Dec/Jan/Feb 2000/2001 Contents Highlight

Armenia Bulgaria Czech Republic Hungary

Kazakhstan Lithuania Russia Slovakia

Ukraine United States Cross-Cutting Activities Planned Activities

Bulgaria

Major milestone achieved at Kozloduy
In December, staff at Kozloduy nuclear plant verified its complete set of 48 EOIs for Units 5 and 6 (both VVER-1000 reactors). This action represented completion of Milestone 4 in the process that was established for implementing EOIs for these units. Work toward meeting Milestones 5 and 6, Operational Validation on the Full-Scope Simulator and Operator Training, currently is being performed. Milestone 7, Regulatory Approval, and Milestone 8, Implementation, which are the final 2 milestones, will be met in 2001.

Kozloduy also has completed RELAP5 technical validation for 12 of the 13 bounding modes needed to thermal-hydraulically validate the mitigating strategies for the 32 VVER-440/230 EOIs for Units 3 and 4. Work on the remaining bounding mode is in progress and is scheduled for completion by the end of March 2001. EOIs for the VVER-440/230 units are scheduled for Regulatory Approval and Implementation prior to 2002. (Dennis Meyers, NNSA, 301-903-1418; Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

EOI training implemented at Kozloduy
A 2-week working session was held at the Kozloduy nuclear plant in December to continue development of a training program on the use of EOIs. The purpose of this visit was to continue development of training materials and programs that will be given to plant staff before EOIs are implemented.

During the working session, a U.S. specialist from Sonalysts Inc. worked with Kozloduy training specialists on the design of the training materials for the group of EOIs that will be used in this pilot training program. Training specialists from Kozloduy worked with plant technical specialists to develop facility-specific training material. The focus of this working session was on the training material and program for Units 5 and 6 (both VVER-1000 reactors).

In February, training specialists from VNIIAES, Trnava Training Center in Slovakia, and the U.S. firm, Sonalysts Inc., visited Kozloduy to help training and technical specialists implement the EOI training program described above. The Kozloduy training and technical specialists conducted the training for simulator instructors at the plant. The U.S. and Russian participants observed the activity and provided feedback, and the specialist from Trnava Training Center provided insight gained from EOI training in Slovakia and obtained information for future use in Slovakian training efforts. During the third week, a training specialist from the Department of Energy observed the implementation activities and held discussions with Kozloduy management about future training activities. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650; Don Draper, PNNL, 509-372-4079)

Kozloduy training courses revised and implemented
In late January, a U.S. training specialist from Human Performance Analysis, Corp., visited the Kozloduy nuclear power plant in Bulgaria to observe pilot program implementation of a revised Safety Culture course and to present a second implementation of the revised Management and Supervisory Skills course. Staff at Kozloduy had previously received the Management and Supervisory Skills and the Safety Culture courses, but training and management personnel at the plant requested assistance in revising both of these programs. Specifically, they requested that a Leadership module be added to the Management and Supervisory Skills course and that more detailed, site-specific information be included in the Safety Culture course. The Management and Supervisory Skills program was revised and implemented by the U.S. training specialist. Staff from Kozloduy revised the Safety Culture training with input and oversight by the U.S. specialist. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650; Don Draper, PNNL, 509-372-4079)