Outage Management & Nuclear Health Physics Plant Journal
May-June 2012 Volume 30 No. 3
Khmelnitsky, Ukraine
ISSN: 2162-6413
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:10:4110:10:41 AAMM Nuclear Plant Journal ® Outage Management & May-June 2012, Volume 30 No. 3 Health Physics Issue 30th Year of Publication
Nuclear Plant Journal is published Articles & Reports by EQES, Inc. six times a year in A Cornerstone for Ensuring Safety 22 January-February, March-April, May- By Laurent Stricker, World Association of Nuclear Operators June, July-August, September-October, and November-December (the Annual Safety in Post-Fukushima Era 26 Directory). By Akira Omoto, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
We Carry a Huge Responsibility 28 The subscription rate for non-qualifi ed By Dr. Kaoru Kikuyama, International Nuclear Energy Public Private readers in the United States is $150.00 Partnership, Japan for six issues per year. The additional air mail cost for non-U.S. readers is $30.00. A Spotlight on Safety Culture 32 Payment may be made by American By Diane Sieracki, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Express®, Master Card®, VISA® or check and should accompany the order. Checks Reducing the Risk 34 may be made payable to "EQES, Inc." By William Reckley, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Checks not drawn on a United States bank should include an additional $45.00 Japan's Plant Shutdown 36 service fee. All inquiries should be ad- Credit: Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Japan
dressed to Nuclear Plant Journal, 1400 Chernobyl’s Twenty-Year Experience on Radiation Protection 38 Opus Place, Suite 904, Downers Grove, A Report by Nuclear Energy Agency, France IL 60515; Phone: (630) 858-6161, ext. 103; Fax: (630) 852-8787, email: NPJ@ Fukushima Update 42 goinfo.com. Industry Innovations Last 29 year Journal issues are now Astrid 45 available online through the Journal By Christophe Behar, French Atomic Energy Commission, France website www. NuclearPlantJournal.com (search box on the right-top) for a nominal Improved Incore Instrumentation 47 fee of $25 per issue. Contact: Kruti Patel, By Mark Coddington, Entergy Nuclear email: [email protected] RCP Seal 50 By Joshua Seales, Southern Nuclear. © Copyright 2012 by EQES, Inc. Plant Profi le Nuclear Plant Journal is a registered Excellent at Outreach 52 trademark of EQES, Inc. By Tatyana Lisitchuk, Khmelnitsky Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine Printed in the USA. Departments Journal Services Staff New Energy News 8 List of Advertisers 6 Senior Publisher and Editor Newal K. Agnihotri, P.E. Utility, Industry & Corporation 10 Advertiser Web Directory 40 Publisher and Sales Manager New Products, Services & On The Cover Anu Agnihotri Contracts 15 On August 8, 2004 Khmelnitsky 2 Assistant Editor and Marketing Manager New Documents 18 was connected to the power grid. Michelle Gaylord Annually, two operating power units Meeting & Training Calendar 19 Assistant Offi ce Manager of Khmelnitsky NPP generate about Kruti Patel Research & Development 20 13,5 billion kWh of electricity which is equivalent to 16% of total amount of Administrative Assistant electricity generated by the Ukrainian QingQing Zhu nuclear fl eet. See page 52 for a profi le. *Current Circulation: Total: 12,273 Mailing Identifi cation Statement Utilities: 2,904 Nuclear Plant Journal (ISSN 0892-2055) is published bimonthly; January-February, March- *All circulation information is subject to April, May-June, July-August, September-October, and November-December by EQES, Inc., 1400 Opus Place, Suite 904, Downers Grove, IL 60515. The printed version of the Journal is BPA Worldwide, Business audit available cost-free to qualifi ed readers in the United States and Canada. The digital version is available cost-free to qualifi ed readers worldwide. The subscription rate for non-qualifi ed readers is $150.00 per year. The cost for non-qualifi ed, non-U.S. readers is $180.00. Periodicals (permit number 000-739) postage paid at the Downers Grove, IL 60515 and additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Nuclear Plant Journal (EQES, Inc.), 1400 Opus Place, Suite 904, Downers Grove, IL 60515.
Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 5
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 5 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:10:4810:10:48 AAMM List of Advertisers & NPJ Rapid Response Page Advertiser Contact Fax/Email 9 Aecon Nuclear Samuel Anselm [email protected] 2 AREVA NP, Inc. Donna Gaddy-Bowen (434) 832-3840 11 Birns Eric Birns (805) 487-0427 14 Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company Arlene Corkhill (714) 528-0128 17 Day & Zimmermann ECM David Bronczyk (215) 656-2624 4 Diakont Keith Reeser [email protected] 31 Frham Safety Products, Inc. Michael Randall (615) 726-2514 23 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Michael Tetuan (910) 362-5017 15 Herguth Laboratories, Inc. Linda Perry (707) 554-0109 43 HukariAscendent Robert Plappert (303) 277-1458 45 Illinois Institute of Technology Nilda Cinco [email protected] 7 Kinectrics Inc. Cheryl Tasker-Shaw (416) 207-6532 49 Lockheed Martin Corporation Pat Troy (570) 803-2204 25 Nova, a business unit of Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company Claire Dinkel (216) 433-1640 29 Nuclear Logistics Inc. Greg Keller [email protected] 13 ORTEC [email protected] (865) 425-1380 27 Perma-Fix Environmental Services Donald Goebel (865) 539-9868 51 Remote Ocean Systems Sandy Kennedy [email protected] 56 Scientech, a business unit of Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company Don Murphy (301) 682-9209 39 Seal Master Thomas Hillery (330) 673-8410 21 The Shaw Group Inc., Nuclear Power Division Holly Nava (856) 482-3155 39 Tri Tool Inc. William Atkinson (916) 351-9125 33 UniTech Services Group Steve Hofstatter (413) 543-2975 41 URENCO Ltd. Please e-mail [email protected] 55 Westinghouse Electric Company LLC Karen Fischetti (412) 374-3244 37 Zachry Nuclear Engineering, Inc Lisa Apicelli (860) 446-8292 3 Zetec, Inc. Ki Choi (418) 263-3742
Advertisers’ fax numbers may be used with the form shown below. Advertisers’ web sites are listed in the Web Directory Listings on page 40.
Nuclear Plant Journal Rapid Response Fax Form May-June 2012
To: ______Company: ______Fax: ______From: ______Company: ______Fax: ______Address:______City: ______State: _____ Zip: ______Phone: ______E-mail: ______I am interested in obtaining information on: ______Comments: ______
6 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 6 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:10:5310:10:53 AAMM MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 7 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:10:5310:10:53 AAMM Japanese team, made up of AREVA, Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned New Energy Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and electric and water utility, have received their 50/50 joint-venture ATMEA, is well approval for combined construction fi tting Jordan needs and requirements both and operating licenses (COLs) from the in technical and economical terms. This Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) decision represents a signifi cant milestone for two new nuclear units at V. C. Summer China in the technological development of Station in Jenkinsville, South Carolina. AREVA announced the arrival in ATMEA 1, a new world-class model of “Receiving approval of our licenses China, at the beginning of April, 2012, 1,100 MWe nuclear power reactor. to construct and operate units 2 and 3 at of the fi rst two steam generators and However, JAEC also decided V.C. Summer is a signifi cant event for the pressurizer for Unit 1 on the site of to continue discussions, during the our company and marks the culmination the Taishan EPR™ power plant. This next phase of its evaluation, with two of an intense review by the NRC,” said delivery of heavy components for the qualifi ed bidders, including AREVA- Kevin Marsh, chairman and CEO of primary reactor coolant system marks an MHI-ATMEA. During that phase some SCANA. “We look forward to building important step forward in the construction outstanding topics will be reviewed in these two new nuclear units to enhance of the fi rst EPR™ reactor in China. more detail and specifi c information from our ability to meet the energy needs of After leaving the port by the selected site and from operating company our customers.” AREVA's Chalon-St Marcel plant, these will be integrated. About 1,000 workers are currently heavy components were fi rst transported This is a key achievement made by engaged in early-site preparation work to Fos-sur-Mer in the South of France, JAEC in the process of providing Jordan at the V.C. Summer construction site. before being shipped onwards by sea with a competitive and stable source of The project will peak at about 3,000 to the Taishan site where they are being energy, allowing the Kingdom to enter construction craft workers over the course kept in storage awaiting installation. The into a new phase of its development. of three to four years. The two units, each two remaining generators and the reactor Contact: Patricia Marie, telephone: with a capacity of 1,117 megawatts, will pressure vessel internals are currently 33 1 34 96 12 15, email: press@areva. then add 600 to 800 permanent jobs when being transported to the site where they com. they start generating electricity. are expected to arrive in the coming Contact: Rhonda O’Banion, weeks. Canada telephone: (800) 562-9308, email: Completed in record time, the The Federal Government has [email protected]. manufacturing of the steam generators responded to the recommendations of has benefi ted from the experience gained the Joint Review Panel and approved Watts Bar by the AREVA's Chalon-St Marcel plant the Darlington New Nuclear Project The Tennessee Valley Authority in the supply of heavy components Environmental Assessment (EA). board of directors on Thursday approved for EPR™ construction projects. The “OPG (Ontario Power Generation) continuing with construction of the second manufacturing time for these generators, is pleased with the Federal Government’s generating unit at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant which are 25 meters (82.02 feet) long decision,” said Albert Sweetnam, OPG’s in accordance with a revised estimate, and weigh 550 tons each, has been Executive Vice President, Nuclear furthering TVA’s progress toward its reduced by nearly 40 % compared to Projects. “We were confi dent in the vision to be a leader in providing low- those manufactured previously for other conclusions of our extensive studies, cost, reliable and cleaner energy. EPR™ reactors. however independent review and The revised estimate for completing Contact: Patricia Marie, telephone: confi rmation provides added assurance Watts Bar Unit 2 was announced in early 33 1 34 96 12 15, email: press@areva. that the project will not result in any April after TVA put new leadership in com. signifi cant adverse environmental effects, place and conducted a seven-month, top- given mitigation.” to-bottom analysis of the construction Jordan OPG now awaits a decision by the project. The assessment identifi ed JAEC (Jordan Atomic Energy Joint Review Panel, as a panel of the corrective actions for project management Commission) has completed its Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and a high-confi dence cost estimate and evaluation to select a technology in order on the next key milestone: the issuance milestone schedule. The revised estimate to build the fi rst nuclear reactor in Jordan. of the site preparation license. The site includes additional funding of $1.5 JAEC has conducted, since the last two preparation license is the fi rst of three billion to $2 billion, bringing the total years, a methodical scrutiny of three licenses required to build and operate a cost to complete the unit to the range of technologies regarding nuclear power new nuclear facility in Canada. $4 billion to $4.5 billion, with the most plant technology. Contact: telephone: (416) 592-4008. likely estimate of $4.2 billion. Estimated The evaluation has been performed completion is between September and with the objective of selecting the most V.C. Summer December 2015. Improvements in how appropriate technology fi tting best Jordan South Carolina Electric & Gas the site is managed and work is done are needs and most appropriately ensuring Company (SCE&G), principal subsidiary already under way. the highest possible safety levels. of SCANA Corporation, and Santee Contact: Barbara Martocci, It concluded that ATMEA1 telephone: (865) 632-8632. technology, developed by the French- 8 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 9 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:10:5710:10:57 AAMM Team’s competition team has claimed 2012 to U.S. commercial nuclear reac- Utility, top spot at the Security Protection Offi cer tors. This action begins implementation Team Competition (SPOTC), held at of several recommendations for enhanc- Industry & the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South ing safety at U.S. reactors based on les- Carolina in late-April, 2012. sons learned from the accident at Japan’s Corporation Bruce Power’s team claimed fi rst Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. place in eight of nine events, receiving Two of the Orders apply to every 990.5 of a possible 1,000 points. The U.S. commercial nuclear power plant, SPOTC is a competition for the U.S.