MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. Experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency inspected operational safety of reactor No. 4 and No. 6 at the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant, confirmed that the plant complies with IAEA standards and even recommended that nuclear plants around the world adopt one of its practices, according to a statement from Rosenergoatom, a unit of Rosatom.
For the first time ever, the IAEA mission two reactors at once, which use the VVER 440 and VVER 1200 technologies. The international team included 12 experts from the UK, France, China, Iran, Brazil, Belarus and South Africa. The Russian side was represented by about 240 people from the Novovoronezhskaya NPP, Rosenergoatom, the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision and Rosatom’s Emergency Center, among others.
The experts spent three weeks to assess the plant’s operations for compliance with international standards, as well as the employees’ commitment to safety culture, according to the statement. They checked nine areas important for the safe operation of the NPP. Special attention was paid to the condition of facilities, structures and equipment. The experts also familiarized themselves with the documentation and indicators of the plant’s production activity, toured the workshops, observed the work performed at the plant and conducted interviews with the personnel.
The experts recommended one of the practices – accident management – as the best practice and suitable for adoption at other NPPs, not only in Russia, but also worldwide. They also outlined four proposals to further improve the plant’s safety and efficiency. Based on the results of the mission, the experts will put together a draft report that will be sent to the Russian government within three months.
Operational Safety Reviews
The Operational Safety Review Team is a part of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The OSART mission is the oldest of the IAEA missions and has been conducted since 1982. The purpose is to help improve operational safety and disseminate good practices among other NPPs. Usually, an OSART mission takes place once during the entire lifetime of a reactor. In 2015, it was successfully conducted at the modernized Reactor No. 5 at the Novovoronezhskaya NPP. Currently, three out of four operating reactors of the nuclear plant have passed the review. Reactor No. 7 is expected to undergo a similar review at some point in the future.
Novovoronezhskaya NPP
The Novovoronezhskaya NPP in the Voronezh Region is Russia’s first NPP with VVER reactors. A total of seven reactor have been built as part of the plant over the 60 years of its operation, four of which are still operational. Similar reactors have been built elsewhere in Russia and abroad. Reactor No. 6 of the 3+ generation based on the VVER-1200 technology was the world’s first reactor of this generation to start work. It serves as a reference reactor for new NPPs not only in Russia, but also abroad. Reactor No. 4 based on the VVER-440 technology was started up in 1972. It is the oldest of the operating reactors in Russia.