Introduction
		Armenia
		Bulgaria
		Kazakhstan
		Ukraine

Introduction

DOE conducts activities to improve international nuclear safety to help prevent nuclear incidents and accidents at foreign nuclear facilities. Program activities address nuclear safety concerns, and help the recipient countries strengthen their nuclear safety cultures and implement self-sustaining nuclear safety improvement programs.

ARMENIA

Armenian officials indicate that the Armenia nuclear power plant (NPP) needs to operate until 2008-2015 to provide Armenia with secure electric power. International experts believe that more work is needed to address safety systems, operational safety, and safety analysis. The program is providing support to enable the plant to operate safely until practical energy supply alternatives are available, and to encourage Armenia to revise its energy strategy and include specific plans for plant closure and replacement capacity. A review of the number of unplanned events at Armenia NPP (only one in 2004 and none in the last 12 months) indicates that their overall level of safety has improved with the assistance provided by the U.S.

• A new computer information system was installed and tested, and is operational. As part of the modernization of the control room, the communication system that connects the control room to other areas of the plant has been upgraded and replaced.
• The emergency diesel generators were upgraded to improve their reliability. At the same time, the trains of diesel generators were separated such that higher emergency core cooling flow can be provided in a loss of coolant accident (one of the major remaining deficiencies in the plant design). Proposals for additional upgrades to the emergency diesel generators were evaluated, including replacement of the outdated relay-based load sequencer with a modern digital load sequencer. Work on diesel generator upgrades began in March 2005.
• Proposals have been received for a speed control system for the diesel generators and an award will be made in August. The bid for the final upgrades to the emergency diesel generators will go out following the finalization of technical specifications.
• The multifunction simulator has been upgraded to incorporate a number of the plant modifications that have occurred during the past few years including projects supported by DOE, such as the safety parameter display system and plant computer.
• Efforts to provide on-line valve condition monitors were completed.
• Level 1 internal events probabilistic safety analysis (PSA) upgrade efforts are in progress, with training now being provided to the Armenian project team.
• Armenia NPP completed their last task in developing administrative and operating procedures in September 2005.

Significant progress has been achieved for safety analysis activities and Safety Analysis Report (SAR) efforts. Design Basis Accident (DBA) analysis activities in support of the SAR are continuing. The DBA analyses and documentation for all cases (Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) and secondary systems) have been completed. More than half of the 50 SAR sections being prepared have been received and approved. Beyond Design Basis Accident (BDBA) activities has been completed with delivery of the work by November 2005.

Hardware for the Intranet connection between the Armenia NPP and Armatom will be used to produce substantial upgrades to the Armenia NPP interconnection. In addition, a satellite receiver and other items have been ordered to enhance the speed of the internet connection. Eventually the NPP will provide internet connections to Armatom and the Armenian International Nuclear Safety Center (INSC). The improved connections are allowing safety related training materials to be provided to the Armenian INSC.

The emergency management activities assist in the development of a modern emergency management system to include policy and preparedness infrastructure, updated emergency operations facilities, and updated emergency procedures. The program also provides technical and training assistance, including an exercise program, tailored to specific needs and requests.

• The project builds the core elements of an emergency program, including communications and networking equipment and training.
• Development and implementation of procedures and policy for response;
• Instruction of training personnel.
• Readiness assurance (including exercise programs).
• Development and implementation of an exercise evaluation and appraisal program.

These core elements will be integrated into the national “command center” during an emergency. This will enable Armenia to respond effectively to accidents in order to: notify, instruct, and protect affected populations; protect the environment; and protect workers. The result of this program will be a more effective nuclear emergency response system, with data exchange between the nuclear power plant, the national command center, and the IAEA, for rapid, reliable communication in the event of an emergency. A contract was put in place to upgrade emergency procedures at Armenia NPP and emergency management equipment was evaluated and provided to Armenia NPP.

BULGARIA

Bulgaria’s Kozloduy plant has four older VVER-440/230 reactors and two VVER-1000 reactors, the two oldest reactors closed in December 2002. Technical support was provided to complete the development and implementation of emergency operating instructions (EOIs), improve training, and conduct safety analyses.