- including those under construction and Utility based Department of Energy (DOE) the recently licensed new Vogtle reactors. security forces, but is also open to US The fi rst Order requires the plants to I&C military and police SWAT, as well as better protect safety equipment installed ASN (the French Nuclear Safety Au- Canadian and U.K. teams, which compete after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and to thority) considers that the changes EDF in the non-DOE category. Bruce Power obtain suffi cient equipment to support all has made to the instrumentation and con- was represented by Offi cers Jordan reactors at a given site simultaneously. The trol (I&C) architecture of the Flamanville MacDougall, Mike McFarlane, Rob second Order requires the plants to install 3 EPR, France, are satisfactory and en- Bosman, Sam McCulloch, Kyle Roulston enhanced equipment for monitoring water able it to lift the reservations it expressed and Jeff Steven. levels in each plant’s spent fuel pool. in October 2009. This position is based The nine events are designed to test The third Order applies only to U.S. on the analysis by its technical support tactical, physical, and fi rearm profi ciency, boiling-water reactors that have “Mark I” organization, IRSN, and the opinion of while focusing on speed, strength, agility or “Mark II” containment structures. the Advisory Committee for nuclear re- and teamwork. These reactors must improve venting actors. Contact: John Peevers, telephone: systems (or for the Mark II plants, EDF has been carrying out (519) 361-6161, email: john.peevers@ install new systems) that help prevent considerable work to comply with the brucepower.com. or mitigate core damage in the event of ASN requests and fi nally, as requested a serious accident. Plants have until Dec. by ASN, has implemented an I&C Industry 31, 2016, to complete modifi cations and architecture modifi cation designed requirements of all three Orders. to improve robustness and enable the ISOE The Orders and the information SPPA-T2000 platform to be used for Information System on request dated March 12, 2012 are available the Flamanville 3 EPR reactor. This Occupational Exposure (ISOE) on the NRC’s website. These actions modifi cation consists in duplicating some was created in 1991 to improve the address what the NRC determined to be of the SPPA T2000 platform’s reactor management of occupational exposures the highest-priority recommendations protection functions on the Téléperm at nuclear power plants through the from the agency’s Japan Near-Term Task XS platform. The aim is to improve I&C collection and analysis of occupational Force. The Task Force issued its report robustness in the event of failure of the exposure data and trends, and through the in July 2011. The NRC staff continues SPPA-T2000 platform combined with exchange of lessons learned among utility to examine how to best address the certain accident situations. and national regulatory authority experts. remaining Task Force recommendations, Following the IRSN analysis of these The system has grown continuously as well as additional topics raised during modifi cations and the 16th June 2011 and now provides participants with a the early implementation effort. opinion from the Advisory Committee comprehensive resource for optimizing Contact: website: http://www.nrc. for nuclear reactors, ASN considers that occupational exposure management at gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/ the I&C architecture of the EPR reactor nuclear power plants worldwide. japan/japan-activities.html proposed by EDF is such as to be able to Membership in the ISOE program is guarantee the safety of the systems used open to nuclear utilities and to radiation Corporation to manage incident or accident situations protection regulatory authorities. and their independence from the control The ISOE database itself contains Versatile Measuring systems used for normal operation of information on occupational exposure Instruments the plant. EDF may thus continue with levels and trends at 482 reactor units in Curtiss-Wright Corporation has deployment of this system, the detailed 29 countries covering about 91% of the acquired the Versatile Measuring Instruments design of which will be analyzed world’s operating commercial power (VMI) and Lisle-Metrix (L-M) product lines by ASN prior to the commissioning reactors. from the Amidyne Group for approximately authorization. Contact: website: www.isoe-network. $7 million. The VMI and L-M product lines Credit: The Nuclear Safety Authority net. serve the commercial nuclear power market, (ASN). and consist of original equipment and re- NRC engineered replacement products for obsolete SPOTC Title The Nuclear Regulatory Commis- For the seventh consecutive year, sion staff issueed Orders on March 12, Bruce Power’s Nuclear Response
10 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 1010 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:10:5910:10:59 AAMM equipment. The company will integrate both together stands more than 6.1 m (20 ft.) of plutonium at the Sellafi eld nuclear product lines into its Flow Control business tall and weighs more than 25,900 kg complex in West Cumbria, England. The segment. (57,000 lbs.). The MSIV is designed to U.K. government confi rmed its intention Contact: Jim Ryan, telephone: (973) close within 3 to 5 seconds, which can be to reuse this plutonium in December 541-3766. critical in the event that plant operations 2011, declaring that it “remains open to need to be shut down quickly. any alternative proposals for plutonium Isolation Valves Contact: Steve Boone, telephone: management that offer better value Flowserve Corporation, a provider (972) 443-6644. to the U.K. taxpayer.” The Nuclear of fl ow control products and services for Decommissioning Authority (NDA) global infrastructure markets, announced UK Plutonium recently announced in February 2012 that it has shipped the fi rst of several With the U.K. government looking that it is seeking proposals for alternative main steam isolation valves (MSIVs) to at ways to address its growing stockpile approaches to manage the U.K.’s the Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant, located of civil plutonium, GE Hitachi Nuclear plutonium stockpile. in the Zhejiang Province of China. The Energy (GEH) signed a memorandum Should PRISM be approved for MSIVs will be installed in Unit 1 of the of understanding (MOU) with National construction, in addition to creating plant, the fi rst Westinghouse AP1000® Nuclear Laboratory Ltd. (NNL). NNL about 900 permanent jobs and thousands nuclear power plant ever built. The will provide expert technical input to of expected indirect jobs for the local shipment relates to several multi-million the potential U.K. deployment of GEH’s community, this multibillion-pound dollar valve orders for the China nuclear innovative PRISM reactor, which would investment would stand to create a range market that Flowserve has booked since be specifi cally designed to dispose the of opportunities for suppliers while early 2010. U.K.’s plutonium while generating 600 continuing to develop the country’s The MSIV utilizes a Flowserve megawatts of low-carbon electricity. nuclear energy skills base and reaffi rming Edward gas/hydraulic actuator. As part of GEH also met with a number of Cumbria’s position of nuclear excellence the secondary system of the pressurized skilled nuclear workers in West Cumbria with “Britain’s energy coast.” water reactor (PWR), the MSIV isolates to learn how they could work with GEH Contact: Michael Tetuan, telephone: the main steam line between the steam on PRISM’s potential deployment. (910) 819-7055, email: Michael.tetuan@ generator and the turbine. The total The country is currently storing ge.com. assembly of the valve and actuator more than 87 metric tons (and growing) (Continued on page 12)
Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 11
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 1111 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:10:5910:10:59 AAMM external hazard evaluation and PRA Reactor Coolant Pump Corporation... (Probabilistic Risk Assessment) services Continued from page 11 Westinghouse Electric Company, to the U.S. nuclear power sector. These Curtiss-Wright Corporation, and the organizations are working together to State Nuclear Power and Technology Alpha Sweet! provide utilities with quality solutions Corporation (SNPTC) of China to emerging needs and new regulatory announced the successful completion of Equipment Supplier requirements. the design, manufacture and qualifi cation Nuclear Logistics Inc. (NLI), has With full capabilities to address all of the lead AP1000® Reactor Coolant been acquired by AZZ Incorporated. NLI external hazards, the URS/Scientech Pump (RCP). Curtiss-Wright successfully is one of the largest equipment suppliers team can provide utilities with quality performed qualifi cation of the RCP at its exclusively serving the nuclear industry. solutions to emerging needs and Flow Control business segment’s Electro- AZZ is a specialty electrical equipment requirements, including responding to Mechanical Division (EMD) facility in manufacturer serving the global markets of near- term task force recommendations, Cheswick, Pennsylvania. industrial, power generation, transmission requirements of Generic Issue 199 The conclusion of qualifi cation and distributions, as well as a leading (Implications of Updated Probabilistic testing of the AP1000 RCP, including provider of hot dip galvanizing services Seismic Hazard Estimates in Central and 50 service cycles and more than 500 to the North American steel fabrication Eastern United States on Existing Plants), total operating hours, clears the way for market. AZZ’s signifi cant presence in Post-Fukushima requests meeting NRC’s installation of the RCPs at Sanmen Unit the power industry, coupled with NLI’s Regulatory Guideline 1.200, Rev. 2 1 in China, the fi rst AP1000 reactor to be nuclear focus, will allow NLI to better expectations, and the ASME/ANS PRA built in the world. The shipment of the serve clients while growing to meet the Standard (RA-Sa-2009). fi rst two RCPs for Sanmen 1 is expected changing needs of the nuclear industry. Scientech has provided exceptional to occur in the second quarter of 2012. Both NLI and AZZ are headquartered in quality PRA services for more than Contact: Scott Shaw, telephone: (412) Fort Worth, TX. 25 years. Its parent company, Curtiss- 374-6737, email: shawsa@westinghouse. Contact: Craig Irish, telephone: Wright Corporation (CW), is a publicly com. (978) 250.1684, fax: (978) 250-0245 held company founded in 1929 with over email: [email protected]. 7,500 employees worldwide. Scientech is SMR an industry leader in PRA and has long Westinghouse Electric Company Certifi cation and extensive experience in performing and Ameren Missouri have entered into SCHOTT Electronic Packaging all aspects of PRA analyses for U.S. an agreement to respond collaboratively has announced at Nuclear Industry China and international nuclear plants (www. to the United States Department of 2012 in Beijing that it has received scientech.cwfc.com). Energy (DOE) Funding Opportunity the nuclear ASME-NPT and Material Contact: Bruce Ross, telephone: Announcement (FOA) for developing Organization certifi cations for its plant (212) 768-1155, email: bruceross@aol. and licensing the Westinghouse Small in Landshut (Germany), producing com. Modular Reactor (SMR). hermetic glass-to-metal sealed Electrical Under the terms of the agreement, Penetration Assemblies (EPA). Safety is Fuel Assemblies Ameren Missouri will become part of vital in the nuclear industry and suppliers Westinghouse Electric Company and co-chair a Westinghouse-led Utility are required to comply with the highest has completed fabrication of all 157 Participation Group (UPG) made up of standards. fuel assemblies and related components Missouri utilities, non-Missouri utilities ® This certifi cation allows SCHOTT to needed to operate the fi rst-ever AP1000 and industrial fi rms interested in seeking supply Electrical Penetration Assemblies nuclear power plant, Sanmen Unit 1, in the DOE funds to develop and license the (EPAs) as quality assured materials to Zhejiang province, China. Westinghouse SMR technology, which nuclear power plants programs globally. Completion of fabrication is a major includes a phased economic development Many countries follow the ASME world- milestone for Westinghouse and its approach associated with the SMR class standards, providing compliance for Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility in program for the State of Missouri. all international markets whose standards Columbia, South Carolina, where the fuel Upon securing DOE support, mirror ASME’s requirements. assemblies were completed and delivered Westinghouse and Ameren Missouri Contact: Barbara Augenblick, email: to the Sanmen Nuclear Power Company will then work collectively to seek [email protected]. (also in Columbia) for later shipment to Design Certifi cation of the Westinghouse China. Sanmen Unit 1 is scheduled to SMR and a combined construction and PRA begin generating electricity in 2013. operating license with the U.S. NRC URS Corporation, a global provider Contact: Scott Shaw, telephone: (412) for the Westinghouse SMR at Ameren of engineering, construction and technical 374-6737, email: shawsa@westinghouse. Missouri’s Callaway site. services and Scientech, a business unit of com. Contact: Scott Shaw, telephone: (412) Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company, 374-6737, email: shawsa@westinghouse. have reached an agreement to jointly com. provide seismic, external fl ood and other
12 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 1212 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:0110:11:01 AAMM Alpha Sweet!
