June 28, 1996
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Emergency Management Exercise. Gosatomnadzor (GAN) staff participated in a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) emergency preparedness exercise at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington, on June 18-21. Staff from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Westinghouse Hanford Company provided an overview of the emergency management system used by DOE, the development of emergency exercise scenarios, and evaluation and control of the emergency. During the exercise, GAN participants observed activities at the event, command post, area emergency control center, exercise control cell, emergency operations center, and the joint information center. They also attended the exercise critique. The GAN representatives expressed interest in future interactions with the United States on emergency management issues. (George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836)

Training Technology Transfer Meeting. A meeting on transferring training technology was held in Moscow, Russia, to finalize plans for the project. A schedule was established for initial site visits and for workshops on the systematic approach to training (SAT), which will be conducted in Russia and the United States. GAN representatives were at the meeting and will participate in the project with special interest in the development of normative documents on training. Other participants at the meetings included representatives from the International Nuclear Safety Program (INSP), Russian nuclear power plants (NPPs), and all organizations involved with plant personnel training (Atomtechenergo, Minatom, Rosenergoatom, and VNIIAES). PNNL will place a task order through the GET basic ordering agreement for VNIIAES/GET to coordinate the training technology transfer program.

The tentative site visits for training technology transfer are listed in Planned Activities. On each visit, the U.S. personnel will be accompanied by approximately five Russians. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Fire Doors for Smolensk NPP. Staff from Bechtel Power Corporation are negotiating a contract with a host country manufacturer, Atomremmash, for the purchase of 400 fire doors for the Smolensk NPP. They traveled to Kursk, Russia, on June 24 to meet with management of the Atomremmash facility. The fire doors are part of the fire protection upgrade project at Smolensk NPP. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

UKRAINE

Chornobyl Shelter Project. INSP representatives attended a workshop,"Chornobyl Unit 4, Short and Long-Term Measures," conducted by the European Commission at Darmstadt, Germany, June 24-25, 1996. Attendees included representatives of the European Commission, participating European Union countries, the United States, and Japan. Unfortunately, the expected Ukrainian representative was unable to participate.

This workshop is part of a European Commission study to develop recommendations for improving the safety of the Chornobyl shelter, a concrete and steel structure that encloses the destroyed Unit 4 reactor at the Chornobyl plant. The study includes both short-term measures to address the current safety problems of the shelter and long-term measures to convert the shelter and damaged reactor into an ecologically safe system. The results of this study will be proposals to the G-7 countries for Chornobyl remedial actions.

The European Commission study is being performed in close cooperation with the Ukrainians. The study was begun in April 1996 and is scheduled for completion by November 1996. The United States has participated so far as an observer at the meetings with no funding available to provide engineering support. The European Commission has indicated that a greater U.S. role is welcome, and DOE has requested funds to participate more fully.

The next meeting is scheduled July 2-4 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The principal stakeholders will discuss safety objectives and other matters key to timely progress. The next general meeting of the review panel is planned at Brussels, Belgium, July 24-25. At this meeting, it is anticipated working groups for the screening of assessments will be established, which hopefully will include full U.S. participation. (Dennis Kried, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

RELAP5 Training for Ukrainian Analysts . Safety evaluations of nuclear plants require detailed computer modeling of thermal-hydraulic phenomena. Ukraine and the United States are collaborating to train plant staff in using the RELAP5 thermal-hydraulics code, which is used for safety analysis in the United States. A group of nine reactor safety analysts from Ukraine is currently participating in a RELAP5 computer code workshop at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Illinois. The objective is to provide the Ukrainian analysts with "hands-on" experience in performing thermal hydraulic analysis of reactor systems using the RELAP5 code. Specifically, the preparation of validated input decks (input files) is emphasized. After a series of lectures on RELAP5 input preparation, a RELAP5 model (nodalization) for a VVER 1000 reactor system is now being developed by the Ukrainian analysts based on data provided by them. The remainder of the workshop will focus on the preparation and checkout of a RELAP5 model/input deck (file), based as much as possible on plant specific data for a VVER 1000 unit in Ukraine. The 6-week training is scheduled June 17-July 26, 1996. Participants include staff from the Energoprojekt Institutes (Kyiv and Kharkiv), the Nuclear Research Institute Kyiv, and the South Ukraine NPP. (Christian Kot, ANL, 708-252-6151)

