October 31 through November 14, 1997
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Work Begins on Safety Maintenance Project for Bilibino. A new effort to enhance the safety maintenance program at Bilibino NPP got under way in early November. Five maintenance representatives from Bilibino attended an intensive three-day course on low-temperature corrosion. The workshop, presented in Anchorage, Alaska, by U.S. experts, treated a spectrum of issues related to corrosion in cold climates.

After they completed the corrosion course, the Bilibino staff traveled to Richland, Washington, to discuss project implementation strategy with U.S. team managers. After thoroughly examining the full range of maintenance improvement techno- logies available through the project, the group selected a set of goals and technologies and prioritized them for transfer to the Bilibino maintenance department. A formal protocol for project implementation was signed, and work was started to achieve the agreed-upon project deliverables.

While in Richland, the Bilibino group toured the Washington Public Power Supply System=s Nuclear Plant 2 (WNP-2) on the Hanford Site. The tour highlighted the WNP-2 maintenance training department and its practices with respect to the technologies expected to be transferred to Bilibino. During a second tour at Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River, Bilibino staff observed major maintenance work being performed on one of the dam=s turbine-generators. (Don Jarrell, PNNL, 509-372-4096)

Equipment Will Facilitate Transfer of Training Technology. The Novovoronezh Training Center received a shipment of U.S.-provided equipment on November 12. In the shipment were projectors, office furniture, notebook computers and monitors, a digital camera, scanner, copiers, printers, software, and consumables for the copier and printers. Training center specialists will use the equipment in developing a training course for shift supervisors at Novovoronezh NPP. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Installation Under Way for Novovoronezh Safety Parameter Display System. The first safety parameter display system for a plant with a VVER-440/213 reactor is being installed at Novovoronezh Unit 3. Burns & Roe Enterprises Inc. is the principal contractor for the system. Science Applications International Corporation is the system vendor. The Russian organization ConSyst is developing the computer screen displays and software. Installation is expected to be completed by the end of November. Completion of the site acceptance test is scheduled for February 1998. (Mike Durst, PNNL, 509-372-4698)

Leningrad Decommissioning Study Nearing Completion. U.S. technical leads met with Kurchatov Institute specialists, representatives of other Russian institutes, and key staff of Leningrad NPP to discuss the draft summary report on the decommissioning of Leningrad Unit 1. The study is close to being complete. When issued, the report will provide a decommissioning strategy that represents consensus of the Russian institutes and worldwide experience in graphite reactor decommissioning. (Tom Wood, PNNL, 509-372-4162)

UKRAINE

Three Ukraine Plants Active in Transfer of Training Technology. A team of U.S. and Khmelnytskyy NPP training experts recently completed a second work session with training specialists at South Ukraine NPP. The trainers are developing task lists, identifying learning objectives, and reviewing and completing instructional materials for the plant=s Instrumentation and Control course. The plant-specific course at South Ukraine emphasizes use of the Pace7 soldering station in repairing integrated circuit boards.

At Zaporizhzhya NPP, training experts from the United States and Khmelnytskyy NPP are working with Zaporizhzhya training specialists to develop teaching materials for the Chemical Operator pilot training course. In November, the trainers are concentrating on validating lists of operator tasks and reviewing course materials. Work will continue on the development of training material specific to operation of the condensate demineralizers. In late November, a tentative date will be set for course implementation.

Rivne NPP training specialists are working with U.S. and Khmelnytskyy trainers to develop an Instrumentation and Control Technician pilot training course. The Rivne-specific course focuses on differential pressure transmitters. By the end of November, a date for course implementation will be scheduled. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Multi-Assembly Baskets en Route to Ukraine. After receiving copies of the certificates of conformance, the U.S. team shipped the remaining two multi-assembly baskets to Zaporizhzhya NPP. The baskets are integral components of the above-ground spent fuel storage system being constructed for the Zaporizhzhya plant with U.S. support. The baskets are expected to arrive in Ukraine in early December. (Mike McKinnon, PNNL, 509-372-4198)

CHORNOBYL INITIATIVES

International Experts Review Expressions of Interest in Early Biddable Projects. In collaboration with representatives of Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, international experts evaluated the expressions of interest received for the early biddable projects under the Shelter Implementation Plan. The evaluations resulted in short lists of recommended bidders for each of the four early biddable projects. Those lists were provided to the European Bank representative for future action. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