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 1414 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:0510:11:05 AAMM Shielding Devices Storage project...all within a safe, zero- New Products, Siempelkamp’s scope of delivery injury culture. includes stationary shielding such as This kind of experience and track Services & TX1S shielding components, cascades record has made Aecon a trusted supplier and shielding slabs, raising and sliding to nuclear power producers. It’s also Contracts partitions, shielding doors, gates, barriers helped us secure several long-term and partitions, in addition to shielding master service agreements with many New Products bells as shipping casks for fi lling with longstanding clients in key sectors of the dismantled core units. Siempelkamp Canadian economy. In the nuclear power manufactures customer-specifi c designs sector, these trusted partnerships are BloxR especially - and increasingly - important. A Salt Lake City, Utah based from cast iron and steel in desired Aecon maintains a NUC-C nuclear innovative shielding and design company, dimensions and thicknesses. The shields quality management system certifi ed to Bloxr Corporation, has developed a can also be plated with high grade steel. CSA N285.0, and in compliance with revolutionary new attenuation sheet called An optimal shielding effect is aimed for CSA N286.1, CSA N286.3 and CSA BloxR. In laboratory testing utilizing plant-specifi c design using recognized N286.4 requirements. Aecon is also ISO a Cobalt-60 source, BloxR attenuation software. 9001:2000 certifi ed and recently received sheets performed better than comparable Contact: John Mageski, telephone: N-Stamp certifi cation from the ASME for lead shielding products at less than (925) 932-4000, email: john.mageski@ the fabrication of nuclear components for 70% of the weight. BloxR is fl exible, siempelkamp.com. the U.S. and world markets. light weight, and contains no hazardous Some of Aecon’s capabilities are: full constituents. Search BloxR on YouTube. Services EPC construction services, outage support The company is currently performing and maintenance services, refurbishment a wide variety of fi eld and laboratory Nuclear Projects solutions, fabrication of process piping, tests seeking to measure performance Aecon’s experience in the Canadian steel solutions, and data acquisition and results commonly required by the nuclear nuclear power sector stretches back to control systems. industry. The Company is also seeking the early 1970s. Since then, Aecon has Contact: James Gandhi, telephone: input from the industry regarding bench successfully executed a broad spectrum (519) 740-7477, email: jgandhi@aecon. tests and desired applications. BloxR is of projects, including construction of com. expected to be manufactured in sheets, Ontario’s Bruce ‘B’ Heavy Water Plant powder, fl owable fi ll, resin, paint, and and the Darlington Used Fuel Dry (Continued on page 16) other physical forms. Contact: Bryan Melchior, telephone: (801) 230-7886. Casks and Containers Siempelkamp Nukleartechnik, Germany, develops and manufactures transport and storage casks and containers for the nuclear sector for the handling of radioactive materials. The range of materials extends from a range of casting qualities to granulate concrete and steel. The range of services is completed with authorization to conduct design pattern testing at Siempelkamp. The required verifi cations of suitability for transport and storage of casks have been successfully completed at manufacturing sites for over 30 design patterns. All cask and container types can also be manufactured with the addition of recycling material from the CARLA melting plant in Germany that has been recycled from nuclear dismantling. This highly economical form of recycling is an ideal way to combine savings on resources and savings on interim storage and fi nal disposal volumes. Contact: John Mageski, telephone: (925) 932-4000, email: john.mageski@ siempelkamp.com.
Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 15
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 1515 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:0910:11:09 AAMM management, environmental restoration, period in addition to a potential fi ve-year Services... decontamination and decommissioning, extension. Continued from page 15 new build construction, and radiological The overall mission of the WIPP protection, safety and industrial hygiene is to protect human health and the capability to our clients. The Company environment by safe management, operates four fi xed based nuclear waste retrieval, characterization and disposal of treatment facilities and provides the most defense-related wastes. comprehensive mixed waste management The contract is expected to begin NDE services nationwide. October 1, 2012, following a transition Anatec-LMT performs testing Contact: Anne Smith, telephone: period. and inspection services for commercial (865) 342-7668, email: asmith@perma- Contact: Aimee Mills, telephone: nuclear power plants to ensure safety, fi x.com. (434) 522-3802, email: aemills@ operational soundness and compliance babcock.com. with regulatory codes. Waste Handling Anatec-LMT provides technologies Siempelkamp supplies plants and Simulator Upgrade and techniques for non-destructive facilities for the handling of solid, liquid L-3 MAPPS has won a contract examination (NDE) and testing of and gaseous radioactive waste. from Pacifi c Gas and Electric Company systems and components in nuclear power Siempelkamp’s service package is (PG&E) to upgrade the Diablo Canyon plants. NDE services support both in- customer-specifi c and includes the plan- Power Plant (DCPP) Operator Training service inspections to satisfy regulatory ning and conceptualization, the licensing Simulator (OTS). Work is underway now, requirements and decision-making by procedures, the manufacturing, delivery with project completion expected by the nuclear plant operators concerning the on- and installation, cold and hot commis- fourth quarter of 2013. going reliability, operability and safety of sioning, service and documentation of The Diablo Canyon OTS upgrade nuclear systems and equipment. Anatec- the system. project involves rehosting the legacy LMT services also include quality control Contact: John Mageski, telephone: simulation models to modern simulation inspections, development of programs (925) 932-4000, email: john.mageski@ servers based on PC/Windows technology in support of ASME Code compliance, siempelkamp.com. with L-3’s Orchid Simulator Executive to and training and qualifi cation of NDE manage the models. technicians. Contracts Contact: Sean Bradley, telephone: Contact: Sharon Dey, telephone: (514) 787-4953. (703) 286-2011, email: sdey@ Fuel Assemblies curtisswright.com. AREVA and EDF have signed Underwater Laser Beam an agreement for the supply of fuel Welding Testing assemblies and related services for 2013 Westinghouse has been awarded a Edgen Murray Nuclear uses and 2014. contract to apply the Underwater Laser surveyed and approved state-of-the-art The two groups have also decided Beam Welding process (ULBW) at subcontracted laboratories for all testing to negotiate a medium to long-term Progress Energy’s Robinson Nuclear on Commercial Grade Dedication and framework agreement on the production Plant in Hartsville, S.C. This will be the ASME Code Upgrade materials. Edgen of fuel elements that reinforce the strategic fi rst application of the ULBW process, Murray Nuclear also offers Niton partnership between AREVA and EDF in which has been applied previously in XL3t 900S Alloy Analyzer technology, the supply of nuclear fuel. Japan, at a U.S. nuclear plant. verifying that materials are in compliance The agreement signed and the one Developed jointly by Westinghouse with applicable specifi cations. currently under negotiation provide and majority owner Toshiba Corporation A member of several key industry AREVA with a clearer picture of its future in a collaborative effort, the ULBW organizations, Edgen Murray makes it production program. process applies stress corrosion, a priority to stay abreast of codes and Contact: Patricia Marie, telephone: cracking-resistant weld metal – under standards that can change quickly, as 33 0 1 34 96 12 15, email: press@areva. water – onto the inside diameter surface well as global infl uences on the nuclear com. of aged components, serving as a method market. of mitigation and repair. The laser beam’s Contact: Adam Strange, telephone: Waste Isolation Plant precise heat and dilution controls result in (225) 756-9868, email: adam.strange@ The Babcock & Wilcox Company consistent weld quality and high deposit edgenmurray.com. (B&W) announced that Nuclear Waste purity. Partnership LLC has been awarded a At Robinson Unit 2, the process Environmental Services contract from the U.S. Department of will be applied to reactor vessel nozzle Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Energy for management and operations dissimilar metal welds during the fall Inc. is a nuclear services company and at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) provider of nuclear waste management in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Babcock & 2013 outage. services. The Company’s nuclear waste Wilcox Technical Services Group, Inc. Contact: Scott Shaw, telephone: (412) services include management and (B&W TSG) is a team member of Nuclear 374-6737, email: shawsa@westinghouse. treatment of radioactive and mixed waste Waste Partnership, which is led by URS. com. for the commercial nuclear industry. The contract has an estimated value The Company’s nuclear services group of $1.3 billion over a 10-year period, provides project management, waste which includes an initial fi ve-year
16 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 1717 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:1410:11:14 AAMM New Documents
EPRI 3. Carbon-14 Dose Calculation to identify and respond to potential 1. Utilization of the EPRI Depletion Methods at Nuclear Power Plants. releases by augmenting the traditional Benchmarks for Burnup Credit Product ID: 1024827. Published April, monitoring methods currently used. Validation. Product ID: 1025203. 2012. Published April, 2012. Carbon-14 (C-14) is a naturally The above EPRI documents may be Pressurized water reactor (PWR) occurring isotope of carbon produced by ordered by contacting the Order Center burnup credit validation is demonstrated cosmic radiation interactions in the upper at (800) 313-3774 Option 2 or email at using the benchmarks for quantifying atmosphere. Nuclear weapons testing [email protected]. fuel reactivity decrements, published as in the 1950s and 1960s signifi cantly Benchmarks for Quantifying Fuel Re- increased the amount of C-14 in the Nuclear Regulatory activity Depletion Uncertainty, Electric atmosphere. C-14 is also produced Commission Power Research Institute (EPRI) report in commercial nuclear reactors, but 1022909. This demonstration uses the the amounts produced are much less NUREG 1. NUREG-2117, Practical Implemen- depletion module TRITON (Transport than those produced naturally or from tation Guidelines for SSHAC Level 3 Rigor Implemented with Time-Depen- weapons testing. C-14 is released and 4 Hazard Studies. Published April, dent Operation for Neutronic Depletion) through permitted effl uent pathways of a 2012. available in the SCALE 6.1 (Standard- nuclear power plant. This report provides ized Computer Analyses for Licensing the current industry best practices for the The information in this NUREG Evaluations) code system, followed by estimation of site-specifi c dose to the is based on recent efforts to capture criticality calculations using KENO-V.a public from C-14 in nuclear power plant the lessons learned in the Probabilistic and MCNP (Monte Carlo N-Particle gaseous effl uents. Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA) studies Transport Code System). that have been undertaken using the 4. Advanced Technology for SSHAC Guidelines. As a companion to 2. Plant Engineering: Advanced Nuclear Groundwater Protection: Automatic NUREG/CR-6372 (Recommendations Plant Cable System Design and Installation Tools and In Situ Sensors for for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Concepts to Assure Longevity. Product ID: Groundwater Monitoring. Product ID: Analysis: Guidance on Uncertainty and 1025066. Published April, 2012. 1024829. Published April, 2012. Use of Experts), this NUREG provides Although the electrical cable This report documents the evaluation additional practical implementation systems for existing nuclear power plants of automatic and in situ groundwater guidelines consistent with the framework have functioned well for up to 40 years, monitoring technologies for application and higher-level guidance of the Senior the desired service life for new plants at nuclear power plant (NPP) sites. The Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee is 60 or more years. Experience with project studies the state of technology (SSHAC) Guidelines. existing plants indicates that relatively of automatic and in situ groundwater 2. NUREG-2150, A Proposed Risk small changes during the design and monitoring technologies and assesses Management Regulatory Framework. construction of nuclear plants will lead whether they can be used to enhance Published April, 2012. to longer cable system lives and greater the current groundwater monitoring ease of testing and assessment of cables capabilities at NPPs. Technologies The report describes a proposed risk to verify their remaining service life. for automatically detecting tritium management regulatory approach that This report describes those changes and technologies that monitor non- could be used to improve consistency and provides recommendations for radiological groundwater characteristics among the NRC’s various programs their implementation. The report is not were explored. The ability to monitor and discusses implementing such a a standalone guide for the design of using real-time technologies or framework for specifi c program areas. nuclear plant cable systems. automated sensors would enable NPPs The above NRC documents can be obtained from the NRC Public Document Room, telephone: (301)415-4737, fax: 301-415-3548, website: http://www.nrc. gov/reading-rm/pdr.html.
