September 6, 1996
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Risk Assessments for the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant. The coordinating committee for the probabilistic risk assessment work at Leningrad nuclear power plant (NPP) Unit 2 met in Stockholm, Sweden, on August 22 and 23 to discuss, integrate, and reconcile project development tasks. Participants included U.S. program representatives, AEA Technologies, ES-Konsult, and ENTEK. All tasks associated with development of system descriptions have been coordinated to best meet the needs of both the probabilistic risk analysis and deterministic safety analysis (DSA) working groups. The overall project schedule and structure will be reviewed at a project steering committee meeting set for September 25 in St. Petersburg, Russia. (Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059)

Balakovo Training Center. Project team members from Sonalysts, Inc. and Balakovo NPP completed preparations for the pilot training programs that will be implemented at the Balakovo center during the week of September 9. These training programs include pilot courses for simulator instructors and electrical maintenance personnel. U.S. team members completed preparations for the management overview course that also will be presented during that week. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

Novovoronezh NPP Safety Analysis. Six Russian specialists (four from Novovoronezh NPP and two from Gosatomnadzor [GAN]) arrived this week at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) for specialized safety analysis training. They will use the RELAP5-based nuclear plant analyzer to perform safety analyses for Novovoronezh Unit 5, a VVER-1000 reactor. (Greg Slovik, BNL, 516-344-7983)

Kola In-Depth Safety Analysis (KOLISA) Project. the KOLISA project team recently completed three project guideline documents in both Russian and English:

• KPG-0, Project Quality Assurance Procedures
• KPG-3, Initiating Event Identification and Grouping
• KPG-6, Data Analysis.

These documents are being sent to IBRAE and to IVO-International in Finland for independent peer review. The RELAP model for Kola Unit 4, initially developed at an April 1996 workshop at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), has been updated and improved with more plant-specific data. Project staff have submitted the model for technical review. Progress on the project will be presented to the steering committee in Helsinki on October 24, 1996. (Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265)

Nondestructive Examination Project. Nondestructive examination experts from the United States, in cooperation with staff from DIAPROM and Rosenergoatom (REA), traveled to the Kalinin and Smolensk NPPs in late August to observe how inservice inspections are performed in Russia. Thorough understanding of the Russian inservice inspection process will enable U.S. program experts to determine where improvements in nondestructive examination would have the greatest safety impact at host-country plants. (Tom Taylor, PNNL, 509-375-4331)

UKRAINE

Chornobyl Shelter Project. In late August, U.S. experts from the Chornobyl Shelter Project team participated in the European Commission Shelter Project Workshop held at the Chornobyl plant. The purpose of the workshop was to establish finalized definitions of the scenarios for the short- and long-term measures proposed for the Chornobyl Shelter. As part of the workshop, project team members were provided a tour of the existing shelter. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

Dry Spent Fuel Storage Project at Zaporizhzhya NPP. Zaporizhzhya NPP personnel successfully completed the first concrete pour associated with the dry spent fuel storage system under development at that plant. Lessons learned during the pouring for a mockup cask will facilitate the future concrete pour for cask to be used for actual dry storage of the plant's spent fuel. (Mike McKinnon, PNNL, 509-372-4198)

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Ignalina NPP, Lithuania. U.S. team members met with representatives from the Swedish International Project office and Ignalina NPP to discuss a potential configuration management project for the Ignalina plant. The two meetings (the first on August 23 at Swedish International Project offices in Stockholm, Sweden; the second at Ignalina NPP offices in Visaginas, Lithuania, on August 28) included decisionmakers from both the Swedish project and the Ignalina plant. All participants indicated a supportive interest in the project and agreed to an onsite project meeting to define the project scope and schedule. (Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059)

CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES

Pipe Lathe Technology Transfer to RBMK Plants. On August 30, the pipe lathe/weld preparation machines for Smolensk and Chornobyl NPPs were delivered to those plants. These deliveries complete the transfer of this technology to all host-country nuclear power plants with RBMK reactors.