Agreement Reached on Funding for Chornobyl Unit 3/4 Ventilation Stack Work. The estimated cost (US$1.8 million) to repair the Chornobyl Unit 3/4 ventilation stack was finalized on November 12 in negotiations with Chornobyl Shelter representatives. It was agreed that the United States will fund $1 million of the work while Canada will cover the other $800 thousand. In addition, Ukraine will contribute approximately $500 thousand to the work beyond the $1.8 million cost of the contracted work. Signing of the actual task order is anticipated during the week of November 17, pending Shelter management final review and approval of the payment schedule. Actual repair work during the remainder of 1997 is unlikely because of the onset of winter weather and associated personnel safety considerations. However, orders will be placed before the end of December for the material delivery system, mockup materials, and actual replacement bracing. (John Schmidt, PNNL, 509-372-6377)

Prototype Monitoring System en Route to Chornobyl Shelter. The neutron monitoring system developed by U.S. experts for use in the Chornobyl Shelter was shipped to Ukraine on November 14. It is scheduled to arrive in Odessa on December 21. The system is designed to determine whether the high neutron count rate in some parts of the Shelter is indeed caused by fission reactions. If so, the system will serve as a prototype for a more permanent monitoring system to be produced under international funding as part of the work described in the Shelter Implementation Plan. (John Schmidt, PNNL, 509-372-6377)

CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES

VVER-1000 Working Group Discusses EOI Analysis Results and Future Work. The working group for VVER-1000 emergency operating instructions (EOIs) met during the last week of October at Kozloduy NPP to discuss EOI analysis results and define plans for future EOI development activities. Participants included representatives of Balakovo, Kozloduy, Zaporizhzhya, Temelin, and Khmelnytskyy NPPs. Also in attendance were representatives from VNIIAES, Rosenergoatom, Gidropress, the Kurchatov Institute, Atomenergoproekt, and both the Moscow and Atlanta offices of the World Association of Nuclear Operators. U.S. team members from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory also participated.

Gidropress specialists presented results of their analyses for five scenarios involving loss-of-coolant accidents of differing sizes. The associated calculations had been completed using Russian computer codes and contained no equipment failures or operator actions. As such, they resembled calculations for a safety analysis rather than those for validating EOI methodology. Gidropress reported that the calculations lacked the technical accuracy demanded for EOI calculations because of the limited-capability computer codes and hardware used to perform them.

In response to Gidropress= report, the SAIC representative provided an expanded explanation of the EOI analysis process and answered many questions from the group concerning EOI analysis methodology. In addition, the U.S. team scheduled additional workshops to provide site-specific technical assistance on EOI analysis to specialists from Kozloduy, Zaporizhzhya, and Balakovo NPPs. These workshops will be presented to regulatory, analytical, and NPP representatives over the next two months. Representatives of the NPPs, analytical organizations, and the U.S. team agreed to better define the purpose and scope of the EOI analysis activities for each of the NPPs and confirm plans for completing the work.

Group members from Temelin NPP reported on their activities and recommendations related to preparing EOIs with the assistance of Westinghouse Electric Corporation specialists. Khmelnytskyy NPP representatives indicated their intent to evaluate the need to develop symptom-based EOIs for their plant.

At the meeting, it was noted that Kozloduy NPP staff have completed the first deliverable for the EOI contract for their VVER-440/230 units. This deliverable consists of a plan for completing the VVER-440/230 EOIs and supporting analysis as well as agreements of support from the Bulgarian regulatory agency and analytical support organizations. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

RBMK Plant Maintenance Staff Train on New Equipment. Twenty representatives from the five participating RBMK reactor sites (Chornobyl, Kursk, Ignalina, Smolensk, and Leningrad NPPs) spent the last two weeks of October in Desnagorsk, Russia, training on the use of specialized safety maintenance equipment. The course included classroom instruction at the Smolensk Training Center and hands-on training at Smolensk NPP. Classroom topics included database setup and configuration control, analysis of individual data including trending, and diagnostic evaluations. Hands-on training concentrated on using the new equipment for data collection, evaluation, and analysis of the vibrational condition of actual operating rotating equipment in the Smolensk Training Center and Smolensk NPP.