18 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 1818 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:1910:11:19 AAMM Meeting & Training Calendar
1. Web-Based Radiation Course, July 9, 8. Radiation Protection Forum, August 15. Electric Power Research Institute 2012, Contact: Nilda Cinco, Illinois 5-8, 2012, The Westin Boston International Decommissioning and Institute of Technology, Chicago, Waterfront, Boston, Massachusetts. Radioactive Waste Management telephone: (630) 682-6035, email: Contact: Linda Wells, Nuclear Workshop, October 23-25, 2012, [email protected], website: pl.iit.edu/ Energy Institute, telephone: (202) Rome, Italy. Contact: Linda Nelson, radiation. 739-8039, email: [email protected]. telephone: (518) 374-8190, email: [email protected]. 2. 53rd Annual Meeting of the Institute 9. International Youth Nuclear Congress. of Nuclear Materials Management August 5-8, 2012, Westin Charlotte, 16. 2012 American Nuclear Society INMM, July 15-19, 2012, Orlando, Charlotte, North Carolina. Contact: Winter Meeting, November 11- Florida. Contact: telephone: (847) Linda Wells, Nuclear Energy 15, 2012, Town & Country Hotel 480-9573, email: [email protected]. Institute, telephone: (202) 739-8039, & Resort, San Diego, California. email: [email protected]. Contact: website: www.new.ans.org/ 3. U.S. Women in Nuclear, July15- meetings. 18, 2012, Swan and Dolphin Hotel, 10. 2012 Nuclear Information Man- Orlando, Florida. Contact: Nuclear agement Conference, August 12-15, 17. European Nuclear Conference, Energy Institute, telephone: (202) 2012, JW Marriott Resort and Spa, December 9-12, 2012, Manchester, 739-8000, email: conferences@nei. Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada. Con- United Kingdom. Contact: Kirsten org. tact: Jane Hannum, telephone: (603) Epskamp, European Nuclear Society, 432-6476, email: [email protected]. email: [email protected], 4. Electric Power Research Institute website: www.euronuclear.org/events/ Boiling Water Reactor and Pressurized 11. Topfuel 2012, September 2-6, 2012, enc.enc2012. Water Reactor Materials Reliability Manchester, United Kingdom. Conference and Exhibit, July 16-19, Contact: Kirsten Epskamp, European 2012, National Harbor, Maryland. Nuclear Society, email: enc2012@ Annual Contact: Linda Nelson, telephone: euronuclear.o9rg, website: www. Editorial (518) 374-8190, email: Lnelson@ euronuclear.org/events/enc.enc2012. toplanahead.com. Schedule 12. 12th International Conference on 5. 8th International Topical Meeting Radiation Shielding and 17th Topical January-February on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Meeting of the Radiation Protection International Trade & Control, and Human-Machine and Shielding Division of ANS, Waste & Fuel Interface Technologies, July 22-26, September 2-7, 2012, Nara, Japan. Management 2012, The Westin San Diego, San Contact: Atomic Energy Society of March-April Diego, California. Sponsored by: Japan, email: offi ce@icrs12. Plant Maintenance & Plant Life American Nuclear Society. Contact: Extension website: npic-hmit.ans.org. 13. 6th Annual RadWaste Summit, May-June September 4-7, 2012, Las Vegas, Outage Mgmt. & Health Physics 6. American Society of Mechanical Nevada. Contact: Exchange Monitor, July-August Engineer’s 2012 International telephone: (877) 303-7367. New Plants & Vendor Advertorial Conference on Nuclear Engineering September-October (ICONE), July 30-August 3, 2012, 14. 37th World Nuclear Association Plant Maintenance & Anaheim, California. Contact: Annual Symposium, September 12- Advanced Reactors telephone: (212) 591-7786. 14, 2012, Central Hall, Westminster, November-December London. Contact: telephone: 44 0 20 Annual Product & 7. Nuclear Fuel Supply Forum, July 7451 1520, fax: 44 0 20 7839 1501. Service Directory 31, 2012, The Westin Georgetown Hotel, Washington, D.C. Contact: Contact: Linda Wells, Nuclear Energy [email protected] Institute, telephone: (202) 739-8039, telephone: (630) 364-4780 email: [email protected].
Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 19
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 1919 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:1910:11:19 AAMM validated the integration of their individual Dedication Methodology Research & products with the algorithm. for Computer Programs Contact: Phung Tran, telephone: The guidance document, available Development (650) 855-2158, email: [email protected]. by summer 2012, is expected to receive regulatory endorsement for use in the Nondestructive acceptance of design and analysis 3D Job Planning Evaluation Modeling and software. and Dose Estimation Simulation Center EPRI is fi nalizing a guidance Prototype The center is applying advanced document for the acceptance of computer EPRI is integrating a three- modeling and simulation techniques to programs using commercial grade item dimensional radiological algorithm with address complex inspection reliability dedication methodology. This is the fi rst commercial imaging platforms to develop issues, such as the need for a qualifi ed EPRI document to specifi cally address the a tool that will help plan nuclear plant procedure for tapered dissimilar metal use of dedication methodology to accept outage activities and minimize worker weld geometries. products that are not plant structures, dose. The new capabilities being developed systems or components (SSCs). The Nuclear plant radiation surveys are through the Nondestructive Evaluation Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) plans to used by the radiation protection group to (NDE) Modeling and Simulation Center submit the document to the U.S. Nuclear develop worker dose estimates, establish are expected to reduce the time, cost and Regulatory Commission for endorsement control measures, and brief workers complexity of approaches used to develop because it addresses current regulatory on the radiological conditions they and demonstrate NDE techniques to meet expectations for the acceptance of design will encounter when entering the work regulatory requirements and industry and analysis software. environment. These surveys, however, are commitments. The methodology is based on previous usually limited in scope, confi ned to two One of the ways in which modeling EPRI guidance for the dedication of dimensions, and provide little information and simulation can improve inspection commercial grade items and for accepting about dose variations with elevation. procedures is by condensing the number commercial grade digital equipment for Using a variety of advanced technologies, of physical parameters that need to be use in safety-related applications. The three-dimensional information can now be investigated. A few of the key elements document also builds on guidance from estimated to enhance the value of typical that typically need to be defi ned in a single NEI’s Nuclear Information Technology radiation surveys. examination procedure include: inspection Strategic Leadership group, which forms EPRI has developed a subroutine method, probe, wedge, beam angles and the basis for many utilities’ current using the three-dimensional aspects of skews, time response window, inspection software acceptance programs. radiological conditions to estimate dose path and direction. Modeling and Important new concepts include rates for locations where workers will simulation can assess many combinations changes in the terminology used to classify be standing. The subroutine is not a of these to determine the optimum software, and a description of elements of standalone application; its full benefi ts confi guration, without the need for a the dedication technical evaluation process will be realized when it is integrated with range of time-consuming experiments. In that may not be included in verifi cation third-party simulation software packages. addition, modeling and simulation can be and validation programs previously used The project team – comprising EPRI, used to extend procedures qualifi ed for one to accept computer programs. Some utility experts, FIATECH, and several component to other similar components, existing programs may require changes to software vendors – has developed three eliminating the need to build mockups that effectively implement the new guidance. versions of a 3D imaging-based prototype can cost millions of dollars. In addition to providing commercial for accurately planning work and estimating The NDE Modeling and Simulation grade dedication techniques for accepting worker dose. The 3D imaging platforms Center used mathematical tools to augment safety-related design and analysis in these prototypes incorporate the EPRI an existing, qualifi ed EPRI procedure computer programs, the EPRI document dose rate algorithms, which use precise for non-tapered DMW components. includes guidance for determining worker positions, task durations, survey EPRI analysis also helped in selecting the safety classifi cation of computer data, and technician knowledge of areas transducers, wedges and other essential programs used in the design and analysis with sources of radioactivity to estimate parameters to achieve the optimum of safety-related plant SSCs. The safety the dose rates and dose for various work qualifi cation and fi eld application classifi cation methodology can potentially activities. The EPRI algorithm is intended methods. This approach avoided possible reduce the scope of programs that require for use with traditional survey or real-time failed empirical trials that could impact acceptance via the dedication process. dose rate data and mild to signifi cant dose inspection schedules. Contact: Marc Tannenbaum, gradients. EPRI validated the algorithm Contact: Mark Dennis, telephone: telephone: (704) 595-2609, email: in a 2011 pilot-scale demonstration using (704) 595-2648, email: mdennis@epri. [email protected]. data from a Midwest nuclear plant, and com. more recently, the 3D software vendors Source: Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) Nuclear Executive Update, March, 2012.
20 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2121 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:2210:11:22 AAMM A Cornerstone for Ensuring Safety By Laurent Stricker, World Association of Nuclear Operators. 1. What new ideas have been introduced One project is to conduct an by WANO since the Shenzhen, China assessment of each WANO Region and Laurent Stricker Biennial General Meeting (BGM) in London. This project is well underway Laurent Stricker was elected chairman October 2011? with one Regional Centre assessment of the WANO (World Association of Through the Japan Atomic Industrial already complete (Atlanta Centre). All Nuclear Operators) Governing Board in Forum 2012 Conference, participants fi ve assessments will be completed in January 2009. from suppliers, opera- 2012. tors and other organi- The WANO goal for all of the Laurent Stricker zations from all over Commission recommendations is to has been Head of the world have come demonstrate signifi cant progress by the Nuclear Operations together to discuss May 2013 BGM in Moscow, and complete (CNO) at EDF for and decide how we implementation by the 2015 BGM. six years from 1999 can recover the trust to 2005. He was of the people and 3. What is the structure of cooperation responsible for the how to safely restart between WANO and IAEA? operation of the nuclear power plants During its June 2011 General French nuclear fl eet currently in shut Conference one of the 12 IAEA action – 58 nuclear units, down in Japan. plans items, decided by IAEA members, representing a Taking such is to have a strong cooperation with generating capacity factors into account, WANO. IAEA has a leading role in of approximately WANO will keep ensuring the safety of nuclear power 63,000 MW – with on improving its plants in the world. In my view, IAEA is a staff of about approach decided the best placed organization to check the 20,000 people. at the Shenzhen specifi c regulator’s quality of work. There conference in is no other organization which is capable China in October of checking the work of the regulator of 2011 in cooperation with the IAEA, a specifi c nation. IAEA has a binding Federation of Electric Power Companies role in case of nonproliferation; however, of Japan (FEPC), and other international it is not so in case of ensuring safety of institutions. nuclear power plants. The resilience of the plants is as WANO’s membership is voluntary important as its safety. Resilience implies for the utilities; however, all utilities all that in case an accident occurs and over the world are currently members of the core is damaged, then it should be WANO. Members have obligations to contained without severe consequences WANO. Members are obligated to provide affecting the public. information to WANO and cooperate in the peer review by WANO. In case of lack 2. What progress has been made by of cooperation with WANO, a member WANO since the BGM ? is liable to lose its membership. WANO Signifi cant progress has already is an association of its members and occurred. Twelve individual projects its members are obligated to follow its are underway to implement the fi ve rules. This guideline has been mandated recommendations, all led by a WANO in voting at the Shenzhen conference in Regional Directors or London Programme 2011. Director. Project teams have been formed to help implement most of these projects. 4. The organizations guardians of The project teams consist of executives safety are INRA, WENRA, IAEA, and and managers from WANO’s members WANO. How will WANO coordinate with and experienced WANO staff. Progress these and other organization to ensure An Interview by Newal Agnihotri, Editor on all project areas is being monitored by harmonization and benchmarking? of Nuclear Plant Journal at the JAIF a Governing Board oversight committee. Annual Conference in Tokyo, Japan, on (Continued on page 24) April 20, 2012.
22 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2222 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:2410:11:24 AAMM GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2323 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:3210:11:32 AAMM A Cornerstone... Continued from page 22
WANO’s primary coordination of best nuclear safety culture practices Recommendation 4 of the Post- is with IAEA as described below. amongst members. Through WANO, Fukushima Commission deals with The IAEA is in the best position as a members are encouraged to exchange Visibility and Transparency. A project government organisation to coordinate useful concepts, approaches and tools team has been established to focus on with national regulators. However, that can help support efforts to improve how WANO will increase both its public WANO is communicating frequently the nuclear safety culture at stations visibility, and transparency among members. WANO faces the challenge of balancing the need for confi dentiality with the need to be more publicly visible. The work of this project team is well underway and the fi rst edition of a new report detailing members’ participation in WANO activities is expected to be available in early 2013.
7. What is WANO’s focus on mitigation of an accident? In Shenzhen, it was also decided to focus on mitigation of an accident in addition to the safety of nuclear power plants. For mitigation, WANO has to focus on emergency organizations, and our team of experts is ready to check the procedure and to check the quality of training. WANO will also set up an organization in collaboration with This refers to the complementary nature of all organisations that play a role IAEA, INPO, organizations in Japan, in ensuring safe and reliable nuclear plant operation. These include the national and in other countries in order to provide regulators, international organisations mainly like the IAEA, and WANO. equipment and to provide experts from Nuclear safety is best served when all of these organisations are strong and work the operators. in harmony. 8. What is the scope of “mitigation” with national regulators and regulators’ and corporate headquarters. Essentially activity, which I believe has been organisations like INRA to describe every WANO activity looks at safety added to WANO’s scope of work after who we are and what we do, but not to culture in one way or another. Peer Fukushima? share confi dential member performance reviews, which form the backbone of Several of the projects that are information. WANO programmes, pay particular underway deal directly with expanding attention to safety culture during their WANO’s scope to include mitigation. 5. How does WANO plan to ensure that thorough on-site reviews. The WANO There is a project team addressing individuals utilities worldwide develop a corporate peer review is also an effective how to add emergency preparedness to healthy “safety culture”? and important tool to assess the infl uence all four of WANO’s programmes, for WANO’s Principles for a Strong that the corporate organisation has on the example. In addition, a second project Nuclear Safety Culture provides an safety culture of the entire organisation. team is looking into how WANO will important framework for discussions and ensure the severe accident management assessments of a plants’ safety culture. 6. What is WANO’s plan to ensure lessons from Fukushima have been WANO encourages the benchmarking transparency from each of its members, in adopted by all members. Finally, several view of Fukushima, to ensure that every plant worldwide is operated safely?
