Background

Within the framework of TACIS, the EC had established a co-operation with Russia in the area of Nuclear Safety. On-site Assistance (OSA) programmes aimed at providing the transfer of know-how, in particular through soft assistance, which addresses the human element of safety (i.e. quality assurance, maintenance, management and training...) and through the supply of equipment.

Most of components and structures of safety related systems were designed and manufactured in accordance with normative requirements of the 60-80s. At Russian Nuclear Power Plants the activities on bringing the components and structures of safety related systems in compliance with more recent norms and rules were performed within the framework of branch programs on reconstruction or modernization of the existing equipment.

Upgrading the 6 kV power supply started under the TACIS 93/94 project. The objective was to replace the present class I 6kV breakers which were not manufactured any more by new breakers manufactured in Russia using western technology and to upgrade the protection and control system of the cabinets.

The project had been split into 3 specific projects: R1.03/94C, R1.03/95B and R1.03/96A. The initial project approach was to award contracts for the supply of prototypes to at least two western suppliers who where ready to set up a joint venture with a Russian company (R1.03/94C). In a next step, once the qualification of this equipment would have been aquired by the joint ventures a restricted call for tender would have been launched for the replacement of the breakers (R1.03/95B) and another open tender process would have been launched for the replacement of the control and protection system of the 6 kV cabinets (R1.03/96A).

Budgetary restrictions forced to bring refinements to the approach and to limit the extent of the equipment supplies:

• under the R1.03/94C project, only one joint venture had been awarded with a contract for the supply of the prototypes, one for each unit
• as it became clear that a supplier, other than the one who provided the prototypes, could provide qualified breakers, an open tender was launched for the supply of qualified 6kV breakers. One supplier would be awarded two contracts using the budget of the specific project R1.03/95B for the equipment for unit one and part of the budget of the R1.03/96A for equipment for unit two.
• part of the budget of the R1.03/96A would be used for the upgrading of the control and protection systems of a limited number of 6kV cabinets.

The present project would be launched in accordance with the results of the investigation in project R1.03/94C, with full consideration of joint venture (industrial policy) aspects.

Objectives

TACIS on-site assistance to Kalinin NPP had the following objectives:

• improve the operational safety of the NPP by transfer of Western know-how and safety culture by a General operational On-site Assistance (GOSA)
• prepare and follow up specific safety related equipment supply projects.

This project was the completion of the generic issue upgrading of 6kV power supply system, and aimed at the replacement of those components (mainly the control system) of the 6kV electrical cabinet which were not changed on the completion of the two previous projects. The final goal was to make more reliable the 6kV breakers on units 1 and 2 of the Kalinin NPP by using the standard Western technology. According to the importance of the 6kV breakers market for Russian NPP it was proposed to facilitate the creation of a licensing agreement between Western and Russian companies in order to manufacture breakers in Russia by transfer of Western technology.

The goal of this project was to equip one 6kV switchboard with new relays associated with a computerized control system. This limited supply was intended for pilot operation of such relays on a non safety related switchboard in order to allow further decision on installation of similar relays on all 6kV switchboards. This strategy had been agreed with RF GOS.

The project intended to:

• perform a comprehensive analysis of the existing control and protection systems of 6kV cabinets in order to design a new control system and to determine the modifications required in the fixed structure of the existing cabinet for the project implementation. Interfaces between local and remote control would also be considered in this analysis
• to draft up a technical specification for procurement of the new control system, interfaces components and cabinet modification for adaptation to the new system
• to provide one unit of Kalinin NPP after tendering process, with the specified control system, interface, qualified breaker and cabinet modification on a limited number of them.

Project Results

The technical requirements for this project were developed by Russian subcontractor Atomenergoproekt and approved by RF GOS.

All the 6kV equipments had to be qualified by the Russian safety authority before installation on site. It was foreseen a duration of 18 months for the project.

According to the decision of the EC, part of the 96A budget was dedicated to the improvement of the protection & control system and another part of this budget was dedicated to the supply of complementary 6kV breakers, as the outcome of project 95B. The tender file for both projects was finalized jointly with the protection & control system presented as lot 3.
Endorsement of last version of TS was obtained from the Russian side at the end of 2000. JRC issued the acceptance certificate in May, 2001. The final version, common for projects R1.03/95B &96A was sent to EC end of July.
The final version of tender dossier, common for projects R1.03/95B & 96A and taking into account the received comments, has been sent to EC end of July. Publication occurred beginning of 2002 jointly for projects R1.03/95B and 96A.

The tender opening session was held in Brussels on March 18, 2002 with the evaluation session immediately after. Only one bid was received from a Russian organization and this bid did not cover lot 3. The evaluation committee concluded that a specific tender process should be organized for this lot.

According to the expression of interest received from some potential supplier, EC decided to proceed with a new publication of the tender file. Publication occurred in November with the opening session of the bids in February, 2003. No bids were received before the deadline, so the tender procedure was cancelled. The EU-utility, End-user and Beneficiary proposed to transfer the available budget to project R1.03/95C, but EC stated that the transfer is not possible.

The part of project R1.03/96A dedicated to control system was cancelled. The contract for the supply of complementary breakers for project R1.03/95B was signed on December 5, 2002.