U.S. specialists presented the training using the vibration monitoring and analysis equipment systems supplied by U.S. contractor SKF Condition Monitoring. Each of the five RBMK sites has been provided four of the systems as part of the U.S. team=s maintenance technology transfer and training project for RBMK plants. The new systems will enable plant maintenance personnel to collect data on shaft acceleration and velocity, in addition to displacement, on numerous safety-grade pumps and equipment. The new systems are capable of completely analyzing and storing historical data as well as performing trending and diagnostic evaluations of all equipment monitored. (Francis Buck, PNNL, 509-372-4102; Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072)

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.

November 15-22 -- Kyiv and Slavutych, Ukraine.
U.S. experts will work with the directors of the Chornobyl Center in Kyiv and the Slavutych Laboratory to develop management systems and administrative procedures for the center and the laboratory. Draft manuals of management processes and procedures will be developed. (Brian Kremer, DOE, 202-586-9096)

*November 16-20 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Technical experts from the U.S. team will meet with representatives of Energoatom. Participants will develop initial plans for a joint study to identify measures for improving the nuclear electrical capacity factor and safety of Ukraine=s VVER-1000 reactors. (Riaz Awan, DOE, 301-903-2687)

*November 16-21 -- Kyiv and Slavutych, Ukraine.
In Kyiv, U.S. experts and representatives of Ukraine=s Nuclear Regulatory Administration will hold discussions on the regulatory framework being developed for Ukraine=s VVER reactors. In Slavutych, task leaders from the Slavutych Laboratory for International Research and Technology will work with the U.S. team members to establish detailed work scopes for new tasks related to the Chornobyl deactivation, decontamination, and decommissioning project. (Riaz Awan, DOE, 301-903-2687)

November 16-21 -- Netishin, Ukraine.
A U.S. technical team leader and representatives of Khmelnytskyy NPP and GSE Systems, Inc., will review project progress and final results of acceptance testing of the full-scope simulator for the plant. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

*November 16-22 -- Moscow, Russia.
Representatives of Gosatomnadzor, STUK (the Finnish regulatory agency), and Gesellschaft fur Anlangen und Reaktorsicherheit mbH (a German nuclear safety firm) will review deliverables, analysis progress, and calculation notebooks related to the Leningrad NPP probabilistic and deterministic safety assessment. A U.S. expert will participate in the reviews. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

*November 16-25 -- Slavutych, Ukraine.
In Slavutych, technical experts from the U.S. team and Ciel Consultants will work with Chornobyl NPP representatives to finalize and implement symptom-based emergency operating instructions for Chornobyl Unit 3. They also will meet with representatives of the Nuclear Regulatory Administration regarding final approval of the new instructions. In Kyiv, the U.S. team representative will discuss project deliverables, scope, and future milestone schedules for the Ukraine Event Analysis, Reporting and Lessons Learned project with an Energoatom representatives. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

*November 16-26 -- Slavutych, Ukraine.
A U.S. expert will meet with the architect/engineer and staff of the Slavutych Laboratory for International Research and Technology to review completed construction of the laboratory=s newly renovated quarters. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 202-586-9466)

*November 17-19 -- Energodar, Ukraine.
Representatives of the Ukraine Quality Assurance Project Group will review the status of ongoing tasks and plans for the group=s future work. Energoatom will expand membership of the project group to include the Scientific and Technical Center of Ukraine=s Nuclear Regulatory Administration as well as a representative of Atomaudit. (Lief Erickson, PNNL, 509-372-4097)

*Rescheduled to November 17-21 from November 10-14 -- Energodar, Ukraine.
A member of the U.S. team and specialists from Ciel Consultants and Science Applications International Corporation will provide auditor training for a team of auditors from all NPPs in Ukraine. The auditing team later will plan and conduct an audit of the maintenance and repair organization at Zaporizhzhya NPP. (Lief Erickson, PNNL, 509-372-4097) (Workshop No. 97-181; Travel Coordinator Gail Flora, PNNL, 509-375-6554)

*November 18-19 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
U.S. experts will meet with Chornobyl NPP representatives. Discussions will cover the change in duration of the current Chornobyl outage and its effect on installation of the safety parameter display system developed for Unit 3. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