PROGRAM OFFICE

Rosenergoatom Contract Signed. Task Order Number 2 for the Kalinin Crisis Center has been issued by PNNL, signed by Rosenergoatom and work has started on the task. Task 2 consists of a plan for protecting personnel in case of an emergency at the Kalinin NPP. Task Order Number 3 for project management support was issued by PNNL and signed this week by Rosenergoatom. (Douglas A. Dahl, PNNL, 509-375-6855)

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

"*" indicates the event is a new item or has been changed from the last report.

July 1-6 -- Moscow, Russia.
U.S. specialists will participate in meetings to develop a detailed scope of work for the Leningrad NPP deterministic safety analysis project. This activity is part of an international cooperative effort to develop a probabilistic risk assessment for the Leningrad NPP Unit 2. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

*July 1-12 -- Balakovo NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts personnel will work with Balakovo staff to implement the pilot training course on electrical operations, as well as continue development of the pilot training courses on electrical maintenance, water chemistry and radiation protection, and the specialized training for simulator instructors. Two Khmelnytskyy NPP training staff will attend and observe the implementation of the electrical operations training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

July 7-13 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Ukraine.
Representatives from INSP and S3 Technologies will visit Energotraining, Kyiv, where the control panels for full-scope simulators are being completed. The main panel sections, Units 1-6, will be inspected before shipment. A visit to the Khmelnytskyy NPP is also planned to determine the status of the Training Center, which must be ready to accept the delivery of the control panels. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

*July 8-12 -- Beloyarsk NPP, Russia.
INSP representatives and a Russian team will travel to the Beloyarsk NPP to conduct an initial needs analyses under the training technology transfer program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

July 8-19 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
Sonalysts and General Physics personnel will work with Kozloduy NPP staff on the development of training programs for control room reactor operators, staff supervisors, and reactor repair technicians. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

July 8-22 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
U.S. staff will coordinate the installation of equipment for the satellite linking PNNL with the Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology. Once the system is operational, staff from Chornobyl NPP will be trained in its operation and basic troubleshooting. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

July 9-16 -- Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia.
INSP, Kurchatov Institute, and Minatom representatives will meet with senior staff from Leningrad NPP regarding the RBMK site-specific decommissioning study. This project is a joint U.S.-Russian effort to develop a safe, technically feasible, decommissioning strategy for Leningrad Unit 1, a first generation RBMK reactor. (Rich Reister, DOE, 301-903-0234)

July 13-18 -- Visaginas, Lithuania.
A team of INSP specialists will begin meetings on the Ignalina NPP Unit 2 Module Upgrade Project. The project will design, manufacture, and deliver replacement safety instrumentation and control modules to the plant. (Norm Fletcher, DOE, 301-903-3275)

July 15-17 -- Paris, France.
There will be a third and final meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) support group on Soviet-designed nuclear reactors. Participants are expected to approve their final draft report. (John Honekamp, PNNL, 509-372-6415)

July 15-19 -- Balakovo NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts, Inc. personnel and Balakovo NPP staff will implement the pilot electrical operations training course. They will continue development of pilot training courses on electrical maintenance, water chemistry and radiation protection and specialized training for simulator instructors. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

July 15-26 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics and Chornobyl specialists will work on the continued development of the control room reactor operator training program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

July 19-August 3 -- Medzamor, Armenia.
INSP team members will meet with Medzamor NPP staff for discussions on EOIs, management and operational safety, and training. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

