An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts said that the operator of the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in the Russian Federation has shown a commitment to enhancing operational safety.
Requested by the Government of the Russian Federation, the Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) mission ran from 13 to 30 January. The Team reviewed operational safety in Units 4 and 6 of the Novovoronezh NPP. An OSART mission was previously completed for Unit 5 in 2015.
OSART missions independently assess safety performance against the IAEA's safety standards. The aim is to advance operational safety by proposing recommendations and, where appropriate, suggestions for improvement.
The Novovoronezh NPP is located in the Voronezh region, about 600 kilometres south of Moscow. The plant is owned by State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (ROSATOM) and operated by Novovoronezh NPP, a subsidiary of the Rosenergoatom Joint Stock Company. The plant consists of seven units. Units 1, 2 and 3 are permanently shutdown and under decommissioning. Units 4, 5, 6 and 7 are operating. All units are pressurized water reactors (VVERs); Units 4 and 5 are VVER-V179 (417 MWe) and VVER-187 (1000 MWe), respectively. Units 6 and 7 are both VVER-392M (1180 MWe). Russia has 36 nuclear power reactors in operation, providing almost 20 per cent of the country's total electricity production.
The team reviewed operating practices in Units 4 and 6 in the areas of leadership and management for safety, training and qualification, operations, maintenance, technical support, radiation protection, chemistry and accident management. The team was composed of seven experts from Belarus, Brazil, China, the Islamic Republic of Iran and South Africa, as well as four IAEA staff members and an observer from Russia.
To make its assessment, the team reviewed documents from the Novovoronezh plant on its main technical features, staff organization and responsibilities, and its operational programmes, procedures and performance prior to the mission. During the mission, the team observed the plant in operation, examined indicators of its performance and held in-depth discussions with plant personnel.
The OSART team observed that the staff at the plant are knowledgeable and professional and are committed to improving the operational safety and reliability of the plant.
The team identified one good practice to be shared with the nuclear industry globally:
- The main control room operators at Novovoronezh NPP have access to an electronic display for real-time indication of hydrogen ignition risk inside the containment building in the case of a severe accident.
The mission also provided some suggestions to further improve safety, including that the plant should consider enhancing:
- The consistent use of tools to minimize human error.
- The quality of maintenance activities.
- The arrangements for the monitoring and reporting of equipment condition and material deficiencies to ensure that any degradation is identified and reported.
"We are grateful to the international experts of the IAEA for conducting a comprehensive inspection at two power units of the Novovoronezh NPP - Unit 4 and Unit 6. This is a reputable team with over 282-years combined operational experience in the nuclear power industry. According to the mission results, the plant received suggestions to enhance further the operational safety performance of Units 4 and 6," said Vladimir Povarov, Director of Novovoronezh NPP. "The mission confirmed that there was good alignment between the plant practices and the requirements in the IAEA standards."
"Three of the four Novovoronezh NPP power units in operation have already successfully undertaken an IAEA international peer review. And we plan for power Unit 7 to be subjected to this procedure in the future," Povarov added.
The team provided a draft report of the mission to the plant management. They will have the opportunity to make factual comments on the draft. These comments will be reviewed by the IAEA, and the final report will be submitted to the Government within three months.
Background
General information about OSART missions can be found on the IAEA website. An OSART mission is designed as a review of programmes and activities essential to operational safety. It is not a regulatory inspection, nor is it a design review or a substitute for an exhaustive assessment of the plant's overall safety status.
Follow-up missions are standard components of the OSART programme and are typically conducted within two years of the initial mission.
The IAEA Safety Standards provide a robust framework of fundamental principles, requirements and guidance to ensure safety. They reflect an international consensus and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.