24 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2424 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:3310:11:33 AAMM of the WANO Signifi cant Operating and the weaknesses of different regional assessment is particularly important Experience Reports (SOERs) deal centers. during pre-startup peer reviews, where directly with implementing mitigation Our organization is recognized the primary goal is to ensure operators lessons learned. as an important organization by the are thoroughly trained and qualifi ed to operators because at the end of the day run the new plant or unit safely. 9. Does WANO plan to have a the nuclear safety responsibility lies with An extremely important aspect of decentralized operation through its the operators. Secondly it is desired that this training is the transfer of operating regional centers, or centralized operation the international cooperation increase experience as the older generation retires or a combination of both? and thirdly the commitment of the CEOs from our nuclear plants and is replaced WANO’s operation will be a is the cornerstone of ensuring safety of by a strong and capable younger combination of both. WANO needs nuclear power plants worldwide. workforce, who has not experienced the to have regional centers to take into same lessons from the past. account the region’s culture, at the 10. What is WANO’s plan to ensure that We have an obligation to this same time WANO needs to improve the nuclear power plants worldwide younger generation to make sure they do the consistency between the different are operated only by qualifi ed and not repeat the mistakes we made. regions in order to have the same level of experienced staff? quality at all regions. As I said, WANO Every WANO peer review assesses Contact: Claire Newell, World has started the assessment of the four the training, experience and profi ciency Association of Nuclear Operators, centers and the London offi ce and we of plant staff, and identifi es any areas telephone: 44 (0) 20 7495 9242, email: plan to complete the assessment by end of concern for the plant to address. This [email protected]. of this year in order to see the strength
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2525 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:3510:11:35 AAMM 1. Based on Japan’s Fukushima The international nuclear community, Safety experience and based on your including governmental organizations international experience at IAEA, how and industry of nuclear power countries, can the Japanese regulatory agency help as well as IAEA and WANO, is expected in Post- build public confi dence? to further strengthen their support to The AEC is not a regulatory body newcomers in helping infrastructure- Fukushima and, by statute, its function does not building, including Human Resources, include safety-related activities. for safe and reliable operation of NPPs. Era New regulatory position is By Akira Omoto, Tokyo Institute of formulated for protection against natural 3. How will the IAEA be able to Technology. hazard, Station Blackout, and Loss of enhance safety of nuclear power plants Ultimate Heat Sink, and for improvement worldwide in post-Fukushima era? Akira Omoto of Severe Accident Management in I think the IAEA’S comprehensive Akira Omoto is the Project Professor the light of Fukushima accident. Also, action plan endorsed by the last General at Tokyo Institute of Technology and the country is taking Conference described how it intends the Commissioner steps to gain public to enhance nuclear safety globally. of Atomic Energy trust to nuclear This plan includes a wide spectrum of Commission (AEC) safety regulation by measures including safety standards, of Japan. Before separating Nuclear emergency preparedness, legal assuming the and Industrial Safety framework, dissemination of information current position, he Agency (NISA) and others. was Director of the from Ministry of In direct relevance to your point on Division of Nuclear Economy, Trade plant safety, my personal view is that the Power of the IAEA. and Industry IAEA will specifi cally be able; Before that, he had (METI) and giving a) To promote review of standard served for TEPCO. independence from designs such as GRSR (Generic Reactor By education, he is promotional side Safety Review). a nuclear engineer. as well as from b) To strengthen its role in the He graduated from political pressure. review of specifi c sites and designs of the University of One important the new plants to be built in new nuclear Tokyo and received issue will be tech- countries. his doctoral degree nical expertise of Since such review missions are from the same university. the staff members of the new regulatory invited by host countries, the IAEA body so that the new Agency will be able cannot force those newcomer countries to make informed decision by giving top to do so. It will be benefi cial to create priority to safety, since, in the Japanese an atmosphere that newcomer countries Government system, staff members ro- really recognize benefi ts from inviting tate frequently. Changing this system such international missions for or cooperation with and support from confi dence building with the neighbors Technical Support Organization (TSO) as well as within the country. will help alleviate this competence issue. Nevertheless, it is clear that outsourcing 4. Can the IAEA become an to TSO does not solve everything. International Regulator? I do not think so. Unlike safeguard, 2. Any accident anywhere in the world, nuclear safety belongs to national affects the entire industry worldwide. responsibility. It is the national regulators, How you believe the “new countries” not the IAEA, that protect the public and interested in nuclear energy can be made environment of the nation from harmful to ensure the safety of their power plants, effect of radiation through day-by-day despite their new regulatory agency and activities such as setting regulatory despite their lack of experience? standards, licensing, inspection and The accident at the Fukushima NPP others. In my memory, there had been a has shown, unfortunately once again, the discussion about super regulator, beyond An Interview by Newal Agnihotri, magnitude of socio-economic impact national regulators. However, I do not Editor of Nuclear Plant Journal at the of nuclear reactor accident. I guess the think this is possible. Instead, the IAEA Atomic Energy Commission, Japan's “new countries” understood what is is helping strengthen the effectiveness headquarters in Tokyo, Japan on April meant by “responsible use” very well 17, 2012. from this accident.
26 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2626 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:3810:11:38 AAMM of national regulatory bodies through New regulatory agency will see SAM (Severe Accident Management) IRRS (Integrated Regulatory Review its implementation. In some countries against natural hazard, SBO (Station Services), establishing safety standards (especially Nordic), safety culture is Blackout), Loss of UHS (Ultimate Heat expecting Member States to adopt. a part of oversight by the regulatory Sink), and Terrorist attack as well as body in my understanding. Creation enhanced Safety culture. Nevertheless, 5. How can the international industry of new regulatory body by transferring the next severe accident, if it occurs, will collaborate to ensure safety of nuclear organizations (NISA from METI and not duplicate the same pattern. Human power plants worldwide? NSC) to MoE and functions (such as wisdom is expected to preemptively There are two elements; competition security from AEC) is planned, waiting address vulnerabilities by investigating and cooperation, but, without cooperation for enacting in the Diet. the root-cause of the accident and for better safety, the industry as a whole by using tools such as PSA to avoid will not be able to survive. 9. Concluding remarks. accident. Collaboration is possible in many I think the IAEA has established Regulation does not solve ways and is ongoing such as establishing a very good, comprehensive plan to everything. Safety is a primary consensus standards by experts such improve safety globally. I expect the responsibility of Operator. Operator’s as ASME/ANS standards. The IAEA nuclear safety will be improved by effort, by understanding responsible use Safety Standards including guides are implementing recommendations or and risk management, is of paramount vehicles for sharing good practices. action plans endorsed by the IAEA importance. member countries. The practical actions Contact: Akira Omoto, Room 777, 6. What role can be played by INRA, are already in place in many areas by Atomic Energy Commission, Central WENRA, WANO, IAEA, different owners learning from other country’s good Government Building No. 4, 3-1-1, groups, and other organizations to practices and learning lessons from Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, ensure safety of nuclear power plants Fukushima. But at the same time, as the Japan, 100-8970; email: akira.omoto@ worldwide? coordination of various organizations cao.go.jp. Depending on specifi c statute, will be important. Key issues will be how they can play different roles by not to enhance defense-in depth, especially duplicating each other. Maybe important in level 4 and 5, Protection by design and thing is sharing information. I know an example of IAEA and WANO.
7. What is your proposal for an international regulatory enforcement structure so that all the plants all over the world are cognizant of the “best practices” and are encouraged to implement these? The IAEA action plan is built to serve this purpose.
8. How is Japan implementing a new “safety culture”, which was indicated as a lesson learnt in its report to IAEA, which was submitted in September 2011. One example is creation of a new Industry organization like US INPO replacing Japan Nuclear Technology Institute (JANTI) was announced in Feb. 2012, which I hope will work to rebuild safety culture in the Industry/ Utility. Nevertheless, a new organization is just a vehicle. What it will do based on what fi ndings on safety culture problems by scrutinizing Fukushima accident is critically important. This is yet to be seen.
Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 27
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2727 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:3910:11:39 AAMM We Carry a Huge
Responsibility INEP³ (International Nuclear nuclear sector under the framework of By Dr. Kaoru Kikuyama, International Energy Public Private Partnership) was public private partnership. Therefore, I Nuclear Energy Public Private formed in June 2011 when we realized decided to bring in my old friends and Partnership. that we needed to do something to deal colleagues from the U.S. side to form with post-Fukushima. Obviously in my INEP³. We started discussing with the Kaoru Kikuyama view, everything was a mess. It created government, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Dr. Kaoru Kikuyama is Chairman of chaos. The nuclear industry lost public Agency (NISA) and others, while talking Board, International confi dence in Japan to Federation of Electric Power Companies Nuclear Energy and they never faced of Japan (FEPC), Tokyo Electric Power Public Private that kind of disaster Company (TEPCO). We tried to identify Partnership (INEP³) in a lifetime so they where the biggest issue was. Obviously since June 2011. didn’t know what to I knew and we found out that the basic INEP³ has been do and the Japanese area was the emergency management. formed in response government side Also the regulatory issue was another to post Fukushima, had so many challenge. Japanese regulatory system is consisting of issues to deal with more than 40 years old. It hasn’t changed associate companies and seemed to much. It’s very old fashioned. So we and individuals. be inexperienced need to modify our system, while we also She is a Business dealing with found out how poor the communication Development the issue of this was during the crisis. So we proposed that Executive for magnitude. The we could bring in U.S. expertise in public nuclear business world is watching communication in a crisis, regulatory at IBM Japan. and expects the Japanese nuclear sector system, and emergency response. Those Prior to joining IBM, Dr. Kikuyama to take the fastest remedy to revive pillars are the major subjects that INEP³ served in various positions at Japan public confi dence as quick as possible. In has been focused on. It’s almost been one Atomic Industrial Forum, including reality, the government nor industry has year since we started. This is not only a the representative at the Washington been unable to improve the damage at the Japanese issue. offi ce, Senior Director for International speed they were expected. Meanwhile, There are several countries which Program, etc.. She is a security and non- our reactors have to shut down one after may need our help in the very same fi eld proliferation expert by training, and she another for the periodic inspection. I even though they didn’t experience a big also specialized in communication and knew once they shut down, they wouldn’t disaster like we did. Countries, including climate change throughout her career come back for long. those introducing nuclear energy, require with JAIF. In Japan, when you re-open a reactor quite an effective communication after the inspection, you need a local system and very effective emergency approval, which is a very unique system. preparedness. Those are the countries I felt that the industry needs to take action we try to help. I’m afraid that in Japan to avoid the worst case scenario and also things are moving so slowly. I have IT the government needs to bring back the background so I realized that the speed public trust. Because of those situations, is so different in the nuclear industry I was thinking that having known people compared to others. I’m so concerned in the nuclear industry for a long time with the very slow, tedious process in and knowing the nuclear industry and changing the course. For example for government’s both weak and strong side, the government side, they are trying to if we could create some mechanism to build a new regulatory body which has facilitate the public private partnership been delayed because of the involved to address requirements, maybe things politics. But without a new regulatory could get better. From my experience. body how can we start re-opening nuclear I thought if we need to help the reactors. Everyone is concerned about This article is based on an Interview Japanese industry, I thought I have to rely the electricity shortage in this summer. by Newal Agnihotri, Editor of Nuclear on the collaboration with the American People working for the nuclear plants Plant Journal in Tokyo, Japan, on April (Continued on page 30) 19, 2012.
