The U.S. Department of Energy conducts a comprehensive effort to improve the safety of Soviet-designed nuclear power plants. In nine host countries--Armenia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine--joint projects are helping to increase the level of safety and establish self-sustaining nuclear safety infrastructures. Projects under way involve 65 operating reactors at 21 different nuclear power plants. The work is implemented by commercial companies and individuals who provide technologies and services to the host countries.

American contractors involved in the effort met in Arlington, Virginia, on January 21 and 22, 1998. The meeting was the fourth in an ongoing series of information exchanges for the contractor group. Previous exchanges had been held in December 1995, May 1996, and February 1997. The information exchanges are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and coordinated by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

The theme for the January meeting evolved from events of the past year into "Changes and Opportunities, Lessons Learned and Successes." Specific topics and activities for the exchange were planned around this theme.

A Wednesday afternoon workshop session focused on issues related specifically to doing business in the host countries. Jeff Ace and Jeff Deal, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, discussed host-country customs clearance requirements, contracting, taxation, labor pricing, and other business-related subjects. Although this informal session was targeted at contractor representatives directly involved in shipping materials to or contracting with host-country organizations, almost all exchange attendees were present.

The morning sessions on Thursday covered subjects of interest to all contractors. Laurin Dodd, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, welcomed the group and summarized changes and transitions in the overall effort during 1997. Dan Giessing and Rich Reister, U.S. Department of Energy, described recent developments and accomplishments in the host countries and provided an overview of specific projects under way within each program element. Dennis Kreid, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, presented an overview of the Shelter Implementation Plan and its implications for contractor organizations. Carol Kessler, U.S. Department of State, provided State Department perspectives on international efforts to improve nuclear safety.

In the Thursday afternoon session, in a series of "talk-show" vignettes, contractor representatives were asked to tell their stories--to describe what they were doing, where they were doing it, what other organizations (both host-country and stateside) were involved, successes achieved, and lessons learned. At the end of each vignette, the panelists (with much participation from the audience) summarized their lessons learned as suggestions and recommendations to the program management team.

A total of 91 persons participated in the January exchange. Comprising that total were

• representatives of 31 commercial firms
• management staff from the U.S. Department of Energy
• personnel from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• representatives of the U.S. Department of State
• project management staff from the U.S. team
• the exchange coordination team and facilitator.

Participants were asked to evaluate both the Wednesday and Thursday sessions. Their written evaluations and informal comments indicate that the exchange was a success and that similar meetings in the future would be valuable.

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