The pipe lathe allows cuts and weld preparation to be performed with the precision necessary for repair of main coolant piping. It was one of the technologies approved for acquisition by the project during the February 1996 Maintenance Advisory Board meetings in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072)

Purchase Orders Issued for More Transferrable Technologies. On September 4, 1996, the U.S. program issued a purchase order to SKF Manufacturing, San Diego, California, for machinery vibration analyzers. The equipment will be provided for each nuclear power plant site having RBMK reactors in program host countries. The vibration analyzer equipment and training materials are expected to be ready for delivery in 6 to 8 weeks.

Also on September 4, a purchase order for the laser shaft alignment equipment was issued to Computational Systems Incorporated, Knoxville, Tennessee. Delivery of the five laser alignment systems to host-country nuclear power plants is expected by November 30, 1996.

The first class for training on the laser and mechanical alignment systems is scheduled to be held at the Smolensk Training Center during the week of October 14, 1996. (Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072)

RBMK Working Group Meeting. The RBMK Working Group met in Visaginas, Lithuania, on August 26 through 30. The group's primary objective remains the development of emergency operating instructions (EOSs) specific to nuclear power plant sites with RBMK reactors. Participants included representatives from all the host-country RBMK facilities, Obninsk, REA, ENTEK, Vatesi, the Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI), Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), selected U.S. utilities, and members of the U.S. program team. Meeting activities included reviews of recently developed flowcharts and training program descriptions.

A change in the structure of the working group was also discussed. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed a transition of the working group from the present INPO management structure to that of a World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) type of structure. Participants expressed concern regarding the availability of both the technical and financial support required to complete their individual projects following the proposed transition. More discussion will be required, at the next working group meeting to address and resolve their concerns.

In response to a request by working group participants, U.S. utility Georgia Power Company will host a training-oriented technical exchange this autumn at its Edwin I. Hatch nuclear plant. Representatives from Obninsk and each of the nuclear power plants with RBMK reactors will attend. The participants were asked to develop a detailed description of a training program specific to their respective sites prior to the exchange. (Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059)

VVER-440/213 Working Group Meeting. Representatives from all host-country nuclear power plants with VVER-440/213 reactors met at Kola NPP August 26 through 30. At that meeting, Rivne NPP presented its first EOI contract deliverable, a project schedule. Gidropress representatives verbally accepted the task order under the MOHT basic ordering agreement to provide analytical calculations in support of EOI development. The Czech Republic's Nuclear Research Institute (REZ) provided its first EOI deliverable to the working group. (Larry Sherfey, PNNL, 509-372-4080)

Workshop on Pressurized Thermal Schock Assessment for VVER Reactors. Pressurized thermal shock in the pressure vessels of VVER reactors was the focus of a late-August workshop held in the Czech Republic at the Nuclear Research Institute (REZ). Pressurized thermal shock is an issue confronting vessel integrity in many VVER reactors. It occurs when the vessel wall of a pressurized water reactor experiences steep temperature gradients and stresses as a result of thermal hydraulic transients.

Among the attendees was a U.S. program expert in nondestructive examination, who reported that the workshop provided an excellent overview of both western and eastern practices for dealing with pressurized thermal shock issue. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), workshop sponsor, will prepare and issue a report on the information presented. That report will serve as a basis for developing improvements in assessments of pressurized thermal shock for nuclear power plants with VVER reactors. (Tom Taylor, PNNL, 509-375-4331)

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

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

September 7-28 -- Kyiv, Ukraine, and Khmelnytskyy and Chornobyl NPPs, Ukraine.
An SDRS program nuclear safety expert will meet in Kyiv with representatives of the Chornobyl Center and the Ukraine Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety (MEPNS) Engineering Training Center, followed by meetings at the Khmelnytskyy and Chornobyl NPPs with plant representatives. The objective of the meetings is to complete the first phase of the SDRS Safety Works Database at Ukrainian NPPs, compile a list of potential fuel cycle safety projects, and assist in drafting a business plan for Chornobyl Center development. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

September 8-11 -- Moscow, Russia.
Meetings related to the deterministic safety analysis for Leningrad NPP Unit 2 will be held. U.S. program staff will provide technical assistance for the development and conduct of selected deterministic analyses for supporting the creation of a Level 1 probabilistic and deterministic safety analysis. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