• EOIs were implemented for units 3 and 4, and will be implemented for units 5 and 6 when the modernization program is completed in 2006.
• Utilizing the full scope simulator and the multifunctional simulator, as well as classroom lectures, Kozloduy training staff improved operator training programs to include EOI training for operators of all units.
• Initial operator and requalification programs were also revised to improve the operators' understanding and skills of usage of the EOIs.

The project team to upgrade the unit 5 full-scope simulator, met at Kozloduy nuclear power plant in October 2003 and signed a memorandum of understanding for the project, identified the needed upgrades, and developed plans to complete them. Upgrade of the computer information system, the diesel generator/circuit breakers, and training on the software models were completed in 2005. Additional simulator upgrades, agreed to in the summer of 2005,will include an improved configuration management system, replacement of the simulator computer and operating system, replacement of the simulator instructor station and upgrades to the simulation model.

KAZAKHSTAN

The United States and Kazakhstan signed an Implementing Arrangement in 1999 to assist with the irreversible shutdown of the BN-350 fast-breeder reactor in Aktau. The Department of Energy is providing technical and financial assistance for shutdown planning and regulatory guidance; upgrading safety, fire protection, and radiation monitoring systems; and sodium decontamination, draining, processing, and residual sodium reaction. These activities will render the reactor inoperable, eliminate a source of weapons-grade material, and resolve nuclear safety and environmental concerns.

• This project is being carried out in cooperation with Kazakhstan, the European Union’s TACIS program, the IAEA, the United Kingdom, and Japan. DOE/NNSA, State/AID, Nuclear Disarmament Fund, and the International Science and Technology Center are providing funding for this project.
• The reactor has been defueled and spent fuel packaged for long-term disposition. A decommissioning plan has been developed, reviewed, and comments incorporated. Additionally, the decontamination of the primary sodium coolant has been completed, and the sodium drained from the reactor.
• Construction of the facility to process the sodium coolant, the Sodium Processing Facility, began in October 2004 adjacent to the BN-350 facility in Aktau. The moist carbon dioxide process has been chosen for treatment of the residual sodium remaining in the reactor coolant loops after draining. Testing of this process, along with the design, was completed in December 2004.

UKRAINE

Ukraine Nuclear Fuel Qualification Project (UNFQP)
The UNFQP was created with a joint implementing agreement in 2000, in response to Ukraine’s request for help to diversify the nuclear fuel supply, and as part of the Kharkiv Initiative. The UNFQP is qualifying an alternate supplier of nuclear fuel for Ukraine’s commercial reactors, and is developing the infrastructure for a competitive nuclear fuel market in Ukraine. Currently, Russia is the only vendor of fuel for Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. Assistance is being provided in the following areas:

• Training of specialists: performance-based training of personnel in nuclear fuel design, reactor core design, nuclear fuel safety analysis methodologies and licensing, nuclear fuel use, and project management.
• Establishment of the Center for Reactor Core Design (CRCD) as the Ukraine organization responsible for nuclear fuel design, reactor core design, and associated nuclear safety and licensing of nuclear fuel.
• Technology transfer: equipment, documentation, computer codes for reactor core design, nuclear fuel safety analysis and licensing, and nuclear fuel use.
• Demonstrating the compatibility of U.S. nuclear fuel with the current Russian fuel.

More information is available on the Ukraine Nuclear Fuel Qualification Project link.

Nuclear Power Plant Simulators and Training
Well-trained operators are essential to the safe operation of nuclear facilities. With the completion of the Zaporizhzhya unit 3 full-scope simulator in July 2005 the U.S. assistance program has now supplied eight full scope simulators to Ukraine NPPs.

