Objective

The objective of this project is to support the Russian Nuclear Safety Authority Gosatomnadzor (GAN, the beneficiary) in its safety evaluation of the Balakovo NPP upgrading programme, i.e.:

• Support the GAN to adapt available results of safety review performed on similar plants;
• Evaluate specific operating experience available for Balakovo;
• Evaluate available PSA results.

General objective

To provide assistance from Western Technical Safety Organisation (TSO) to GAN in licensing related assessments of design and operational safety of Balakovo VVER 320 reactors.

Specific objective

To provide assistance to GAN on the technical (safety) evaluation of the proposed safety upgrading measures for Balakovo reactors, including design and operational aspects.

Expected outputs

• Subcontract with NRS-SEC;
• Detailed work programme/Inception Report;
• Collection, translation, review and delivery (to the contractor) of necessary Russian documents on:
  • Technical results of safety review;
  • Operational results of Safety review;
  • Available PSA results.

Project activities

Task 1: Adaptation of available technical results of safety reviews to Balakovo and review of Balakovo specific design information (identification of safety deficiencies for design aspects):

• Survey of the available documentation of the safety evaluation on similar NPPs, supplemented by IAEA applicable results.
• Review of the specific design of Balakovo NPP based on Balakovo Safety Analysis Report.
• Survey of the Balakovo upgrading programme, REA improvement programme for VVER-1000 and modernisation industrial projects for Balakovo NPP.

Task 2: Adaptation of available operational results of safety reviews to Balakovo and review of Balakovo specific information on plant operation.

• Survey and assessment of documentation on specific operating experience for Balakovo.
• Survey of the Balakovo upgrading programme and other related programmes.

Task 3: Review of available PSA results for balakovo unit 4.

• Completeness and applicability to the Balakovo upgrading programme.
• Modification of the risk profile, if appropriate, i.e. from comparisons with other VVER-1000 PSAs.

Task 4: Development of an integrated view

• Assessment of the consistency of previous tasks results and development of an integrated view, mutually agreed upon in the extent possible by all project participants, to support GAN in its safety evaluation of the Balakovo upgrading programme.

Results

See the attached Summary Report