March 2000 Highlights

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Ukraine

Energoatom tests events reporting database

An events reporting database developed for Ukraine's nuclear power industry underwent testing in Kyiv on March 20 through 24. The testing was conducted in preparation for installing the database onsite at Zaporizhzhya NPP for its pilot implementation.

Specialists from Novator-Kiev, a Ukrainian subcontractor, installed and operated the database on computers at Energoatom in Kyiv. Energoatom staff specializing in plant operating experience and a specialist from Zaporizhzhya NPP tested the database and provided comments for improvement. Actual event data were used to determine whether the database will support implementation of the event reporting and analysis procedures developed for Ukraine's nuclear power plants. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418; Lief Erickson, PNNL, 509-372-4097)

System software development completed for two Ukrainian plant simulators

By mid-March, two projects to develop full-scope simulators for Rivne Unit 3 and South Ukraine Unit 1 reached their halfway point when the software development work for each system was completed. The software development team, who performed work in Kyiv, was composed of technical specialists from GSE Power Systems, Inc., LAKROM, and the Engineering and Technical Center for the Training of Nuclear Industry Personnel. GSE is the primary U.S. contractor for simulator development work. Subcontractors LAKROM (Russia) and the Engineering and Technical Center (Ukraine) provide most of the simulation engineers for the project.

The objective of the 16-month effort was to design computer-based models to replicate each of the two nuclear power plants. Now that the models have been completed, the staff for each project has transitioned from Kyiv to its specific nuclear power plant site, where the testing phase of each effort will begin. Final completion of the two simulator projects will significantly increase the capabilities of each plant's training organizations. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650; Joe Cleary, PNNL, 509-372-4094)

New simulator project gets under way for Rivne

The U.S. team is supporting development of a full-scope simulator for Rivne NPP's two VVER-440/213 reactors. On February 29 and March 1, key participants in the project met in Columbia, Maryland, USA, to discuss roles, responsibilities, scope, and schedules for the effort. Participants included representatives of GSE Power Systems, Inc. (primary contractor); the Engineering and Technical Center for the Training of Nuclear Industry Personnel (major subcontractor); Energoatom, acting on behalf of Rivne NPP and the central Energoatom organization in Kyiv; the U.S. Department of Energy; and Brookhaven and Pacific Northwest national laboratories.

The meeting marked the beginning of a significant safety improvement effort for Rivne NPP. The simulator will enable the reactor operators of both Units 1 and 2 to undergo simulator-based training for their specific assignments. Such training currently is not available to the VVER-440/213 operators at the plant. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650; Joe Cleary, PNNL, 509-372-4094)

Site-specific training programs under development at Rivne and Zaporizhzhya

The U.S. Department of Energy is supporting the development of a training program for control room reactor operators at both Rivne and Zaporizhzhya NPPs. For two weeks in late February and early March, teams of training specialists from Khmelnytskyy NPP, the Engineering and Technical Center for the Training of Nuclear Industry Personnel, and Sonalysts, Inc., conducted working sessions at each of the two plants. During the sessions, the specialists incorporated site-specific details for each plant into the generic program instructional materials developed previously. The training program for each plant is to be implemented in June 2000. (John Yoder, DOE, 302-903-5650; Don Draper, PNNL, 509-372-4079)

U.S. team transfers technology for training nuclear power plant simulator instructors

In late March, host-country personnel conducted a recently expanded training course at Zaporizhzhya NPP for simulator instructors. The session at Zaporizhzhya was the first presented entirely by Ukrainian training specialists and represents the culmination of U.S. efforts to transfer technology to Ukraine for training simulator instructors. The specialists, from Zaporizhzhya and Khmelnytskyy NPPs and the Engineering and Technical Center for the Training of Nuclear Industry Personnel, had presented the course at Khmelnytskyy NPP in late January 2000 but with the direct involvement of U.S. consultants from Sonalysts, Inc.

In October 1999, the Ukrainian training specialists began working with their U.S. counterparts to modify the course in response to requests from host-country simulator instructors. They extended the course length from one week to two weeks and expanded the content to include more in-depth treatment of relevant topics.

U.S. team members from Sonalysts observed and reviewed the March training session. Review comments will be incorporated into the training course; the course then will be integrated into the training program at each of Ukraine's nuclear power plants with VVER reactors. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650; Al Ankrum, PNNL, 509-372-4095)

Rivne safety parameter display system completes site acceptance tests

On March 30, a U.S.-provided safety parameter display system successfully passed site acceptance tests at Rivne Unit 3. A Ukrainian commissioning team accepted the test results and approved a final protocol, stating that the system is ready for pilot operation. The start of pilot operation now awaits formal approval from the State Nuclear Regulatory Administration.

Rivne NPP is the fifth Ukrainian nuclear power plant site to have installed at least one safety parameter display system with U.S. support. In addition to the one at Rivne Unit 3, systems now are in place for Khmelnytskyy Unit 1, Zaporizhzhya Units 3 and 5, and South Ukraine Unit 1 (all VVER-1000 reactors). The U.S. team also supported installation of a safety parameter display system in Chornobyl Unit 3, an RBMK reactor.

Westinghouse Electric Company, under subcontract to Burns & Roe Enterprises, Inc., is the U.S. supplier of the systems. Specialists at Westron facilities (a consortium between Westinghouse and Hartron Corporation of Ukraine) assemble the systems in Ukraine for the host-country nuclear power plants. (Richard Reister, DOE, 301-903-0234; Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412; Frank Panisko, PNNL, 509-372-4472)

Ukrainian company facilitates second-generation transfer of safety analysis technology

In March, Energoatom Engineering Service (EIS) Company successfully completed a trial program aimed at transferring safety analysis technology within Ukraine. In the program's series of "hands-on" training sessions, individual staff members from Ukraine's nuclear power plants were paired with experienced EIS analysts to work with U.S. safety analysis computer codes.

The program had two underlying purposes. The first was to augment previous "academic" instruction for nuclear power plant analysts with actual experience. The second was to help move U.S. technology transfer into a "second-generation" mode, in which selected Ukrainian analysts provided training to new nuclear power plant analysts needed in support of work at their own plants.

Six analysts, three each from Rivne and Khmelnytskyy NPPs, were trained in individual one-month sessions during 1999. EIS used its self-developed training materials in conjunction with two U.S.-developed computer codes for safety analyses-SAPHIRE (probabilistic risk assessment) and RELAP5 (thermal-hydraulic analysis). The training resulted in providing Khmelnytskyy and Rivne analysts with practical experience in use of modern computer codes to support the ongoing in-depth safety assessment work at their respective plants. In addition, the EIS program provides a model strategy for advanced technology transfer to even greater numbers of analysts. (Walter Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-03628; Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151)