Sergey Kiriyenko: “Only by raising the efficiency of labor we can meet the schedule of the construction of 2nd unit of Rostov NPP”

09.06.2007 // Volgodonsk NPP/Press service of Rosenergoatom

A session on the situation analysis of the construction of the 2nd unit of Rostov NPP was held at VNPP on June 5–9

Attending the session were the head of the Federal Agency for Nuclear Energy Sergey Kiriyenko, the director general of Rosenergoatom Sergey Obozov, the deputies and assistants of the head of Rosatom, the deputy director generals of Rosenergoatom, the managers of Rosatomstroy, Atomtekhenergo, Atomstroyexport, VNIIAES, Atom Innovation, the contractors of Volgodonsk NPP.

The participants in the session considered the schedule of the construction of the 2nd unit of Rostov NPP, analyzed the management mistakes and made necessary corrections with a view to speed up the project.

They inspected the site and worked out a plan of action and a scheme of cooperation among the partiers to the project.

During the June 8 meeting the head of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko said that the analysis of the project will be useful not only for Volgodonsk NPP but also for the whole Federal Target Program “The Development of the Nuclear Power Industry of Russia in 2007–2010 and -2015.” The positive and negative findings of the experts may prove quite helpful in new NPP construction.

The heads of the design, engineering, supply and construction groups made detailed reports on what they had done and proposed specific ways on how to enhance the efficiency of each project participant. For example, the head of the installation group said that, in order to comply with the schedule of the pipeline installation, they need to increase their personnel: by Oct 2007 they are planning to have 1,215 workers who will install 1,900 tons of pipes a month. The heads of the groups suggested resuming the trilateral responsibility practice, when three parties are responsible for the final result: the director of the project, the director of the plant and the director of the site.

After inspecting the site, Kiriyenko gave a press-conference for Russian and foreign journalists. He told them that, according to the general NPP siting scheme, Rosatom is planning to build 3rd and 4th units in Volgodonsk. “Today, our primary task is to complete the construction of the 2nd unit. This is a model project — an example for other similar projects. Big progress has been made since my last visit to the site in Nov 2006, but this progress is not as big as we would like it to be. In order to meet the schedule and to launch the unit in the autumn 2009, we need to substantially enhance the efficiency of the personnel.”

The construction of the 2nd unit of Rostov NPP was stopped in 1990. The project was resumed in the summer 2006. Over 12bln RUR has been allocated for it this year. The unit must be ready by 2009.