September 8-12 -- Moscow, Russia.
The semiannual coordinating meeting with Minatom and other Russian contacts will take place. The meeting will cover the status of ongoing projects and future cooperative efforts. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

September 9-12 -- Balakovo NPP, Russia.
Balakovo NPP staff and Sonalysts staff will implement the training courses for electrical maintenance and simulator instructors. U.S. project team members will implement the specialized training course for management/supervisory skills. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

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

September 9-14 -- Brussels, Belgium.
Members of the European Commission Chornobyl Shelter Project will hold feasibility assessment meetings. (Dennis Kried, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

*September 9-20 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation will conduct a 2-week work session at Chornobyl NPP. General Physics will work with Chornobyl's recently established training development group to continue developing the Control Room Reactor Operator training program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 11-22 -- Vienna, Austria.
The International Atomic Energy Agency RBMK Steering Committee meets two to three times per year to evaluate and review proposed support to RBMK nuclear power plants. U.S. program technical staff will represent the United States at this mid-September meeting in Vienna. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

September 14-20 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Program review meetings will take place in Kyiv with representatives from the Chornobyl Center, DOE, Goscomatom, and U.S. program technical staff. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

September 14-20 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Ukrainian government and parliament officials will meet with program staff to discuss the possibility of a conference on U.S.-Ukraine nuclear relations. (Mike Congdon, PNNL, 202-646-5285)

September 14-21 -- Ignalina NPP, Lithuania.
Members of the U.S. project team will visit Ignalina NPP to reach agreement on the design, manufacture, and testing of two prototype analog-to-relay electronic modules. These modules will help establish a more reliable instrumentation and control system. (Norm Fletcher, DOE, 301-903-3275)

September 14-28 -- Moscow, Russia.
Acceptance testing of the Kalinin full-scope simulator will take place at the simulator manufacturing factory of VNIIAES/GET in Moscow. U.S. program technical staff will attend. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

September 16 -- Smolensk NPP, Russia.
The first classes on vibration analysis and shaft alignment will be held at the Smolensk Training Center. (Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072)

September 16-19 -- Moscow, Russia.
Staff from Parsons Power, Westinghouse, RDIPE, Atomenergoproekt, Kursk NPP, and Rosenergoatom will meet to discuss the plan for installing the safety parameter display system at Kursk Unit 2. Chornobyl NPP staff also will travel to Moscow to discuss the conformed specification for the Chornobyl Unit 3 safety parameter display system. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

*September 16-20 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
Sonalysts, Inc. will meet with personnel from Chornobyl NPP to develop the scope for radiation protection training. This training will constitute the second major training program developed at the Chornobyl plant. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 16-20 -- Kalinin NPP, Russia.
Russian participants will accompany U.S. personnel on this site visit that is part of the project involved with transferring training technology. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

September 16-20 -- Moscow, Russia.
Representatives from Gosatomnadzor will attend a workshop on quality assurance for the transport of nuclear materials. (George Sherwood, DOE, 301-903-4162, or George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836)

September 20-22 -- Moscow, Russia.
A project review meeting for the Kola in-depth safety analysis (KOLISA) project will be held in Moscow. Technical staff from the U.S. program will attend. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

September 20-29 -- Moscow and Smolensk NPP, Russia.
U.S. experts from the program team and contractor Mechanical Maintenance Products, Inc., will travel to Moscow and on to Desnagorsk, to the Smolensk NPP. There they will oversee and assist in classroom and field training on U.S.-supplied equipment (mechanical and optical alignment systems) for representatives of training departments from the five RBMK reactor sites in Russia, Ukraine, and Lithuania. (Grigory Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581)

September 20-29 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
A VVER-440/230 EOI working group meeting is tentatively scheduled. Representatives from the Armenia Nuclear Power Station and the Kozloduy, Novovoronezh, and Kola NPPs will attend. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

