November 8, 1996
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Kursk Staff Complete Training on Ultrasonic Inspection Equipment. Four staff members from the Kursk nuclear power plant (NPP) successfully completed training on the manual ultrasonic test equipment and software provided by the U.S. program. The training, conducted by Fioli Technologies at Niantic, Connecticut, will enable Kursk staff to use the equipment for inspecting piping and welds at their plant. The Kursk participants have agreed to provide their feedback to U.S. program representatives on the usefulness of the supplied equipment by the end of January 1997. (Narinder Tutu, BNL, 516-344-4929)

Training Technology Transfer Course Presented in Moscow. During the week of October 28, representatives from the Russian RBMK NPPs, the Smolensk Training Center, Beloyarsk NPP, and the Scientific Research Institute of Atomic Reactors received an overview of the training course, Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) in Moscow. The course was developed and presented by a team from Sonalysts, Inc. and Balakovo NPP. Some of the participants in the training program will travel to the United States for more advanced training in SAT and instructor skills. At that time, they also will begin preliminary analysis and design of selected training programs for their respective plants. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

GAN Representatives Attend Safety Analysis Workshop. A workshop on safety analysis for research reactors and fuel cycle facilities was held at Gosatomnadzor (GAN) headquarters in Moscow during the week of October 28. GAN participants included field inspectors, headquarters staff, and representatives of GAN's Scientific and Engineering Center. U.S. program representatives from Argonne National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy also participated. (George Sherwood, DOE, 301-903-4162).

CHORNOBYL SHELTER PROJECT

European Commission Issues Draft Report on Chornobyl Shelter Project. U.S. program staff at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory received a draft copy of the European Commission report and appendixes documenting the recently completed study of alternatives for increasing the safety of the Chornobyl Shelter. Short-term measures proposed in the report include dust suppression, monitoring systems, contained water management, and fire protection. Long-term measures were described conceptually in terms of functional requirements for shielding, stabilization, and a replacement shelter. Total costs for conversion to an environmentally safe interim state, with fuel removal deferred for at least 50 years, are estimated at (U.S.) $725 million. European Commission project manager Norbert Molitor will present the study results and recommendations to the G-7 in Paris on November 19 and 20 and to Ukrainian authorities in Slavutych on November 22. These meetings are being held to establish acceptance of the recommendations and determine a plan of action. U.S. program representatives plan to attend both meetings. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

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

*Date Change*November 11-22 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation staff will assist Khmelnytskyy NPP with the implementation of the Refueling Operator pilot training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

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 courses. (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-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)

November 18-22 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, 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) (Workshop No. 96-103; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

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. (Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059) (Workshop No. 96-104; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

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. (Larry Sherfey, PNNL, 509-372-4080) (Workshop No. 96-102; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

*November 19-20 -- Paris, France.
Norbert Molitor, manager of the European Commission Chornobyl Shelter project, will present the results and recommendations of the recently completed study to the G-7. U.S. program representatives will attend the meeting. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

*November 22 -- Slavutych, Ukraine.
Norbert Molitor, manager of the European Commission Chornobyl Shelter project, will present the results and recommendations of the recently completed study to the Ukrainian authorities in Slavutych. Representatives of the U.S. program will participate in the meeting. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

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)

*Date changed to TBD November --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 discussed. (Gregory Slovik, BNL, 516-344-7983) (Workshop No. 96-137; Travel Coordinator Melinda Stone, PNNL, 509-375-4391)

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; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

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)

*January 13-17 -- Moscow, Russia.
A course on the systematic approach to training will be given in Moscow for participants of the training technology transfer program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*January 13-24 -- Balakovo NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts, Inc. will assist Balakovo NPP with the implementation of the I&C Operations and Radiation Protection Technician training courses. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*January 25-February 8 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
Sonalysts, Inc. and General Physics Corporation will work with the Chornobyl NPP training development group on the Control Room Reactor Operator and Radiation Protection Technician training courses. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*January 26-February 7 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation will assist Khmelnytskyy NPP with the implementation of the pilot Chemical Operator training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*January 26 -February 21 -- Aiken, South Carolina, USA.
As part of the training technology transfer program, representatives from Russian VVER NPPs and Bilibino NPP will attend a detailed training course on the systematic approach to training and instructor skills at the General Physics Corporation facility in Aiken. General Physics and Sonalysts staff will present the course. A visit to a U.S. NPP training center will be included. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*February 3-14 -- Trnava, Slovakia.
Sonalysts, Inc. and General Physics Corporation will present a workshop on the systematic approach to training at the Trnava Training Center. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*February 24-March 7 -- Aiken, South Carolina, USA.
Representatives from the Trnava Training Center will attend a workshop on instructor skills at General Physics Corporation facilities in Aiken. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*March 17-21 -- Trnava, Slovakia.
Sonalysts, Inc. will implement the Simulator Instructor training course at the Trnava Training Center. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*March 17-28 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
Sonalysts, Inc. and General Physics Corporation will work with the Chornobyl NPP training development group on the Control Room Reactor Operator and Radiation Protection Technician training courses. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*March 17-18 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation will work with Khmelnytskyy personnel on the Control Room Reactor Operator training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

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.