January - March 2002 Contents Highlight

Armenia Bulgaria Czech Republic Hungary

Kazakhstan Lithuania Russia Slovakia

Ukraine United States Cross-Cutting Activities Planned Activities

Ukraine

A PNNL specialist attended two project management coordination meetings; the Design Document System Management (DDSM) project, and the Ukraine Reliability Database (URDB) project. Representatives from Energoatom and each of the nuclear power plants (NPPs), along with the lead contractor for each project attended both meetings. Progress on current activities and plans for new activities were reviewed and discussed. Both projects are currently on schedule with no significant issues. (Tye Blackburn, PNNL, 509-372-4092; Walt Pasedag, NNSA, 301-903-3628; Dennis Meyers, NNSA, 301-903-1418)

Two PNNL specialists and a DOE representative signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Zaporizhzhya Unit 3 full-scope simulator project, the 8th simulator project in Ukraine. The simulator facility is already completed. Notably, GSE plans to use almost exclusively, hardware and software engineers from the Engineering and Technical Center for the Training of Nuclear Industry Personnel (ETC). This demonstrates that the technology transfer we have invested in has worked and the ETC staff can be relied on by GSE to compete major work products on their own. The ETC also indicated that they are beginning to receive contracts from plants to update and modify simulators we have provided, based on plant changes that have been occurring. (Joe Cleary, PNNL, 509-372-4094 and John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

The status of the Zaporizhzhya Unit 1 full-scope simulator was evaluated by staff from PNNL. Two PNNL specialists met with staff at Zaporizhzhya NPP in Energodar, Ukraine in mid March 2002. The PNNL representatives found the training facility for both Zaporizhzhya Units 1 and 3 full-scope simulators to be very impressive. A training specialist from DOE traveled to VNIIAES in Moscow to discuss the status of this project and worked with their project manager to keep the project on schedule. (Joe Cleary, PNNL, 509-372-4094 and John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

PNNL staff traveled to the Rivne NPP site in Kuznetsovsk, Ukraine to check on the status of the Unit 2 full-scope simulator project. The PNNL staff reported that the project appears to be on or ahead of schedule and that there should be no facility issues. (Joe Cleary, PNNL, 509-372-4094 and John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

The ANL project coordinator for the South Ukraine NPP and the Zaporizhzhya NPP In-Depth Safety Assessment (ISA) projects, participated in a working meeting at the South Ukraine NPP site in March 2002. The working meeting focused on a resolution of comments from the peer review of the South Ukraine Level 1 probabilistic risk assessment (PRA). Using a systematic approach that was developed and agreed upon prior to the meeting, all major issues raised by the peer review were addressed. The meeting was quite successful in achieving its goals.

The ANL specialist, along with staff from Scientech, visited the Kyiv Energoproject Institute (KIEP). Some of the current ISA tasks being preformed by KIEP were reviewed, including the first phase of the fire PRA for Zaporizhzhya Unit 5 and the task on flooding data collection and analysis from all VVER units in Ukraine. In general, progress on these tasks has been satisfactory. Following the review of project status the completion date was set for May 2002. (Christian Kot, ANL, 630-252-6151; Walt Pasedag, NNSA, 301-903-3628)

Three representatives from PNNL and a specialist from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) attended the 5th working meeting of the Ukraine Nuclear Fuel Qualification Project (UNFQP) held at the Center for Reactor Core Design (CRCD) in Kharkov, Ukraine. Representatives from all participating organizations were in attendance except the State Nuclear Regulatory Committee of Ukraine. Discussions took place about action items from the 4th working meeting. New items discussed include:

• Contracts between NAEK and PNNL for dummy, Lead Test Assemblies (LTAs) and Reload Batch Shipments
• Westinghouse Computer Code Methodology and Verification Document
• Technical Specification for Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel Assemblies
• Concept Technical Decision Document
• Core Monitoring System
• Vendor Quality Assurance Audit Plans
• Status of Enriched Uranium Supply for the Reload Batch
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory Computer Codes
• Procedures for Certification of CRCD Specialists
• UNFQP Activities and Work Implementation Schedule Update
• Proposed future UNFQP meetings
• Procedure for use of International Chornobyl Center Translation Services

The UNFQP 6th Working Meeting has been planned for July 2002. (Richard Robinson, PNNL, 509-372-4097; Jim Cannon, NNSA, 301-903-5016)