September 21-October 4 -- Ignalina NPP, Lithuania and Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
Program staff will participate in configuration management meetings at Ignalina NPP. Then staff from INSP, Kozolody NPP, and Risk Engineering Limited will meet at Kozloduy NPP to discuss the configuration management and seismic upgrade projects. (Dan Couch, PNNL, 509-372-4591)

*September 23-27 -- Khmelnytskyy NPP, Ukraine.
General Physics Corporation will conduct a 1-week work session at Khmelnytskyy NPP. The primary objective of the sessiion is to continue development of three training programs: Control Room Reactor Operator, Refueling Floor Operator, and Chemical Operator. General Physics also will provide instruction to Khmelnytskyy plant personnel in the systematic approach to training. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 23-24 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
Burns & Roe staff and U.S. program team members will meet with Goscomatom and Ukrainian nuclear power plant representatives to discuss safety parameter display systems for VVER-1000 plants in Ukraine. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

*September 23-October 4- -- Trnava, Slovakia.
U.S. program staff will work with Slovakian specialists from the Nuclear Power Plant Research Institute (VUJE) to develop additional computer terminal displays for the upgraded V1 simulator. The program plan and schedule for the validation and verification process also will be discussed and finalized. (Bill Shier, BNL, 516-344-2385).

September 24-25 -- Novovoronezh NPP, Russia.
A member of the program team will represent the United States at a general coordinating meeting of G-24 members of the Nuclear Safety Advisory Council for nuclear power plants with VVER-440/230 reactors. The meeting was called specifically for the Novovoronezh and Kola NPPs. Participating international organizations include the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Commission, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as the G-24 countries. (Dan Giessing, DOE, 301-903-2852)

September 24-26 -- Obninsk, Russia.
DOE will hold an information exchange,"Analytical Methods and Computational Tools for NPP Safety Assessment," at the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE). The primary purpose is to provide an open forum for the exchange of information between experts involved in the safety evaluation of Soviet-designed reactors and communicate the results of the safety analyses carried out under program sponsorship in Russia, Ukraine, and Central European countries with Soviet-designed reactors. Papers will be presented on a number of topics including probabilistic risk assessment, thermal hydraulic analysis, structural analysis, and neutronic analysis. Safety analysis specialists from Russian, Ukrainian, and Central and Eastern European power plants and technical organizations will participate. Participation of a limited number of Western European and U.S. experts also is expected. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628, or Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265)

*September 25 -- St. Petersburg, Russia.
The steering committee for the Leningrad NPP probabilistic and deterministic safety analyses will meet to review project schedule and scope. (Sam McKay, PNNL, 509-372-4059)

September 30-October 4 -- Place TBD
Representatives from BNL, DOE, GAN, INPO, and NRC will attend training technology transfer meetings. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September 30-October 10 -- Waterford, Connecticut, USA.
Balakovo specialists will travel to Sonalysts to continue development of the training course for instrumentation and control operations. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

September TBD -- 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 agreement on roles and responsibilities. (Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

*October 7-11 -- Columbia, Maryland, USA.
Staff representing the South Ukraine and Rivne NPPs and S3 Technologies will meet with U.S. program staff to discuss contractual arrangements for the full-scope simulator projects at South Ukraine Unit 1 and Rivne Unit 3. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

October 7-18 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
General Physics and Sonalysts staff will assist Kozloduy NPP with the implementation of training courses for the shift supervisors and reactor repair technicians. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

*October 14-25 -- Novovoronezh NPP, Russia, and Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
Staff representing the Novovoronezh and Chornobyl NPPs will meet with S3 Technologies,VNIIAES, and U.S. program team members to discuss detailed arrangements for the recently awarded analytical simulator projects. (Peter Kohut, BNL, 516-344-4982)

October 14-18 -- Smolensk NPP, Russia.
Russian participants will accompany U.S. personnel on this site visit that is part of the project involved with transferring training technology. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

October 14-25 -- Waterford, Connecticut.
Balakovo NPP specialists will travel to Sonalysts to continue development of the radiation protection training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