*November 18-23 -- Stockholm, Sweden.
A member of the U.S. team will meet with ENTEK management to discuss work scope associated with the analysis of emergency operating instructions for Russian reactors. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

November 19-20 -- Brussels, Belgium.
A U.S. specialist will meet with representatives of the European Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS) program to discuss activities related to safety assessments for Novovoronezh Unit 3. Participants will work to coordinate the TACIS work with that under the DOE-supported in-depth safety assessment of Units 3 and 4. (Jordi Roglans, ANL, 630-252-3283)

*November 20-25 -- Kursk NPP and Moscow, Russia.
Planning meetings for the in-depth safety assessment for Kursk NPP will be held. Participants include U.S. technical experts and representatives of the Kurchatov Institute and Kursk NPP. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

*November 25-27 -- Richland, Washington, USA.
The coordinating director of the Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology will meet with U.S. team members. Participants will discuss future plans and projects for the Chornobyl Center. (Laurin Dodd, PNNL, 509-372-4423)

*November 30-December 5 -- Kyiv and Slavutych, Ukraine.
A member of the U.S. team will participate in discussions with leaders of the Chornobyl Center/Slavutych Laboratory regarding fiscal year 1998 projects at the Center. (Roger Anderson, PNNL, 206-528-3300)

November 30-December 6 -- Vienna, Austria.
A U.S. technical expert will assist staff from the International Atomic Energy Agency in preparing design review guidelines for the agency=s nuclear power plant design reviews. (Dan Couch, PNNL, 509-372-4591)

December 1-- Columbia, Maryland, USA.
Initial meetings are scheduled for the simulator projects planned for Balakovo, Bilibino, and Zaporizhzhya NPPs. Representatives from each of the three NPPs, GSE Systems, Inc., and the U. S. team will participate. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

*December 1-4 -- Moscow, Russia.
Technical specialists from the U.S. team and Science Applications International Corporation will participate in a combined meeting of two working groups for the analysis of emergency operating instructions for VVER-440/213 and VVER-1000 reactors. Other participants include staff from VNIIAES, Gidropress, the Kurchatov Institute, Atomenergoproeckt, the World Association of Nuclear Operators-Moscow Centre, Rosenergoatom, and Kola and Balakovo NPPs. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

December 1-12 -- Novovoronezh NPP and Novovoronezh Training Center, Russia.
U.S. and Balakovo training experts will assist in developing training materials and then observe the implementation of pilot training courses. Both the plant and the training center are implementing a Shift Supervisor pilot course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

December 1-12 -- Beloyarsk NPP, Russia.
U.S. and Balakovo training experts will work with Beloyarsk NPP trainers to develop training materials for a course on sodium pump and valve maintenance. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*December 2-5 -- Kyiv and Slavutych, Ukraine.
A U.S. team member and representatives of the Ministry of Ukraine will review policy issues associated with work being done or being planned for the Chornobyl Center at Slavutych. (Anne Phillips, PNNL, 202-646-5216)

*December 2-5 -- Moscow, Russia.
A proposal for a hardware-software complex will be discussed in meetings between representatives of the U.S. team and VNIIAES. (Norman Fletcher, DOE, 301-903-3275)

*December 2-9 -- Zagreb, Croatia.
A U.S. technical specialist will evaluate a mobile system under development for inservice inspection of steam generators. Training on the equipment also will be provided for personnel from Ukrainian NPPs. (Greg Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581)

*December 3-12 -- Yuzhnoukrainsk and Kyiv, Ukraine.
U.S. team representatives will participate in a planning meeting for the second phase of the South Ukraine Unit 1 safety assessment. They also will meet with quality assurance and peer review teams for the in-depth safety assessments under way in both Russia and Ukraine. (Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)

*December 3-13 -- Moscow, Russia.
Technical experts from the U.S. team and specialists from the Kurchatov Institute will formulate a cost estimate for decommissioning Leningrad Unit 1. (Rich Reister, DOE, 301-903-0234)

*December 4-5 -- Slavutych, Ukraine.
A U.S. advisor will meet with representatives of Ukraine to discuss the development of economic diversification activities scheduled for the Slavutych region. (Anne Phillips, PNNL, 202-646-5216)

