January - March 2002 Contents Highlight

Armenia Bulgaria Czech Republic Hungary

Kazakhstan Lithuania Russia Slovakia

Ukraine United States Cross-Cutting Activities Planned Activities

Armenia

Semiannual review of projects was held at Armenia NPP

A semiannual review of Armenia NPP projects was held at the plant from March 12 to 14. Participants included representatives from PNNL, Sandia National Laboratory (SNL), Burns and Row Enterprises, Inc. (BREI), Armenia NPP, NNSA, the Nuclear Regulator Commission (NRC), Western Services, and Data Systems & Solutions (DS&S). The PNNL representative reported that the performance of the plant over the past year has been very good. There are no major project issues.

The following are some of the activities that took place during the project review:

• Specifications developed for the plant computer information system were reviewed and many of the required details were obtained from the plant. Commitments were made by the plant to provide additional information by the end of March 2002.
• A number of meetings were held by the representative from SNL, in close cooperation with NRC, to develop a better understanding of the radioactive source control issues in Armenia. A project-planning meeting was planned for June 2002, to be held in Armenia.
• On March 14, 2002 the U.S. Ambassador, his staff, and representatives from the Peace Corps were provided a tour of the nuclear power plant.
• The TACIS Year 2003 program for Armenia was recently approved. Plans for these funds were reviewed with the on-site TACIS representative. Following the completion of these projects, it has been decided that TACIS will only fund projects that are related to plant decommissioning.
• In a closeout session with the Armenian regulator organization, a representative indicated interest in obtaining support related to the implementation of IAEA guidelines for the definition of design basis threats and the performance of vulnerability studies. (Richard Denning, Battelle, 614-424-7412; Dennis Meyers, NNSA, 301-903-1418)
  

New partner Web site established to compliment existing INSC network

An ANL technical specialist met with representatives of the nuclear research institute ARMATOM regarding the establishment of a new partner Web site to be located in Armenia to compliment the existing network of International Nuclear Safety Center (INSC) Web sites.

In early February, ARMATOM received all of the equipment ordered to establish the infrastructure necessary for such a center. The ANL representative provided training and technical assistance to establish a secure and efficient computer network for the center.

Together with an Armenian and Ukrainian specialist, the ANL technician tested, connected, and configured the network equipment. Personnel from ARMATOM were trained in network administration and other technologies related to the creation of the Armenian INSC. (Herbert Ley, ANL, 630-252-8224; Walt Pasedag, NNSA, 301-903-3628)

Multi-national project progresses on DBA, BDBA, PRA, and an SAR for Armenia NPP

On January 21, a specialist from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) traveled to Vienna, Austria to attend an International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) meeting to discuss progress on the collection of data for the thermal-hydraulic safety analysis for Armenia NPP. The IAEA is supporting a project to develop a MELCOR model of the Armenia NPP for confinement analysis. The NNSA project is supporting the development of a RELAP5 model for design basis accident (DBA) and beyond-design basis accident (BDBA) analysis. The goal of this meeting was to summarize all data for both modeling efforts, which were still missing or incomplete, and to find a source for the data. Such a list was completed, sources identified, and dates for the action to obtain the data were agreed upon.

The specialist from ANL also traveled to Armenia NPP in late February. The purpose of the trip was to attend the Armenia Safety Analysis Capability project meeting. Database coordination was again discussed for the development of the NNSA RELAP5 model and a RELAP5 model that the Italian company, SOGIN, is developing concerning the probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) for Armenia NPP. SOGIN will be carrying-out this assessment with funding from TACIS (the European Union Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States). This NNSA project will be producing systems design documents (SDDs). The coordination of NNSA with SOGIN will avoid duplication of efforts and ensure that the resulting databases contain consistent data. During this meeting, specialists also discussed the development of the safety analysis report (SAR) with the help of a production plan provided by NNSA. Armenia NPP staff will take the next steps in this area with consultation available from NNSA specialists. (Philip Pizzica, ANL, 630-252-4847; Walt Pasedag, NNSA, 301-903-3628)

PNNL contracts reviewed and policies and practices workshop conducted in Armenia

In the second week of February a technical specialist and a contracts specialist from PNNL conducted a workshop in Yerevan, Armenia on “PNNL Contracts Policies and Practices” as a portion of the Armenian NPP Safety Related Reactor Security project. The workshop was attended by a total of 30 people consisting of representatives from Armenia NPP, and several Armenian design, construction, and vendor organizations. One day was dedicated to the “Contracting Process Workshop” which clearly demonstrated the contracting process, procedures, requirements, and expectations when conducting business with PNNL.

Following the workshop, two specific pending contracts in support of the immediate and long-term security upgrades were discussed. The technical specialist from PNNL finalized the contract details in support of the Service Water System Perimeter Security Upgrades project. The contract was signed with Gydroenergashin – Joint Stock Company. (Andrei Glukhov, PNNL, 509-375-3961; Greg Trosman, NNSA, 301-903-3581)

Integrated Security Design Development Task subcontractor chosen

In Yerevan, Armenia, a technical specialist from PNNL met with representatives of the Elbrus design organization and its subcontractor ISTA-Systems to conduct negotiations and finalize the contract details in support of the Integrated Security Design Development (ISDD) task. Although progress was made, further qualifications were identified as being required before the contract could be signed.

The PNNL technical specialist then traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia to meet with the Russian organization JSC “ISTA-Systems”. This organization is considered to be a lead subcontractor for the Armenian NPP ISDD task. The key issues were to evaluate subcontractor capability to perform integrated design tasks and finalize the scope and preliminary schedule of work. Based on the opinion of the Russian Regulatory Authority (GAN) and other acquired information, ISTA can be recommended as a subcontractor for Elbrus design organization for the ISDD task at Armenia NPP. (Andrei Glukov, PNNL, 509-375-3961; Greg Trosman, NNSA, 301-903-3581)

Progress made on Armenia NPP Decommissioning Project

A representative from PNNL traveled to Yerevan, Armenia in support of the Armenia NPP Decommissioning Project. The major objectives of the trip were to discuss the scope, identify points-of-contact, agree on a basic technical approach, and to coordinate planned and future tasks. The meetings with Armenia NPP, the Ministry of Energy, and the Armenia Nuclear Regulator Authority (ANRA) were held over a three-day period in March 2002. During the meeting it was agreed that three tasks be prioritized with the available funding. The three tasks are the following, 1) development of a waste tracking and inventory control system for radwastes generated during operations and decommissioning, 2) providing technical support to development of Armenia National requirements for deconstruction and decommissioning, and 3) the performance of a treatability study of Armenia NPP evaporator bottom radioactive wastes. (Steven Short, PNNL, 509-375-2868; Dennis Meyers, NNSA, 301-903-1418)