*July 21-27 -- TRNAVA Training Center, Slovakia.
Representatives from INSP, Sonalysts and General Physics will work with TRNAVA training center staff to conduct a training needs analysis. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*July 21- August 2 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics personnel will work with training center and plant staff to develop the control room reactor operator training program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

July 22-26 -- Brussels, Belgium, and Rivne NPP, Ukraine.
Representatives from Burns and Roe and INSP will meet in Brussels with representatives from a European community program of Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS). The team will then travel to Rivne NPP to discuss the activities required to provide a safety parameter display system compatible with the planned TACIS upgrades of the Rivne instrumentation and control systems. (Rich Reister, DOE, 301-903-0234)

*July 22-26 -- Kursk NPP, Russia.
Site visit for the training technology transfer project. U.S. personnel will be accompanied by Russian participants. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

*July 27-August 3 -- Moscow, Russia.
The semi-annual coordinating meeting between DOE and Minatom will be held in Moscow, Russia. INSP management will attend. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

*July 29-30 -- Leningrad NPP, Russia.
Representatives from INSP, Parsons Power, Westinghouse, Leningrad NPP and RDIPE will meet to reach agreement on specifications for the Leningrad Unit 3 safety parameter display system and sign a memorandum of understanding on roles and responsibilities. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

*July 29-August 3 -- Kola NPP, Russia.
Site visit for the training technology transfer project. U.S. personnel will be accompanied by Russian participants. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

July TBD -- Kursk NPP, Russia.
U.S. specialists will visit Kursk NPP in Russia to train plant staff in the use of ultrasonic testing equipment and a re-engineered high-temperature suit, which have been recently delivered to the site. (Jim Guppy, BNL, 516-344-2698)

*August 1-2 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Representatives from INSP, Parsons Power, Westinghouse, Chornobyl NPP and RDIPE will meet to reach agreement on specifications for the Chornobyl Unit 3 safety parameter display system and sign a memorandum of understanding on roles and responsibilities. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

August 26-30 -- Kola NPP, Russia.
There will be a VVER-440/213 EOI working group meeting at Kola NPP. Representatives from all VVER-440/213 NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

August 26-30 -- Ignalina NPP, Lithuania.
There will be an RBMK EOI working group meeting at Ignalina NPP. Representatives from all RBMK NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

*September 2-6 -- Bilibino NPP, Russia.
Site visit for the training technology transfer project. U.S. personnel will be accompanied by Russian participants. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

September 9-13 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
There will be a VVER-1000 EOI working group meeting at Kozloduy NPP. Representatives from all VVER-1000 NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

*September 16-20 -- Kalinin NPP, Russia.
Site visit for the training technology transfer project. U.S. personnel will be accompanied by Russian participants. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

*October 14-18 -- Smolensk NPP, Russia.
Site visit for the training technology transfer project. U.S. personnel will be accompanied by Russian participants. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

*October 21-25 -- Novovoronezh NPP, Russia.
Site visit for the training technology transfer project. U.S. personnel will be accompanied by Russian participants. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

November 4-8 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
There will be a VVER-440/230 EOI working group meeting at Kozloduy NPP. Representatives from all VVER-440/230 NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

November 4-8 -- Zaporizhzhya NPP, Ukraine.
There will be a VVER-1000 EOI working group meeting at Zaporizhzhya NPP. Representatives from all VVER-1000 NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

November 18-22 -- Smolensk NPP, Russia.
There will be an RBMK EOI working group meeting at Smolensk NPP. Representatives from all RBMK NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

December 9-13 -- Bohunice NPP, Slovakia.
There will be a VVER-440/213 EOI working group meeting at Bohunice NPP. Representatives from all VVER-440/213 NPPs are scheduled to attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

Note: in the interest of providing a timely update on the Soviet-Designed-Reactor Safety Program, no formal document review of this weekly report has been conducted by DOE or PNNL.