September 27, 1996
Prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington

RUSSIA

Full-Scope Simulator for Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant. During the week of September 16, VNIIAES/GET engineers tested the input/output system for the full-scope simulator for the Kalinin nuclear power plant (NPP). The system, which consists of the hardware that interfaces the computer and the control board hardware for the simulator, underwent tests at VNIIAES facilities in Moscow. During the week, a U.S. expert was on hand to observe the testing. Kalinin NPP staff witnessed the testing during the previous week. In addition to the input/output system testing, VNIIAES software engineer/programmers demonstrated their preliminary development work for three-dimensional core thermal-hydraulics and neutronics models.

The computers for the Kalinin and Kola NPP simulators now are at VNIIAES after clearing Customs the previous week. Engineers from S3 Technologies will set up the computer systems at VNIIAES during October 1996. Then VNIIAES/GET experts can begin work on the programming for the Kola and Kalinin simulators. When all the modeling and testing at VNIIAES is completed, the computers will be put in place at the nuclear power plants for which they are being programmed. (Ken Erickson, PNNL, 509-372-4063)

Training Technology Transfer. A team representing the United States, Rosenergoatom (REA), VNIIAES, the Novovoronezh Training Center, and Balakovo NPP visited the Kalinin NPP to assess needs for training technology transfer. Meetings were held with key plant personnel, including the chief engineer, training center manager, and staff. Tours of the training facilities and the plant were conducted. The response to the presentations was favorable, and Kalinin will support the training technology transfer project. Current Kalinin training practices, resources, and facilities were reviewed. The results of the needs assessment will be presented in a report after all sites have been visited. The remaining sites to be visited are Smolensk and Novovoronezh NPPs. (Sonja Haber, BNL, 516-344-3575)

UKRAINE

Full-Scope Simulator for Khmelnytskyy NPP. Construction of the training center has progressed, allowing the delivery of completed control panels for the full-scope simulator at Khmelnytskyy NPP. Units 1 through 8 were shipped and have been installed inside the building. Additional construction activities must be completed before the software/hardware integration effort can start. S3 Technologies has shipped to the site all remaining equipment required for the integration process. This equipment includes the computer complex, input/output devices, and the power distribution center. (Peter Kohut, 516-344-4982)

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Replacement/Upgrade of Electronic Modules at Ignalina NPP, Lithuania. During the week of September 16, program staff met with representatives of Ignalina NPP to finalize an agreement in which the program will supply 300 electronic modules to the plant. The analog-to-relay modules are an integral part of the plant's control and protection system. Their function is to compare a safety set point with the actual process signal. When the two signals match, the module's output changes state, causing automatic protective features to actuate. This meeting resulted in minor revisions to the agreement, which is now undergoing a review before finalization. Program team members also met with representatives of the Center for Electromagnetic Compatibility, a Lithuanian commercial firm. As a result of that meeting, the team determined that the firm is a candidate to which the U.S. program can transfer the technology needed to manufacture analog-to-relay modules for use in Ignalina NPP upgrades and replacements. (Ron Wright, PNNL, 509-372-4706, or Rich Denning, PNNL, 614-424-7412)

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

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

*October 5-9 -- 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 5-10 -- Moscow, Russia.
Program representatives will participate in meetings with senior management of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) to finalize a contract between the U.S. program office and the WANO Moscow Center. (Dennis Meyers, PNNL, 202-586-7834)

October 6-19 -- Kyiv, Zaporizhzhya, and Yuzhoukrainsk, Ukraine.
Technical leaders from the U.S. program team will meet in Kyiv with representatives of the Ukrainian State Committee on Nuclear Energy Utilization (Derzhkomatom) and other nuclear power organizations involved in plant safety evaluation. Initiation of safety analysis pilot projects for the designated lead plants in Ukraine (Zaporizhzhya and South Ukraine NPPs) will be discussed. Site visits to the two plants regarding project startup and project planning will follow. (Walt Pasedag, DOE, 301-903-3628)

*October 7-11 -- 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 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 8-12 -- Bilibino, Russia.
Representatives from the U.S. program and the State of Alaska will travel to Bilibino to address concerns of the State of Alaska about emergency preparedness and communications. The team also will review plant needs on which to base new project starts. (Laurin Dodd, PNNL, 509-372-4423, or George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836

October 9-12 -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
U.S. program delegates will meet with representatives of the Chornobyl NPP and a Ukrainian subcontractor, Technology Application, Inc., to discuss quality assurance activities for Chornobyl. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 202-586-7834)

