20.09.2007 // Information Department of Leningrad NPP

Emergency training at Leningrad NPP as seen by international observers

As we have already said experts from nines countries – Germany, Korea, Norway, the United States, Finland, France, Sweden, Ukraine and Armenia — observed the past emergency training at Leningrad NPP.

Some of them have shared their impressions with our correspondent.

For example, when asked about his impressions of the training, an observer from France (an emergency response expert and employee of Electricite de France) said: 

— Such events are always impressive. I would like to say that your personnel are very well trained and your equipment is ready for such situations. I am impressed to see that you are conducting such a large-scale event for training your personnel. All the members of the Emergency Response Group seem to be eager to improve their actions. They are constantly perfecting themselves and each year they show better results. The objective of this training was one more step towards perfection.

— I hope you liked our city?

— I will try to see it.

An observer from Germany, representative of ISaR company, said:

— Our colleagues from Leningrad NPP are well trained and prepared for such situations. They are working very professionally and they have very modern equipment. What we have seen today is very impressive. We are really amazed to see what our colleagues from LNPP can and have. I hope that they will never face such situations in real life. It is the first time I have seen such a training. I am glad that I have seen it. It was a grandiose event. Everybody acted perfectly. I am satisfied with all I have seen here.

The Korean observer, representative of Nuclear Safety Institute of Korea said:

— We in Korea also conduct such events and have come to compare. Naturally, we would also like to acquire your positive experience. But our key task is cooperation between South Korea and Russia.

— Can Russia learn anything from South Korea in the sphere?

— I don’t think that we can teach the Russians anything. I have come here to learn from them. I hope next time you will come to Korea and we will show you our positive experience in conducting such trainings.

— Are there any secrets in the nuclear energy sector of one country that people from other countries must not know?

— No, I haven’t heard anything about that. I think that here everything is ideal and your plant has nothing to conceal. At least, in my opinion.

— You have just seen the work of a robot. It is a kind of know-how. And what has impressed you the most?

— The most impressive thing was that it took us almost no time to get here from Moscow. Russia is so big and I see that transportation is very important for you. The Emergency Response Group was brought here by a plane. It was amazing. In Korea we generally use helicopters. But we are not as big as you. In any case, I was impressed. 

The head of the Radiation Safety Department of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Authority of Finland Olli Vilkamo said:

— It is the third training I have observed in Russia. Such exercises are good for practicing emergency response actions. I am satisfied with what I have seen today. I think that your computer system is excellent: even in Moscow experts can watch what is going on at Leningrad NPP. In the last years LNPP has made great progress in terms of safety. “You have made lots of technological improvements. And I am pleased to note that you have highly-qualified personnel.
 
Ludmila Romanova