• Training support was provided to each of the nuclear power plants to assist with the development of training programs based on the systematic approach to training methodology. Current activities include: pilot training course for reactor and turbine operators for Rivne NPP; enhancing the simulator safety parameter display system capabilities for Zaporizhzhya unit 5 (complete Sept 2004) and Khmelnytskyy unit 1 which was completed in September 2005 (additional units to follow as funding allows).
• Assessment of maintenance training needs and developing maintenance training guidelines and infrastructure.
• Providing simulator training and engineering support, including the purchase of four additional software model licenses allowing simulator model upgrades to be performed in Kiev rather than at the plant site (complete March 2005).
• Providing additional training technology transfer related to safety parameter display systems and developing a training program for emergency operating procedures.
• Providing simulation of the emergency control room (ECR) function at Zaporizhzhya unit 5 (completed August 2003), Rivne unit 2 (completed January 2004), South Ukraine unit 1 (completed July 2005) and South Ukraine Unit 3, scheduled for completion in February 2006.
• A project to upgrade the computer platform for the Khmelnytskyy unit 1 full-scope simulator was completed in April 2005.
• An analytical simulator for the Sevastopol Institute for Nuclear Energy and Industry was initiated in 2005 and is scheduled to be completed in April 2006.
• Training programs, infrastructure, and instructor training courses, as well as emergency operating procedure (EOP) training materials, were developed for the implementation of new emergency operating procedures that are under development for all units with planned completion in September 2007.

In-Depth Safety Assessments (ISA)
Detailed safety assessments of nuclear facilities are needed to determine their design safety margins, identify the most significant risks and to establish priorities for safety upgrades. Since 1997 U.S.–DOE has assisted Ukrainian nuclear power plants in performing both deterministic and probabilistic safety assessments. The main objectives of this effort are: to transfer safety assessment technology and to assist the plants/utility in meeting regulatory requirements as well as international commitments.

Initial (Level 1 – Internal Events) Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) results are available for three pilot plant units: South Ukraine Unit 1 (VVER-1000/302), Rivne Unit 1 (VVER-440/213), and Zaporizhzhya Unit 5 (VVER-1000/320). In-country and international peer reviews of the South Ukraine PRA indicate that the risk for some of the Ukrainian plants is somewhat higher than the desirable norm.

• The Ukrainian plants are using the insights they have gained from the PRAs to make hardware and procedural changes to reduce the overall risk.
• These projects have demonstrated the importance of safety assessments to plant management to improved safety and operations.
• Additional safety assessment work is receiving more plant attention and resources, a clear indication of an improved safety culture.

Design Basis Accident (DBA) analyses have also been completed for all three pilot plant units. The results indicate that the plants can meet the design basis acceptance limits for the postulated accident sequences. Screening for external hazards, both man-made and natural phenomena hazards, is also complete.

Internal fire and flooding probabilistic risk assessments for the three pilot units, currently in progress, were targeted for completion in 2005, but delays caused by shifting the work to plant personnel and reducing the contribution of technical support organizations have moved some of the completion dates to 2007 and 2008. While it will take longer, this alternative method will cost less and help the plants to build a stronger in-house analytical capability.

• Analytical justifications of draft emergency operating procedures (EOPs) have been completed for Zaporizhzhya Unit 5.
• Similar work for Rivne Unit 1 was completed by the end of 2005.

Level 1 PRA and DBA analyses are progressing for a follow-on VVER1000/320 unit, Khmelnytskyy Unit 1. This plant is using the safety analyses from Zaporizhzhya Unit 5 as a basis. The ISA is using an “on-line” peer review, in which the peer review activities are conducted in parallel with safety analysis, rather than waiting until a full PRA or DBA analysis is complete. A second VVER-1000 unit has begun operations at the Khmelnytskyy site. The startup of this unit, along with a new unit at the Rivne site, drew Ukrainian resources away from the U.S.-supported safety assessment work at the older units and delayed several activities during 2004. With the new units now in operation, most of the safety assessment specialists are available again to support the U.S. activities and work is progressing.

Workshops on the performance of Level 2 PRA analyses (containment and radioactive release category/frequency assessments) were completed in April 2004 and a Level 2 PRA demonstration project was started in May 2004 using South Ukraine Unit 1 as the pilot plant.

