1) Background
The TACIS nuclear programme is aiming at enhancing safety of NPPs in CIS (Commonwealth of Independent states) countries. The execution of the TACIS nuclear programme is based, among others, on the creation of close partnership between a NPP from the CIS and a NPP from EU (“On-Site-Assistance”).
This project deals with the continuation of TACIS OSA (On-Site Assistance) at Zaporozhye NPP.

2) Objectives
The objective of the project was to provide assistance for implementing safety improvements at Zaporozhye NPP by:

Ensuring project management support:

• general project coordination;
• on-site presence at Zaporozhye NPP (intermittent only) and operational assistance;
• participation to management of on-site TACIS team;
• organisation of involvement of short-term experts from Biblis NPP and Zaporozhye NPP for various topics;
• reporting, auditing.

Carrying out specific projects:

• U1.03/97A, spare parts: updating of specification, participation to tendering and/or procurement process and management of implementation phase;
• U1.03/96C and 97C, fire protection for cables: updating of specification, participation to tendering and procurement process and management of implementation phase;
• U1.03/96B, test bench for safety valves: participation to tendering and procurement process and management of implementation phase;
• U1.03/96D1, mobile acoustic system for valves diagnostic: management in implementation phase;
• U1.03/96D2, computerised testing system for pressuriser safety valves: management of implementation phase;
• defining new supply projects to be carried out.

Transfering experience between Zaporozhye NPP and the German Biblis NPP, on:

• analysis, identification and agreement about needs at Zaporozhye NPP;
• organisation of seminars and workshops;
• identification of adequate experts and trainees;
• reporting.

3) Project Results–Achievements
Lahmeyer International GmbH, subsidiary of RWE Group, has been contracted by RWE Power AG for ensuring on-site project management of OSA at Zaporozhye NPP, RWE Power AG keeping global project management and provision of short-term experts from Biblis NPP for punctual needs.

Project management support:

• Set-up of on-site TACIS team and agreement with Zaporozhye NPP about work plan and schedule;
• Coordination of all actors of Zaporozhye NPP OSA: Zaporozhye NPP, Energoatom, RWE, Biblis NPP, Lahmeyer, local subcontractor EIC;
• Management of relations with EC;
• Development of technical specifications for project U1.03/99 (PIP), with budget assessment;
• Support to Zaporozhye NPP for licensing process;
• Reprogramming and progress in pending TACIS supply projects.

Specific supply projects of TACIS 96 and 97:

• U1.03/97A1 to A8, spare parts: signature of contracts (7 contracts for 7 lots) by direct agreement with the suppliers. As the available budget did not fit with the scope of supply, it was decided to cancel lot A1. All contracted supply projects have been completed in 2002-2003, with delays for each of them.
• U1.03/97A9, spare parts for emergency power supply (inverters): process of specification elaboration, updating and approval has been very long, due to many late comments from all counterparts and instability of regulatory background so that this project was needed to be reprogrammed in AP 2003: it is now referenced U1.03/03A9. Latest approval was issued in September 2004. At the end of general OSA contract, tender evaluation was still not performed.
• U1.03/96C and 97C, fire protection for cables: after merging both projects and rewriting of specification (reduction of scope of supply after failure of project in a previous tendering process), the new specification has been elaborated, updated and approved. The tender evaluation took place in December 2002 and was successful. The supply contract was signed in August 2003. The equipment was delivered on site and provisional acceptance has been pronounced in December 2003. The 2-year warranty was still running at the end of general OSA U1.03/98 project.
• U1.03/96B, test bench for safety valves adjustment: the supply contract has been signed in January 2001 and equipment was delivered on site in October 2001. Equipment was accepted after warranty period expiry in December 2002. After-sales service has been provided, and project was completed in December 2004.
• U1.03/96D1, mobile system for valves diagnostic: the supply contract was signed in January 2001, and an addendum in October 2001. Equipment was delivered in February 2002 and provisional acceptance was pronounced in June 2003. Project was completed in June 2004, after expiry of warranty period.
• U1.03/96D2, computer aided testing device for pressuriser safety valves: the supply contract was signed in February 2001 and equipment was delivered on site in September 2002. Provisional acceptance was pronounced in February 2003 and project was completed in February 2004, after expiry of warranty period.

4)Comments

According to information delivered by the contractor, a number of problems induced delays in implementation of specific supply projects (from 3 months to more than 3 years), mainly due to:

• duration of finalisation of equipment specification (for U1.03/97A9, now reprogrammed U1.03/03A9, more than 3 years of delay);
• long process of contract signatures;
• approval of custom documentation by Ukrainian counterpart;
• transportation of goods to the site;
• custom release.

The spare parts project U1.03/97A faced delays for some lots because the original manufacturer of some pieces of equipment did not exist anymore and qualified substituting solutions had to be found.

Further information
Further information on the project results could be sought from Energoatom and Zaporozhye NPP.