15.12.2006 // Information-analytical center of Kursk NPP

A group of experts of the European Commission on Nuclear Safety visited Kursk NPP on Dec 13–14

Representatives of European organizations Paul Maycock, Neville Robertshow and Zabric Tea Bilic have decided which projects of the new Rosenergoatom-Commission cooperation program (TACIS-2) will involve Kursk NPP. Presently, the sides are drafting and substantiating the program and will carry it out in 2007–2013.

During the meeting with the European partners, the chief engineer of the KNPP Alexander Uvakin reported on the plant’s safety policy. The heads of the plant’s technical services had individual meetings with the experts concerning a wide range of nuclear safety issues: designing a RISK-monitor for the 1st unit and a large-scale simulator for the 2nd unit and analyzing operational deficiencies and the human factor according to the methods of safety probabilistic analysis and the data of personnel psycho-physiological examination.

The plant managers made proposals on how to further improve the system of metal control and its compatibility with RBMK reactors and told the experts about their security culture training plans.

The managers also asked the experts to share their experience in electro-technical equipment diagnostics and factual furniture repairs.

The experts of the European Commission on Nuclear Safety promised to consider the proposals and to include them in the TACIS-2 projects.

Note

Russian nuclear power engineers have 15-year experience of cooperation with the European Commission on Nuclear Safety. The Commission supplied European equipment to Russian markets and provided Russian NPP personnel with training, documentation and advice.

The sides believe that the new stage of cooperation, aimed at enhancing NPP safety, will be based on partnership rather than aid.