Training of NPP personnel at full scope simulator
Training of NPP personnel at full scope simulator
Description
Project Background
Having qualified and skilled personnel is one of the general prerequisites of safe and reliable operation of any nuclear power plant. The Armenian (Metsamor) NPP Units 1 and 2 with VVER-440/V270 reactors (basically the V230 design with improved seismic resistance features) started operation in 1976 and 1980 respectively. The generally low level of the plant automation required even more educated and trained operations staff to compensate for the shortcomings in the plant safety features. The reactor operators of ANPP had been trained in accordance with the Novovoronezh training centre and their qualification corresponded to the one of the Russian and Ukrainian staff.
In March 1989, after the Spitak earthquake in December 1988, the Metsamor NPP was shut down for general inspection and upgrade due to changes in Armenian seismic codes (the plant was not directly affected by the earthquake). This still-stand condition resulted in gradual loss of qualified operations personnel as well as decrease of knowledge and practical skills of the remaining staff. In December 1995, the Unit 2 was restarted to cope with the shortage in national power supply (Unit 1 remained permanently shutdown).
Before the plant restart, new staff was hired and trained, but those had no practical experience and skills. This was especially critical for the main control room (MCR) personnel. The ANPP therefore tried to minimize the lack of experience by combining both experienced and newcomer staff in the MCR shift crews (reactor and turbine shift supervisors and operators).
As this approach could not fully compensate for the lack of practical skills of the new MCR staff members, an EC-funded contract 23930 (formerly 96-5076; project code A1.01/96C) on “Training and Qualification of Operating personnel from Armenia NPP at the Greifswald Full Scope Simulator” was established under the A1.01/96 TACIS programme on wider assistance to the Armenian NPP. The 23930 contract comprised five three-week training courses at the VVER-440 full scope simulator (FSS) in Greifswald (Germany) implemented between 16 June and 20 December 1996. In those courses, training was provided to 21 ANPP MCR crew members and 3 training instructors (see also the summary on the 23930 contract).
As that training proved successful, ANPP requested its continuation in 1997 to train also the other MCR personnel, who could not attend the abovementioned courses in 1996 due to service duties. The EC accepted this request and established the follow-up 24929 contract in 1997, as described below.
Project Aims
The objective of the 24929 contract was to train shift operations crews from the Armenian NPP at the Full Scope Simulator of VVER-440 plants at NPP training Centre in Greifswald, Germany. The training was supposed to focus on training the staff in practical actions in normal, abnormal and emergency conditions, proper communication and interactions while performing the actions and enhancement of their theoretical knowledge of plant safety and system features. The training was meant in particular for the plant shift supervisors, unit shift supervisors, primary circuit shift supervisors, secondary circuit shift supervisors, reactor operators and turbine operators.
Project Results
The 24929 contract was established through a direct agreement with “Consulting- und Ausbildungszentrum Greifswald (CAG) GmbH” on training of ANPP shift operations personnel concluded. The training comprised 6 two-week courses for 7 trainees each. The individual training courses consisted of simulator training and theoretical classroom lessons.
The simulator training was focused on MCR staff activities in normal plant conditions (reactor start-up, power increase, island operation) and abnormal situations (primary and secondary component failures, leaks in primary and secondary systems, failures in plant auxiliary power systems, etc.), on use of operating procedures, teamwork at the MCR and on evaluation of actual plant conditions. The trainees were also familiarized with the differences between the VVER-440 V230 (ANPP) and V213 reactors and with simulator controls.
The classroom sessions were focused on reactor safety issues (severe accidents, VVER-440 design safety), on German nuclear regulatory requirements and nuclear safety approach and on NPP fire protection.
The contract was implemented within 19-month period from 17 September 1997 to 17 April 1999.The work was carried out at the full scope simulator in the Greifswald NPP Training Centre in Germany. The total contract cost (paid by the EC) was 306 077.20 €.
General Information
Title:
Training of NPP personnel at full scope simulator
Programme:
TACIS
Amount:
€ 306.077,20
Budget year:
1996
Countries:
Armenia
Nature:
Services
Types of activities:
Training
Sector:
DS - Design safety (incl. Off-Site Emergency Preparedness)
Duration (months):
19
Contracting authority:
European Commission
Contractors:
CAG TECHNOLOGIE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS GREIFSWALD GMBH
Status:
Closed
CRIS number:
24929
Old reference:
97-0444
Decision number:
TACIS/1996/000-419
Method of procurement:
Direct Agreement
Signature date:
17/09/1997
Effective contract date:
17/09/1997
Contract end date:
17/04/1999
Closure date:
17/04/1999