 -- Dimitrovgrad, Russia.
DOE and BNL will meet with representatives of the Scientific Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR) to discuss establishing training programs based on the systematic approach to training to improve the performance of research reactor personnel and the safety of the research reactors. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

December 11-12 -- Moscow, Russia.
U.S. program staff will meet with the training technology transfer participants to discuss program progress. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575) (Workshop No. 96-091; Training Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

* Date assigned, place determined December 16-20 -- Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Plans are being made to bring nondestructive examination specialists from Russia and Ukraine to the United States to observe U.S. nondestructive examination practices. Tentative plans include visits to the Savannah River Site and Vogtle NPP, to observe how its inspection program is developed and revised. (Robert Moffitt, PNNL, 509-372-4108) (Workshop No. 96-108; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

ACRONYMNS/ABBREVIATIONS

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.