October 21 -- Place TBD.
A KOLISA project status review will be presented to the project steering committee. The steering committee consists of the Kola plant manager, the DOE program manager, and a technical consultant from IVO-Finland. (Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265)

October 21-25 -- Novovoronezh NPP, Russia.
Russian participants will accompany U.S. personnel on this site visit that is part of the project involved with transferring training technology. (John Yoder, DOE, 301-903-5650)

October 26-November 2 -- Prague, Czech Republic.
A probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) workshop will be cosponsored with the IAEA at the Czech Republic's Nuclear Research Institute (REZ). A U.S. team member will coordinate and participate in the workshop, which is being held to resolve discrepancies in modeling assumptions and databases among the different PRA studies of VVER-440 reactors. Safety analysis specialists from Russian, Ukrainian, and Central and Eastern European power plants, and technical organizations will address modeling assumptions, initiating events, and component reliability data, with the goal of agreeing on consistent assumptions. Participation of a limited number of Western European and U.S. experts is also expected. (Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265)

October 28-November 1 -- Moscow, Russia.
A course on the systematic approach to training will be given in Moscow for participants of the Training Technology Transfer Program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

October TBD -- Place TBD.
An EOI workshop for regulatory personnel tentatively is being scheduled at a U.S. location. Representatives from Russian, Ukrainian, and CEEC regulatory agencies will attend to observe, learn, and discuss regulator involvement with EOIs associated with the VVER reactors. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

October TBD -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
An EOI workshop tentatively is scheduled for Kozloduy NPP. Representatives from Sonalysts will present the principles of the U.S. "User's Guide" to staff from Kozloduy VVER-1000 and VVER-440/230 units. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

October TBD -- Dukovany NPP, Czech Republic.
In a tentatively scheduled EOI workshop, Sonalysts representatives will present the U.S. principles of verification and validation to staff from the Dukovany NPP VVER-440/213 units. (Larry Sherfey, PNNL, 509-372-4080)

*October TBD -- Moscow, Russia.
U.S. specialists will visit REA in Moscow to assess the capability of Russian-manufactured high-temperature suits to protect personnel for entry into hostile environments at nuclear power plants with RBMK reactors. (Jim Guppy, BNL, 516-344-2698)

October TBD -- Moscow, Russia.
A special meeting of the VVER-1000 working group will be held at VNIIAES. Working group members from the Balakovo, Kozloduy, and Zaporizhzhya NPPs will meet with VNIIAES and Gidropress to review and discuss results of analysis calculations completed by Gidropress. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-372-4068)

November 4-8 -- Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
A VVER Regulator EOI Workshop has been scheduled for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Technical Training Center. The workshop participants will be regulators with primary responsibilities for reviewing and approving VVER EOIs. Workshop objectives are to

• educate/familiarize regulator on symptom-based EOI concepts
• provide demonstrations on the use of EOIs to mitigate accidents
• build regulator confidence in the quality of the EOI development process
• provide answers to questions the regulators may have concerning symptom-based EOIs
• demonstrate the U.S. approach to regulator involvement in EOI development/implementation
• encourage regulator involvement/priority in EOI development, approval, and implementation.

A combination of classroom lectures and simulator scenarios will be used to demonstrate these key points. (Kent Faris, PNNL, 509-509-372-4068)

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 11-22 -- Balakovo NPP, Russia.
Sonalysts staff will assist Balakovo in the implementation of the water chemistry training course. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

November 11-December 6 -- Place TBD.
A workshop on the systematic approach to training will be held for participants of the Training Technology Transfer Program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

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)

December 11 - 12 -- Moscow, Russia.
A meeting will be held with the training technology transfer participants to discuss the progress of the program. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

December TBD -- Charlotte, North Carolina.
Plans are being made to bring Nondestructive examination specialists from Russia and Ukraine to the United States to observe U.S. Nondestructive examination practices. Tentative plans include visits to the Electric Power Research Institute Nondestructive examination Center in Charlotte and a U.S. NPP, as well as to the Savannah River Site to observe how its inspection program has been upgraded. (Robert Moffitt, PNNL, 509-372-4108)

ACRONYMNS/ABBREVIATIONS

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.