*December 5-9 -- London, England, Great Britain.
Representatives of the U.S. team and Great Britain=s Department of Trade and Interior discuss potential collaborative projects to support the Chornobyl Center. (Roger Anderson, PNNL, 206-528-3300)

December 6-8 -- Visaginas, Lithuania.
A U.S. team member and representatives of Ignalina NPP will review the configuration management project under way at the plant. (Dan Couch, PNNL, 509-372-4591)

*December 7-12 -- Slavutych, Ukraine.
U.S. specialists will meet with representatives of Chornobyl NPP to finalize the initial task authorization for completing the heat plant. They also will finalize statements of work and cost estimates for new tasks as well as review the status of task deliverables. (Ray Hunter, DOE, 202-586-2240)

*December 7-13 -- Moscow, Russia.
A U.S. technical leader will meet with staff of Diaprom to verify safe delivery of nondestructive evaluation equipment ordered for Russian NPPs. He also will help organize a training seminar on operation of the equipment. (Greg Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581)

*December 8-10 -- Brussels, Belgium.
The Norway-based Environmental Foundation Bellona, known as the Bellona Foundation, will hold an international technical workshop on nuclear waste problems in northwestern Russia. A member of the U.S. team will participate. (Jim Wiborg, PNNL, 509-375-6745)

*December 10-11 -- Moscow, Russia.
The project team for the Novovoronezh Units 3 and 4 in-depth safety assessment will meet on December 10. The second meeting of the project steering committee will follow on December 11. Participants will include representatives of Rosenergoatom, Atomenergoproekt, Gidropress, Novovoronezh NPP, and the U.S. team. They will review project status, particularly the negotiations for the remaining task orders, as well as progress on tasks already under way. (Jordi Roglans, ANL, 630-252-3283)

*December 10-12 -- Moscow, Russia.
The steering committee for the Kola in-depth safety assessment (KOLISA) project will meet at offices of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in Moscow on December 10. Representatives of Kola NPP, IBRAE, IVO-Finland, SAIC, and the U.S. team will participate. The next two phases of the project (the Level 1 external events probabilistic risk assessment for Unit 4 and the deterministic safety assessment for Units 1 and 2) will be discussed. Work on the Level 1 internal events probabilistic risk assessment also will be reviewed. Following the one-day steering committee meeting, representatives of Kola NPP, SAIC, and the U.S. team will meet to discuss results of the steering committee meeting and the work plans and tasks for the new project work. (Philip Pizzica, ANL, 630-252-4847)

*December 10-12 -- Moscow, Russia.
Meetings scheduled at the Research and Development Institute of Power Engineering will involve U.S. experts and representatives of Rosenergoatom and Leningrad, Smolensk, and Kursk NPPs. Participants will discuss progress on work related to the safety parameter display systems being provided to the three RBMK NPPs. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

December 14-20 -- Netishin, Ukraine.
A U.S. technical team will meet with representatives of Khmelnytskyy NPP and GSE Systems, Inc., for the final acceptance of the full-scope simulator. The simulator is expected to be declared ready for training, and documentation will be signed upon final acceptance. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

*December 15-18 -- Armenia NPP, Armenia.
The U.S. team will review safety enhancement projects under way at Armenia NPP and plan activities for 1998. A representative from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to attend to coordinate regulatory support activities. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418; Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

*December 15-18 -- Sofia, Bulgaria.
Representatives of the U.S. team and Science Applications International Corporation will meet with staff from Energoproject-Sofia, the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, the Committee on the Use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes, and Kozloduy NPP. They will present guidance to the regulatory and analytical organizations on how to best analyze emergency operating instructions and discuss strategies for completing the work. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

January 19-30 -- Kursk NPP, Russia.
U.S. and Balakovo training experts will assist Kursk NPP staff in developing materials for a plant-specific training course on mechanical maintenance. The group also will observe implementation of the course at the Kursk plant. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

January 20 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
Members of the U.S. technical team will meet with representatives of Chornobyl NPP and GSE Systems, Inc., for final acceptance of the analytical simulator for Chornobyl Unit 3. The analytical simulator is expected to be declared ready for training. Documentation will be signed upon final acceptance. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)