• In September 2004, a month-long personnel exchange involving three analysts from the South Ukraine NPP was held with PRA experts at the Argonne National Laboratory.
• This work led to the development of a detailed, plant specific containment model for South Ukraine Unit 1.
• The demonstration project was completed in November 2004, and reports of this work were distributed to all Ukraine NPP sites, the state utility NNEGC Energoatom, the State Nuclear Regulatory Committee of Ukraine (SNRCU) and all Ukraine technical support organizations (TSOs) who participated in the pilot study.

The experience gained by the plant analysts and TSOs was necessary to prepare them to initiate a full scope (vs. demonstration) Level 2 PRA study on the South Ukraine Unit 1 NPP. Work on an overall, but simplified level–2 PRA analysis for SUNPP Unit 1 has been started.

Protection of Vital Areas from Sabotage Threats
Protecting safety systems and components located in vital areas is an important element of nuclear safety. Detection assessment and alarm system upgrades, access control, physical barriers, and communication system upgrades, and related procedures and training have been completed at Khmelnytskyy unit 1 and Zaporizhzhya units 1, 2, 3 and 4. The remaining two Zaporizhzhya units and special buildings are planned for completion with DOE/NNSA funds in 2006.

Emergency Reactor Core Cooling Reliability
Blockage of sump strainers during an accident could prevent emergency cooling systems from operating as designed. Replacing the existing mineral wool insulation with an insulation material that produces reduced flow blockage of strainers is essential to ensure the safe shutdown of the plant in a pipe break accident. Technology transfer, training, and equipment have been provided to enable a Ukrainian firm, Askenn, to manufacture the NUKON insulation product, which was developed by the U.S. company Performance Contracting, Inc. Thermal insulation has been installed in South Ukraine Unit 1, tested and all activities for the pilot project have now been completed. The final activity, to assess the extent of sump screen blockage that could occur with NUKON insulation in the “large series” of VVER-1000 units, was completed in May 2005.

Upper Level Computer Information System (CIS) Replacement
Westinghouse Electric Company, with the support of their Ukrainian joint venture company Westron, replaced the logic and display portions (upper level) of the plant computer information systems at South Ukraine units 2 and 3. The computer information system upgrades were closely coupled with the safety parameter display systems previously provided by Westinghouse.

• The technical specifications for the Unit 2 and Unit 3 upgrades have been approved by South Ukraine NPP and by the nuclear regulator.
• The hardware for Unit 2 was purchased and shipped to Ukraine for assembly. Following a factory acceptance test at the Westron facility, the Unit 2 modifications were made in the outage in June of 2005. The site acceptance test was completed following return to power of the plant.
• The Unit 3 upgrade occurred in two stages, with the replacement of main control room operator workstations occurring in 2005 and final implementation of the Ovation system scheduled for 2006.

Operational Safety
Operational safety activities improve the standards and procedures used by plant operators. Activities include:

• Development of quality assurance audit corrective action plans (completed December 2002).
• Implementing a performance indicator system at each plant (completed December 2003); implementation and operation of a safety component reliability database system (completed March 2004).
• Improving the system of event analysis and reporting (completed May 2004).
• In 2003, Westinghouse completed an independent review of the status of the development and implementation of improved EOPs at two pilot plants. This program is being accelerated and extended to all units.
• In 2003, Westinghouse provided initial training on EOP development to representatives of all units.
• Sixteen emergency strategy and procedure development workshops will be held in Ukraine.
• Four strategy and procedure development workshops have been held at Zaporizhzhya NPP.
• Rivne NPP has also hosted three strategy and procedure development workshops.
• Training staff participate as EOP team members in each of these workshops, as well as follow-up workshops dedicated to the development of training plans.
• The goal is to complete the development and validation of EOPs at all Ukrainian units by December 2006 and have all the EOPs implemented by the end of 2007.

International Chornobyl Center
The International Chornobyl Center improves nuclear safety and mitigates the socioeconomic impacts of Chornobyl’s closure. An effective infrastructure at the Center has been established and activities focus on upgrading the Center’s professional and technical expertise necessary to promote self-sustainability. Goals for support to the Chornobyl Center include:

• Obtain appropriate Ukrainian licenses and certificates,
• Provide management and technical training,
• Continue support of operations and maintenance at the International Radioecology Laboratory, and
• Further promote the Center to domestic and international markets.