28 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2828 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:4010:11:40 AAMM Actuator maintenance: done in 20 minutes.
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 2929 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:4610:11:46 AAMM or another. That’s what we strongly People are going to ask you what your We Carry... recommend. But there is always an emergency response is. Where is your Continued from page 28 issue that if you communicate with the proper regulatory system in preventing public, you have to be very careful with and dealing with every sever accident? the language you use. That’s something How is the nuclear engineer going to that formed our training course. I often explain to them what they are doing? such as subcontractors are going to lose say in my presentation that the language Under the big emergency situation, how their jobs. Those engineers can be at and technical terms you are using, if can they bring our confi dence up in risk to lose their technical edge if the the public does not understand, then nuclear? Every vendor, manufacturer, situation sustained. We have been such that would be very counter effective. utility and government is prone to submit a leading nuclear country, and we were The communication means it’s not the to the same challenges after all. so proud of our technologies, but now no one sided message. The communication I think the most important thing which single reactor is in operation. The longer means that you make sure the other party has been missing in Japan is the attitude the reactors are taking to get re-opened, is listening to you and understands what to learn from the lessons. In the U.S. the worse outcome we can expect. The you are talking about. That was apparent nuclear industry, you have a corrective industry doesn’t seem to be taking enough when Fukushima happened. The industry action program. In Japan we do, but it is action to make things move faster either. and government explained every detail not effective enough. It is hard for people INEP³ believes that the Japanese nuclear of degrading reactors condition, but to admit their mistakes, which are the industry should be more aggressive. We unfortunately those are too complicated basis for the every industry and sector to cannot just rely on the government to fi x for the general public. So that made the survive. The nuclear industry’s regulation the problem. Even though the industry public more anxious about the situation. needs to be very tight and strong because and government is in a confl ict, it is the So the engineers needs to be trained how if anything goes wrong, it affects not only industry that has the signifi cant expertise to communicate. At the same time, an the local but global population. We in the in nuclear. The industry needs to bring in engineer should be aware that every one nuclear sector carry huge responsibility their precious knowledge and experience of them represents the nuclear industry. in every safety and operation issue. to be refl ected in a regulatory decision, For example, I was talking to the What is most important about just like they do in the United States. We industry in India recently that if you Fukushima for not only the Japanese have to be mature in the collaboration are a local community member and but the global industry is that we have with the government and both parties you have an issue with your plant, you to learn from the lesson. If we try to should share the sense of urgency in have to step forward. Don’t be shy, or dismiss or neglect the signifi cance of restarting reactors as the common agenda hide yourself behind the door. The CEO this experience, that’s not right at all. under the circumstances. We cannot let of the company cannot come to the Learning lessons depends on the people’s the public decide if they need nuclear village every single day to explain to the perception and background. Unless we or not. We have to be proactive to make community or build the relationship with are open to those lessons, we can never them decide. They know that Japan needs them. You are the one who is representing get the public confi dence back. We need nuclear to save their local economy and the company there in a sense. So you to be much more sincere and we need to to keep the national GDP. For that, we try better learn how to communicate and have much broader views in tackling the to assist. That’s our mission. be proactive in connecting to the local situation. You need to learn from other The accident was way beyond what the people. That’s the only way the public countries' best practice, and also you Japanese nuclear engineers experienced. will start having confi dence in you and need to communicate with the people We appreciate the commitment of people start having confi dence in the nuclear from different industries. Communicate from INPO, NRC, Exelon, AREVA, industry. Also, make the media as your with the public, communicate with other to name a few, stationed in Japan for neutral confi dant if not your friend. The industry people because they have a restoring the situation at Fukushima for third party messages tend to carry truths variety of thinking and totally different months. much louder than ours for both negative training based mind. If we are confi dent For INEP³, we are focused on and positive natures. enough ourselves then the public will the political or public communication These all require skills based on give you the confi dence. Now the nuclear aspect. So we did not think enough in the trainings, we have an associate people are totally shaken up and the the engineer’s role. As I said, since we’ve member specialized in a professional public senses it. Be more proactive. In been focused on three items which do communication training. This company order to get your confi dence back, you not necessarily involve engineering skills has a major share in training in the U.S. cannot do just business as usual, you have directly, but which indirectly relate to nuclear industry. They are going to to change. them, needless to say. We are going to be working with us so we are in good provide a training course to regulatory shape. Contact: Kaoru Kikuyama, INEP³, people and site managers for example. If you want to build new reactors in email: [email protected]. Every nuclear engineer needs to both developing and developed countries, communicate with the public one way you would face exactly the same issue.
30 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3030 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:4710:11:47 AAMM MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3131 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:4710:11:47 AAMM 1. How does the U.S. NRC train its staff in January 2011. The SCPS received with Safety Culture? Commission approval and it became A Spotlight The NRC’s Offi ce of Enforcement effective in June of 2011. The defi nition (OE) has the lead for external safety of safety culture and the nine traits that culture efforts with respect to the NRC’s describe safety culture, developed by on Safety Safety Culture Policy Statement (SCPS) representatives of our diverse group as well as for the Agency’s internal safety of regulated communities at an NRC Culture culture. We have a safety culture training workshop in February 2010, resonates By Diane Sieracki, U.S. Nuclear plan for the staff in OE. Our safety with our stakeholders as evidenced by Regulatory Commission. culture training plan includes reading and the support we received through public reviewing a series of safety-culture-related comments and feedback during outreach Diane Sieracki documents followed by a discussion with activities. Since the SCPC was effective Diane Sieracki is a Senior Safety their supervisor to ensure that there is a in June 2011, there has been interest in Culture Program Manager in the complete understanding. We also include the international community, as well. Offi ce of Enforcement (OE) at the U.S. formal training such as interview skills Nuclear Regulatory and focus group 3. Has NRC’s Safety Culture benefi tted Commission (NRC). training along with from other industries experience? She functions as on-the-job training The NRC staff has sponsored a the lead for the such as participation trilateral meeting with other government safety culture in safety culture agencies to share experience in the safety efforts related to the assessments. Some culture arena. We had DOE, NASA, FAA, external regulated of the review and a number of other entities in the U.S. communities in documents provide participate in this meeting. We followed the NRC’s Offi ce a history of safety up with a smaller meeting with NASA and of Enforcement. culture leading up to FAA. Each agency provided more detail Ms. Sieracki led the efforts involved into what their particular organization was the efforts for the in the development doing in safety culture, so each participant development and and issuance of the could learn from the others. We plan to publication of a SCPS. This ensures do the same later this year now that the Safety Culture that the staff will be SCPS has been published, so we are very Policy Statement familiar with what active with other regulators. (SCPS) applicable came before the to all licensees, policy statement. Our 4. How have we implemented the and continues to inspectors receive lessons learnt from other industries in coordinate the training related to our industry's Safety Culture? efforts to continue safety culture, along We’ve developed case studies for dialogue and education with external with many other topics, in their Inspector our licensees to learn from, examining stakeholders with respect to the SCPS Training Qualifi cations. That’s what events that have happened in other based on Commission direction. She is we do at the agency. The NRC does not industries, as well as our own regulated Involved in International safety culture have formal training requirements for the communities. We review the event as efforts with the International Atomic licensees in this area. The licensees’ staff well as the reports that were completed Energy Association (IAEA) and is would receive any type of training the by oversight or government agencies currently assisting with development of a licensees have through their own training and analyze the reports’ conclusions. Technical Document related to Oversight programs. We look at the traits in the SCPS as they of Safety Culture as well as other Report relate to the root causes and contributing Series documents related to safety 2. When did the U.S. NRC’s Safety factors of those events and we indicate culture. Culture come into being? where perhaps there was weak evidence This effort began in February of of safety culture traits which could have Ms. Sieracki has a Master Degree 2008. The Commission directed the contributed to the event or where there in Management and Organizational staff to consider a safety culture policy were evidence of strong safety culture Behavior. statement applicable to materials licensees traits that mitigated the consequences as well as our reactor licensees. After of the event or the severity of the event. nearly three years of work, including We have four case studies that have been workshops with stakeholders, the staff issued to date and have them posted on the An Interview by Newal Agnihotri, Editor published the draft SCPS in the Federal NRC’s safety culture web page. We have of Nuclear Plant Journal at NRC’s Register on two separate occasions to also developed a User Guide for the case Regulatory Information Conference 2012 seek public comments. The staff sent the studies that’s also available on the safety on March 14, 2012. SCPS to the Commission for approval culture webpage. This Guide assists the
32 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3232 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:5610:11:56 AAMM reader in understanding the purpose and in our oversight role with our licensees potential use of the case studies. This is and certifi cate holders taking the lead an ongoing project and we will continue in ensuring that they have a positive to develop additional case studies to learn safety culture. So we are doing a lot of from. communication. It’s not training with a capital T, it’s information sharing and 5. How do you access Safety Culture communication of our expectations information on U.S. NRC’s website? A competitor claims The best ways to fi nd those are on 7. Concluding remarks. that our radiological our safety culture web page. The NRC’s NRC Chairman Jaczko’s opening protection garments home page at nrc.gov includes a link for remarks at the Regulatory Information are adapted from safety culture on the left side of the page. Conference 2012, where he discussed cleanroom barrier That link will bring you to the safety the process of developing our SCPS. He textiles . . . culture page which has everything that supported the extensive outreach with, we’ve done in the area of safety culture and engagement of, our licensees in in OE. developing the SCPS. The process used, I believe, makes this a very strong policy Like that’s a 6. Is the Safety Culture policy statement statement. There was a signifi cant amount a required document? of “buy-in” and ownership for those that bad thing. It is a policy statement which is not participated from the various regulated a regulation. It represents the NRC’s communities. The support through We appreciate them bringing our pedi- expectations. The NRC’s role is to provide feedback and comments received was gree to your attention. We did in fact oversight for safety culture. The licensees overwhelmingly in support of the SCPS partner with premier textile universities and certifi cate owners own their safety defi nition and traits. It should be noted and mills when we developed ProTech. culture. It’s our expectation that they that we are seeing this continued interest And our sister cleanroom division, Uni- have a positive safety culture. The same and support as evidenced by the reactor Clean, keeps us abreast of cleanroom barrier advances, which mandate far holds true for anyone that they have on community’s involvement in working lower particle intrusion thresholds than site such as contractors, sub contractors, with NRC staff to further develop the the nuclear industry. vendors and suppliers. It really is their traits to provide a common language to responsibility to enforce it. speak from when the NRC and industry As I mentioned previously, there is are discussing safety culture. Industry broad support for the SCPS within our and NRC staff have participated in two regulated communities. The February workshops already and we’re intending 2010 workshop which resulted in the to continue to work with them so that development of the safety culture our documents can be changed and their defi nition and traits that you see in the documents can be changed so that the fi nal SCPS consisted of a panel of 16 language is something that when you walk individuals from not only the reactor into a facility and you talk about safety community, but also from areas such culture you’re talking the same language. as the medical fi eld, vendors, gauge We are encouraging other regulated manufacturers and non-destructive communities to have the same discussions. engineering. These representatives from We realize, and the SCPS notes, that some So when our rivals push disposable gar- the diverse communities believe in this of the nine traits will resonate with some ments, remember only ProTech gives SCPS and have been instrumental in licensees in a manner that they may not you high strength nylon that never rips bringing these concepts into their fi elds. with other licensees or certifi cate holders. out, no insulative heat stress (EPRI), no Our NRC staff has been continuing to Some of these communities may decide customer radwaste when leased, a 94% smaller carbon footprint, half the cost engage in broad range of activities to to further develop the traits to ensure per use, and tailoring that looks, fits, provide outreach and education to our greater understanding just as the reactor and performs like a real garment . . . regulated communities and feedback has community is doing. The interest level is because it is. continued to be positive. There is interest high and we are encouraged by that. and commitment to a positive safety culture. The NRC staff will continue to Contact: Diane Sieracki, ISO 9001 ISO 14001 conduct outreach and education and will U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, also assess the effectiveness of our efforts telephone: (301) 415-3297, email: diane. after an appropriate amount of time. [email protected]. We want our licensees and certifi cate holders to embrace these concepts and USA • Canada • Germany • UK • The Netherlands our expectations so that we can continue A subsidiary of UniFirst Corporation (800) 344-3824 • www.UniTechUS.com
Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 33
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3333 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:5810:11:58 AAMM 1. How did PRA evolve at the NRC? can we put in place to prevent an accident, There have been previous initiatives mitigate accidents, contain radioactive Reducing within the Commission going back to the materials even if the accident continues to 80’s and 90’s to increase the use of PRA progress because of equipment failures, or the Risk and other risk assessment tools within the human errors, or something unexpected By William Reckley, U.S. Nuclear agency. You can actually take it all the occurs. Risk assessments are a way to test Regulatory Commission. way back to the mid 70’s and the reactor whether the actions taken are providing safety study. The accident at Three Mile the desired level of protection. Whether Island in 1979 also highlighted that events you’ve put enough protections in place, that were not modeled explicitly within whether you need additional equipment, the design basis calculations should be or whether you need additional programs. William Reckley identifi ed and some measures taken to ad- So they aren’t independent at all, they are Mr. Reckley is currently serving on dress them. PRAs have been increasingly very closely related. the Risk Management Task Force used to supplement traditional design ba- being led by NRC sis or deterministic 4. Defi ne the scope of PRA Level 1, 2, Commissioner assessments and &3. Apostolakis. Prior more recently have You can look at them as a progression. to this appointment, in some cases been Level 1 PRA’s are primarily focusing Mr. Reckley was a the lead or primary on the reactor core. Level 2 PRA’s are branch chief in the assessment tech- looking at that radioactive material Advanced Reactor nique for regulatory getting from the reactor cooling system Program within decisions. into containment. Level 3 PRA is from the Offi ce of New the containment into the environment. Reactors, where 2. Has PRA been he was responsible applied in other 5. Has PRA level 3 been applied in the for developing industries? nuclear power industry? the licensing It has been There have been a number of Level infrastructure for used in other areas 3 PRAs performed. The reactor safety small and medium such as the space study in 1974 was a Level 3 PRA. It sized reactors – program and aviation modeled the radioactive material all the including the next industries. Obviously those programs had way from a possible accident within a generation nuclear plant (NGNP) to look for possible failures and what plant, to damage within the core, all the project. In addition to working on were the consequences of failures. These way through containment failures and numerous specifi c licensing activities, studies focused on how to prevent them the release of radioactive materials out Mr. Reckley has contributed to various and how to add redundancy and other into the environment and the modeling generic projects such as revising features to make sure that NASA missions of the impact on nearby areas. Then in emergency action levels, developing or airplanes operated safely. The nuclear the mid 1980’s there was another series the consolidated line item improvement industry, I think it is safe to say, has been a of Level 3 PRAs in the United States. process, and preparing guidance large contributor to the evolution of PRA. These evaluations were documented in documents for NRC staff, licensees, and While we’re not the only industry to use NUREG-1150 (Severe Accident Risks: applicants. these techniques, the nuclear industry has An Assessment for Five U.S. Nuclear been a big part of its development. Power Plants — Final Summary Report), Mr. Reckley holds a B.S. in Nuclear which studied several plants and did the Engineering from the University of 3. What is the difference between same calculation all the way through. Maryland. “Defense in Depth” and “Risk Now the Commission has directed the Assessment”? staff to do another Level 3 PRA and plant Defense in depth is a concept or Vogtle in Georgia has volunteered to philosophy that is built basically on the be the subject plant. That is just getting premise that you put multiple barriers and started. Those are the Level 3 PRAs that actions in place such that should you have the NRC has performed. There are a an event, there are levels of protections number of other Level 3 PRAs that have and you’re not reliant on a single activity been performed by individual companies or single program or piece of equipment and in the international arena. to protect the public from the possible An Interview by Newal Agnihotri, Editor exposure to radioactive materials. It’s of Nuclear Plant Journal at NRC’s really a philosophy to look and say what Regulatory Information Conference 2012 on March 15, 2012.
34 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3434 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:11:5910:11:59 AAMM 6. Have all questions raised in want to move in that direction, you have they are based on light-water technology, Commissioner Apostolakis’ presentation to have a PRA. So although operating the leap in terms of our regulations is not at RIC 2011 been answered? reactors aren’t required to have one, it’s as wide. Since they are under the new The questions posed during the safe to say nearly all, if not all, do have reactor licensing process, they will be RIC in 2011 were the initial questions some form of PRA for their plants. For required to have a PRA. Beyond that, they that the task force set up to help defi ne new reactors – those licensed under Part will likely have a PRA anyway because our efforts. We tried to address those 52 - the regulations were changed such in this day and age the PRA is factored questions and others through discussions that they are required to have a PRA and into the design process and searching and the answers or the feedback that provide a summary of the results in their for alternatives to see what is the best we’ve received from both NRC staff and safety analysis report. way to approach a problem. From our industry, we issued a Federal Register interactions, we think they are using PRA notice asking for comments, it was 8. What type of system is needed for as a tool for both design and licensing. published in November 2011 and we got PRA analysis? Then there is another set of small reactors responses from several industry groups It is not the days when you needed that are not based on light-water reactor and individuals. The general conclusion super computers from the national technologies. These are gas-cooled, is that the incorporation of risk informed laboratories to do most of this work. molten-salt, and liquid-metal-cooled methodologies into the NRC process has It’s not really beyond the scope of most reactor designs. They use PRA extensively generally been successful. To get into computer systems that utilities and NRC because the NRC’s regulations are based discussions whether it’s gone too far or it have and routinely use. on light-water reactor designs so PRA has hasn’t gone far enough is interesting and been a very useful tool to see how they varies by specifi c individual’s opinion. 9. What is the status of Task Force behave differently and what protections But the general reaction of everyone has Report announced at the RIC 2011? might be more appropriate than those been that it has helped NRC’s programs We are actually in the process based on the light-water reactor rules that and it has helped increase the safety of of fi nishing up and the report should we have. All of the generation IV reactor the plants. Overall, one would have to say be issued in early to mid April, 2012. designs have extensively used PRAs that it’s been successful to date and that’s [Subsequently issued as NUREG-2150, in the design process and to support why the task force and the Commissioner “A Proposed Risk Management whatever regulatory interactions we’ve in his presentation this year said that we Regulatory Framework”] It will be a data had with them. really do want to build on that because point in which the task force has made it’s provided a fi rm foundation to move some general and some program-specifi c 11. Concluding remarks. forward. fi ndings and recommendations. From The taskforce envisions that the there, if the Commission were to decide to proposed risk management regulatory 7. Is PRA implementation a requirement pursue it, then it would go into the normal framework is evolutionary in that it for the industry? processes and the staff would have public builds on previous risk informed and For operating reactors there is not meetings and additional interactions with performance based initiatives within a specifi c requirement to have a PRA. industry and other stakeholders. the NRC. The process, since it’s However, the reactor oversight process We as a task force did issue a federal evolutionary, we think can continue to includes the signifi cance determination register notice asking for observations and make incremental improvements over the process which uses PRAs to look at comments. That was issued on November next 10-15 years such that the NRC will the signifi cance of regulatory issues 22, 2011. We did get some responses from end up with more effective programs to or violations of regulations. So most utilities and Nuclear Energy Institute identify and address the risks associated licensees, if not all, have some form of and others in the power industry. One with the specifi c materials and facilities PRA in order to support themselves in that difference in our activity is that it went that are regulated by the NRC. process. There has been another series of across the breadth of NRC activities so initiatives such as risk informed licensing we were also getting comments related Contact: William Reckley, U.S. actions that are supported by licensees’ to uranium recovery, medical, industrial Nuclear Regulatory Commission, PRAs. So when an individual plant is radiography, so it went across all of NRC telephone: (301) 415-7490, email: making an application for a technical activities, not just reactors. [email protected]. specifi cation change, it’s often supported with justifi cations that are coming in part 10. What is PRA’s application to SMRs? from probabilistic risk assessment. So they There are two primary sets of small- will have a PRA in order to support those and medium-sized reactors. There are licensing actions. If they want to move to light-water reactor designs, the integral www. the revised fi re protection program under pressurized-water reactors like B&W’s NFPA 805, that also includes having mPower or Nuscale or the Westinghouse NuclearPlantJournal. a PRA. It’s a voluntary rule but if you SMR, or Holtec’s SMR-160. Given that com
Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 35
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3535 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:0110:12:01 AAMM Japan's Plant (Normally by hosting town at fi rst, then As of April 24, 2012 as many as by Prefecture) (Note: From the legal 18 reactors have submitted completion Shutdown viewpoint no approval is needed from of the fi rst-stage tests to NISA. Kansai’s municipalities.) ⇒ Political decision by Ohi #3&4 only got approval from NISA PM and three ministers ⇒ METI/NISA and NSC. Talks between METI and local 1.What is the reason for the shutdown of regulatory approval ⇒ Utilities to restart municipalities are being held for their the most of the nuclear power plants in operation. consent for the restart. Japan? (My understanding is that most of Another troublesome situation is these nuclear power plants are shut down 3. Please provide a tentative schedule that adjacent electricity-consuming to perform “ Stress Tests” to implement for the restart of these shut down nuclear Prefectures’ Governors in Kansai area that the Fukushima “Lessons Learned”? power plants. When is the fi rst nuclear enjoys much of the electricity supplied Currently, most of the plants are power plant expected to restart? from the nuclear power plants located in shut down due to the legally stipulated periodical inspection outage (that should be conducted within . 13 months). This outage is obligatory irrespective of the “Stress Test (ST)” requirement after Fukushima. So, these plants were not necessarily shut down for ST itself. However, the current situation is that the outage and restart of the plant operation became associated with the implementation of ST.
2. What is the restart licensing procedure (do they have to be cleared by the Japanese government, the Prefecture government or the city authorities) for the nuclear power plants in Japan after they have been shut down for “Stress Test” or “refueling outage”? Does the local municipality where the nuclear power plant is located also have to approve the restart of the nuclear power plant, after it is shut down? Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc's Ohi Units 3 & 4. The current procedure of restart is as follows. Unfortunately, there is no clear Ohi and surrounding municipalities are Completion of the ST for a nuclear view of schedule for the restart of the voicing concern over Ohi reactors, citing plant during the periodic inspection ⇒ plants. But, taking into consideration the unassured safety. Also, the governors Submission of the ST results to Nuclear summer time demand for electricity, it is called on the central government to draw and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA)⇒ hoped that some of the plants will be back a defi nite plan for decreasing dependency Examination by NISA ⇒ Confi rmation online before July 2012. Specifi cally, on nuclear. In these circumstances, Ohi- by Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc.’s Ohi located Governor sees no immediate ⇒ Political deliberation by PM and #3&4, about which talks are being held at approval, demanding the central three relevant ministers (METI Minister, the municipalities, are being awaited for government to convince the adjacent Minister in charge of Nuclear Power, restart soon. prefectural governments of the need to Chief Cabinet Secretary) ⇒ Consultation restart. with and deliberation by the local 4. Any additional information related to Another reactor, Shikoku Electric municipalities (Prefecture and hosting the currently shut down nuclear power Power Co., Inc.’s Ikata #3, clearance was town) ⇒ Consent by the municipalities plants will be very helpful. given by NISA while no deliberation has been made at NSC. Credit: Japan Atomic Industrial Forum.
36 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3636 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:0110:12:01 AAMM n’t Do just think of us as your compliance and security experts.
