Summary

Since 1992 the CEC is funding assistance to
Bulgaria/>/> under PHARE programme in order to strengthen the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (BNSA) and to improve the safety of the Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) Kozloduy. At the site of Kozloduy six units are under operation, four VVER 440/W-230 and two VVER 1000/W­320.

The work was performed by the contractor in close relation with the Beneficiary, the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

The project was prolonged according to the initial project schedule (02 July 1997 to 02 March 1998.) for two months until 2 May 1998. The planning for the project was scheduled in such a way, that the project could be finished at the end of April 1998.

The outcome of the project “Requirements for the Safety Substantiation Report (SSR)" were transmitted to the BNSA in May 1998. The RSSR summarises international experience and considered practice in VVER operating countries.

BNSA has endorsed the developed Requirements for the Safety Substantiation and set the Requirements for the Safety Substantiation Report without any delay to NPP Kozloduy (licensee) and requested from the licensee to establish a Safety Substantiation Report for Kozloduy-3, 4 on the basis of the present report.

Further methodological guidelines for assessing of the SSR may be developed by BNSA on the basis of the outcome of this PHARE project.

The proposed “Structure and content of a Safety Substantiation Report" will serve as a means of stipulating a uniform procedure within
Bulgaria/>/> and to define a clear frame with regard to objectives and scope of the SSR.

The licensee performs the SSR in order to respond to his own responsibility for the unit's safety. Once performed for one unit, such a report would be the first one in the country which meets the current requirements and would serve as a basis for the SSRs of the other units of NPP Kozloduy of this reactor type.

The SSR should supplement the data on the safety status of the unit for the Bulgarian Regulatory Authority (BNSA).