*October 11 -- Paris, France.
U.S. program representatives will attend the meeting of the European Commission (EC) Chornobyl Shelter Project with the G-7 to update the G-7 on the status of the project. The U.S. EC team coordinator in residence with the EC project also will attend. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

October 11-19 -- Kola NPP, Polyarnie Zori, Russia.
Project team members and Victoreen staff will work with Kola NPP personnel to complete final installation of the confinement high-level radiation monitor system and calibrate the readout and recorder electronics for Unit 2. (George Greene, BNL, 516-344-2296)

October 11-20 -- Moscow and Desnagorsk, Russia.
U.S. experts from the program team and the 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 mechanical and optical alignment systems. Trainees will include representatives of the training departments from the five RBMK reactor sites in Russia, Ukraine, and Lithuania. (Grigory Trosman, DOE, 301-903-3581)

*October 14-15 -- Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine.
U.S. program representives will attend a meeting of the EC Chornobyl Shelter Project staff with Chornobyl NPP management. They will tour the shelter and possibly participate in the EC project's concluding meeting. (Dennis Kreid, PNNL, 509-375-2170)

October 14-24 -- Dimitrovgrad, Russia.
Representatives from GAN will attend a course on the management of performance-based training programs. The course will be offered at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR) in Dimitrovgrad. (George Sherwood, DOE, 301-903-4162, or George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836)

October 14-25 -- Waterford, Connecticut, USA.
Balakovo NPP specialists will travel to Sonalysts to continue development of the radiation protection training course. (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 21 -- Helsinki, Finland.
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 International, Finland. Project participants will discuss comments on the IBRAE peer review plan. (Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265)

October 21-24 -- Moscow, Russia.
Representatives from GAN will attend a workshop on event reporting and analysis for research reactors and fuel cycle facilities. (George Sherwood, DOE, 301-903-4162, or George Vargo, PNNL, 509-375-6836)

October 21-25 -- Kozloduy NPP, Bulgaria.
The project team for developing and implementing management and operational controls procedures will meet. The team will conduct technical reviews of draft procedures and planned steps to complete implementation of the procedures at pilot plants in countries with Soviet-designed NPPs. Attendees include representatives from Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and the United States. The U.S. representatives include staff from the Brunswick NPP, INPO, and DOE. (Dennis Meyers, DOE, 301-903-1418)

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 22-November 2 -- Trnava, Slovakia.
The validation program for the V1 simulator upgrade will be performed jointly by U.S. program team members and Slovakian technical staff. Completion of this validation program is part of the preparation for transferring the upgraded simulator to the Slovakian training specialists. (Bill Shier, BNL, 516-344-2385)

October 23 - 26 -- Genoa Italy.
U.S. program staff and technical specialists for the Slovakian Nuclear Power Research Institute will attend the 8th European Simulator Symposium. There they jointly will present a paper describing the details and applications of the V1 simulator upgrade project. (Bill Shier, BNL, 516-344-2385)

October 26-November 2 -- Prague, Czech Republic.
A probabilistic risk assessment workshop will be cosponsored with the IAEA at the Czech Republic's Nuclear Research Institute. 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 PRAs 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 also is expected. (Jeff Binder, ANL, 630-252-7265)

October 28-November 1 -- Moscow, Russia.
Representatives from GAN will attend a followup workshop on safety analysis for research reactors and fuel cycle facilities. (Ed Branagan, DOE, 301-903-6509)

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 -- 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.
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 at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Technical Training Center. Representatives from Russian, Ukrainian, and CEEC regulatory agencies, with primary responsibilities for reviewing and approving VVER EOIs, will attend. They will observe, learn, and discuss regulator involvement with EOIs associated with the VVER reactors. Workshop objectives are to

• educate/familiarize regulators 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, 509-372-4068)

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 5-7 -- Place TBD.
The next meeting of the RBMK Maintenance Advisory Board is set tentatively for November 5-7. The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss the progress of the project to date and determine and prioritize project activities for 1997. The meeting place will most likely be Kyiv, with Chornobyl NPP as host. This is in keeping with the project's desire to rotate the meetings among the plant sites with RBMK reactors. (Tom Vehec, PNNL, 509-372-4072)

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 -- 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)

November 18-22 -- Bohunice NPP, Slovakia.
The VVER-440/213 EOI working group will meet. 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.