September 2000 Highlight

Armenia Bulgaria Czech Republic Hungary

Kazakhstan Lithuania Russia Slovakia

Ukraine United States Cross-Cutting Activities Planned Activities

Russia

Normative Documents Workshop Held in Moscow

Representatives of the Russian Institute for Nuclear Power Plant Operations, General Energy Technologies (VNIIAES/GET); Rosenergoatom (REA); Gosatomnadzor (GAN); the Novovoronezh Training Center; Balakovo, Kursk, and Novovoronezh NPPs; and the United States met at VNIIAES in Moscow to identify the scope of the normative documents needed for Russian simulator standards and incorporation into training programs.

Participants presented material that would be helpful in the development of the documents. The Russian participants developed a document outline, and the representatives from GAN and REA reviewed the outline, presented their opinions on regulations, and approved the format/outline. The U.S. representative from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory provided a perspective on U.S. simulator normative documents and discussed lessons learned in the United States related to the development and implementation of such documents.

The normative documents, once implemented, will provide a standard for simulator development and usage that will provide consistency across Russian organizations involved in development and use of simulators for training. This activity will ensure that the simulators used to train nuclear power plant operators meet a minimum standard. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650; Ken Erickson, PNNL, 509-372-4063)

Transfer of simulator instructor training course continues

A workshop was held September 25 through October 7 at Kola NPP to continue the transfer of the simulator instructor training course developed for use in Ukraine to Russian organizations involved in the training of simulator instructors. Training experts from the U.S. firms Sonalysts, Inc., and Human Performance Analysis Corporation led the workshop for participants from VNIIAES and from Russian nuclear power plants and training centers. This activity focused on assisting in the development of improved training methods for simulator instructors and improved training expertise within Russia.

The U.S. participants shared insights and lessons learned from experiences in the United States and Ukraine in the development and transfer of training materials related to simulator instructor training. The Russian participants also shared their insights into the development of effective training materials for simulator instructors in their country. The Russian participants will be involved in the development of any additional materials and will be responsible for the coordination of a final working visit, which also will take place at the Kola NPP.

The workshop, which was the second in a series of three working sessions, continued work initiated during the first session held in May. The training specialists from Sonalysts and Human Performance Analysis Corporation presented the results of their review of work completed since the May workshop and led discussions during the September sessions. Plans for the third and final working session, which will include pilot program implementation, also were discussed. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650; Al Ankrum, PNNL, 509-372-4095)

Safety Concept Working Group for Leningrad NPP meets

A member of the U.S. team traveled to St. Petersburg and Sosnovy Bor, Russia, to meet with the Safety Concept Working Group associated with the Leningrad NPP in-depth safety assessment. While in Russia, the U.S. team member also visited Leningrad NPP to provide technical assistance in the areas of engineering assessment and regulatory compliance.

The main objectives of the Safety Concept Working Group meeting were to define the technical content of safety concept reports and to identify sources of reference material for writing eight of the safety concept report subchapters. Participants also identified agencies or institutions that should be involved in the writing or review of specific subchapters.

The U.S. representative also met with staff from Leningrad NPP and the subcontractor, All-Russian Planning and Design, Research, and Technological Association, to review progress on work related to system description and development, engineering assessment database development, plant level compliance, and system level compliance. (Walter Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628; Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059)