Think of us as part of your
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3737 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:1210:12:12 AAMM Chernobyl’s Twenty-Year
Experience to risk from a release of toxic substances need for the affected populations to come to the environment. to terms with living in a contaminated The report also shows the complexity environment in the long term. on Radiation of dealing with long lasting contamination The top-down approach by authorities for all parties, and particularly for the to the response and management of the Protection radiation protection profession, for which early phase of the accident was to some stakeholder involvement becomes a key extent adequate. Note indeed, that there tool of fi rst consideration in establishing has been recent fulsome praise from the Introduction a more inclusive and open decision International Atomic Energy Agency process to lead to sustainable decisions. Chernobyl Forum for the emergency This report is a tribute to the people Engagement in stakeholder involvement response by the Soviet authorities. It is living in areas that, 20 years after still live processes however calls for new expertise beyond this phase where the problems with the effects of the Chernobyl disaster. for policy makers, and radiation protection of a top-down approach manifested. It shares the experiences of radiation and other professionals in order to assure It became apparent in the longer term, protection professionals who reached its successful implementation. during the period following the accident, out to some of those impacted by the The introductory chapter positions that this type of “top down” approach was Chernobyl accident, engaging to assist the report by explaining how it develops not working; the actions implemented them to become knowledgeable and Nuclear Energy Agency's (NEA) were not effi cient and resulted in a crisis active managers of their own radiation considerable efforts within its mandate to of confi dence for the people living in exposure while living in a radioactively identify and share the lessons learnt from contaminated areas. A new approach contaminated environment. Active the accident at Chernobyl (more detail of was needed. The ETHOS Project was stakeholder involvement gave these its work in the fi eld of radiation protection accordingly established in Belarus residents the capability to participate in will be found in the report’s Appendices) based on stakeholder involvement to the decision-framing process to address engage some of the affected population their issues regarding the rehabilitation of Background on the in the decision process. The success of their living conditions in the contaminated Chernobyl accident this project has led in due course to its territories. This more inclusive approach In order to appreciate the context extension to other areas (the CORE to decision-framing and issue resolution of the rest of the report, it is extremely Program). allowed the affected residents to gain important to have some understanding greater control over their future. The of the accident and the scale of its report also describes stakeholder Perspectives on consequences. An overview of the involvement initiatives from Norway and stakeholder involvement accident sequence and a short description Stakeholder involvement enhanced the United Kingdom, as examples from of its effects, including its impacts on the lives of various stakeholders in countries further afi eld. people, agriculture, and health in the responding to the challenges of living In the conduct of ongoing reviews affected areas, is provided. with contamination. By the early of existing nuclear and radiological 1990s the national radiation protection emergency protocols and preparing From top-down to authorities realized that their anticipated for emerging threats it is important to stakeholder involvement role in handing down information and consider and implement as appropriate the There was a transition from top-down solutions to the population was not many lessons learnt from the Chernobyl management, during the early phase of working and that a partnership was accident. the accident, to the more participatory needed. These authorities recognized The lessons learnt in dealing with management of the longer term and that they did not have all the answers and the aftermath of the accident have broad rehabilitation phases, using stakeholder those they needed to engage stakeholders application to any situation with the involvement in rehabilitation projects. The in order both to understand the scale and potential to expose people or populations Chernobyl accident was unprecedented. scope of issues and to develop workable Summary of the Report: Stakeholders Millions of people were - and continue to solutions. By active engagement with the and Radiological Protection: Lessons be - directly affected. Beyond the acute affected people, sustainable quality-of- from Chernobyl 20 Years After (ISBN effects, chiefl y on emergency workers, the life improvements increasingly emerged, 92-64-01085-8) by the Nuclear Energy most obvious impact of the accident, other and the authorities began to rebuild Agency Organisation for Economic Co- than the physical contamination was the confi dence and trust with the stakeholders. operation and Development, France, website: www.oecd-nea.org.
38 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3838 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:1910:12:19 AAMM Establishing a local radiation monitoring and thus to take steps to improve the result, stakeholder involvement has been capability was critical to addressing radiological condition of their produce. shown to have the potential to allow local stakeholder issues and identifying more Stakeholder involvement also resulted in authorities to make decisions that are effi cient strategies. By developing detailed mothers being able to ensure that clean sustainable in terms of making a positive maps of contamination and having local food could be provided for their children. contribution to the local economy, monitoring capability, people were in a Teachers also expressed support for local public health and environmental position to make informed decisions on this involvement process so they could protection. The affected people feel that critical issues such as food products, where educate the children on the spectrum of decisions taking account of their concerns to graze livestock, milk for children, and issues facing the people, as a consequence are more acceptable and have the active areas where children could play. of the accident, and teach them about support of the local community-precisely As a result of stakeholder actions that could be taken to manage because they have had an opportunity to involvement, doctors found themselves future radiation exposure. participate in the framing of issues and an integral part of a comprehensive effort Local offi cials freely admit that the development of solutions. to engage the local population in the positive experiences with stakeholder development of a radiation protection involvement have led them to copy this Lessons learnt culture, which had a positive impact on approach and to change their assessment There were many key lessons learnt public health. As food production plays a of the willingness and ability of local in stakeholder involvement arising from vital role in the overall picture of public people to help themselves -not just in post Chernobyl activities; this knowledge health, stakeholder involvement allowed relation to radiation protection issues, but is being assimilated into the international farmers to understand the radiological also in relation to other issues of interest emergency exercises devised by the NEA condition of their land in greater detail and concern to the community. As a (Continued on page 40)
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 3939 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:1910:12:19 AAMM require an adequately complex response, • The fact that the participatory Chernobyl's Twenty... built on a multidisciplinary approach and approach focused on tangible Continued from page 39 sound science (for which independent results. validation may be requested), leading to • The fact that this approach was well collective learning amongst stakeholders. adapted to individual contexts. The output of this approach, with these (part of the “INEX” program). Clearly the characteristics, can be sustainable The role of radiation Chernobyl accident was unprecedented decisions leading to an improved quality protection professionals and created signifi cant challenges and of life for the affected population. and future opportunities profound questions about the interaction It is also useful to consider what it is In conclusion, this work of science and society. Some important about such an approach that is particularly emphasizes the role and responsibilities of lessons emerged from the post-accident valued by stakeholders. They, after all, the radiation protection professionals and rehabilitation effort in some of the are the people whom the professionals, potential future opportunities to engage territories affected by Chernobyl that authorities and policy makers exist to with stakeholders. The Chernobyl accident have broad application to future situations serve. Their assessment of that service is has revealed local stakeholders to be an with the potential for the environmental accordingly of particular importance. In indispensable part of the success of the release of toxic substances. These include this regard, stakeholders involved in the rehabilitation effort, so it is increasingly a recognition that there is a need in such post-Chernobyl rehabilitation process recognized that they have an important situations to focus on certain key issues, particularly valued the following features contribution to make in planning for the fi rst amongst which is engagement and of the participatory approach: emergency and rehabilitation phases of involvement of stakeholders in assessing • The very fact that they were involved any future contamination event, whether problems and seeking solutions, which instead of being passive recipients. associated with an industrial accident or a in turn leads to a re-emergence of self- • Closer and more productive deliberate release, and whether in a rural reliance and a rebuilding of trust; in relationships with professionals and or an urban setting. short, a more bottom-up approach is authorities. suggested. Furthermore, the problems that will be faced are complex and so
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MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4141 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:2410:12:24 AAMM Fukushima, Japan, on September 11 and The Symposium participants took note 12, 2011. The purpose of the Symposium of the wide global experience available Fukushima was for a group of international and for assessing the consequences of major Japanese experts in radiation and health- releases of radioactive substances into the related fi elds to review the potential health environment, which have resulted from Update effects of radiation from the Fukushima the international review of the aftermath nuclear accident. of large accidents, such as the Chernobyl 1. Status of Radiation Around the The Symposium was also attended accident and reached the following Fukushima Dai-ichi Plant As of by experts from relevant international, conclusions and recommendations: May 10th, 2012 intergovernmental bodies including the (i) The Fukushima nuclear accident Air dose has been decreasing United Nations Scientifi c Committee followed a massive earthquake and tsunami gradually after the accident and reached a on the Effects of Atomic Radiation that devastated the northeast region stable state in all measuring points. (UNSCEAR), the World Health of Japan. Countermeasures including Relatively high level of radiation has Organization (WHO) and the International evacuation, sheltering, and control of the been monitored in the area north east of Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and by food chain were implemented in a timely the power station. representatives of non-governmental manner. To date there have been no Radioactive Cesium was detected in organizations including the International acute radiation injuries from the nuclear air samples taken from April 22 to April Commission on Radiological Protection accident. It is understood that stable 26, 2012 at the spots beyond 20 km from (ICRP). iodine was not generally administered the power plant. The levels of Cesium are to the public. However, according to the below concentration limit, which is 20Bq/ m3 for Cs-134 and 30Bq/m3 for Cs-137.
2. Evacuation Status No entry order to 2 municipalities was lifted on April 1st, 2012 and the residents can return to their homes. Beyond 30km radius from the Daiichi plant, there are spots where the dose exceeds 20mSv/year. Japan’s central government has recommended a few hundred homes in Date City, Minami Soma City and Kawauchi Village for evacuation. Current Status of Evacuees In Fukushima Prefecture: • Evacuees from areas where evacuation orders are still in effect: about 87,000 • Evacuees from areas where evacuation orders have been lifted: about 26,000 • Voluntary evacuees: about 47,000 • Total Evacuees: about 160,000
3. Experts on Low-Dose Radiation (The Nippon Foundation) The International Expert Symposium – Radiation and Health Risks wad held in
According to Mr. Makoto Yagi, the chairman of The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan as well as the president and the director of the, Kansai Electric Power Company, Inc. the Japanese utilities are committed to, “never allow a similar accident to happen again.”
42 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4242 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:2610:12:26 AAMM reported monitoring results, the thyroid (v) The Government of Japan and the doses were low, not necessarily justifying international organizations should the administration of stable iodine. Taking consider how best to benefi t from the WHEN IT these factors into account, together with lessons learned and being learned MATTERS the magnitude of the reported levels of so that they can effectively continue radioactive substances released into the stronger coordinated cooperation in MOST. . . atmosphere and the ocean, the radiation- the long term. One possibility would related physical health impact on the be to convene a task force on the general public, including evacuees, is Fukushima nuclear accident, which likely to be limited and much lower should include participation of than that from Chernobyl, where the national and local governments, other only conclusive radiation-induced health stakeholders, public representatives effect was thyroid cancer from children of the affected communities, and drinking milk contaminated with high the international organizations levels of radioactive iodine. However, concerned. the social, psychological, and economic The participants expressed their impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident gratitude to The Nippon Foundation, the is expected to be considerable. Because Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation, of these impacts, continued monitoring and Fukushima Medical University for and characterization of the levels of organizing the Symposium. radioactivity in the environment are vital for obtaining the informed consent to the 4. The recommendations of the ICRP decisions on various issues such as the vis-à-vis the Fukushima Dai-ichi extent to which populations can return to NPP accident aftermath their homes. By Abel J González (ii) Although Japan has developed one Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear of the most advanced radiation (ARN) de Argentina, Avenida del emergency medicine systems in the Libertador 8250, AR-1429 Buenos Aires, Who would world, the nuclear accident occurred Argentina you want to as a result of a multidimensional 4.1. Abstract disaster due to the tsunami, the The International Commission on be tied to? earthquake and human factors Radiological Protection (ICRP) created a that combined to destroy the local Task Group (ICRP TG84) on the initial infrastructure on which the system lessons learned from the nuclear accident depended. Accordingly, adequate at the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPPs vis- means of communication and à-vis the ICRP system of radiological adequate health care were not protection. The ICRP TG84 is expected HukariAscendent always available. Lessons are being to compile lessons learned related to identifi ed and solutions suggested to the efforts carried out to protect people 6XSSRUWLQJWKH1XFOHDU address these problems. against radiation exposure during and (iii) Health professionals and scientists after the emergency exposure situation 6FLHQFHDQG7HFKQRORJ\ must seek to explain the possible caused by the accident and, in light ,QGXVWU\LQ effects or lack of detectable effects of of these lessons, to consider ad hoc f(QJLQHHULQJ radiation to the best of their ability recommendations to strengthen the f1XFOHDU6DIHW\$QDO\VLV to the people of Fukushima and other ICRP system of radiological protection concerned individuals. Transparency for dealing with this type of emergency f/LFHQVLQJ in dose evaluation, risk assessment exposure. The Chairman of ICRP TG84 f4XDOLW\$VVXUDQFH and decision-making is vital. At the presents in this paper his personal views f3URMHFW0DQDJHPHQW same time, the scientifi c evidence on the main issues being considered by and understanding must be provided the group at the time of the Fukushima f$QGPDQ\UHODWHG to the public in a manner that can be Expert Symposium. ICRP TG84 expects WHFKQLFDOGLVFLSOLQHV readily understood. to fi nalize its work by the end of 2012. (iv) Social and psychological support The nuclear accident at the 303-384-9079 must also be integrated within all Fukushima Dai-ichi NPPs (hereinafter, www.hukari.com healthcare provisions. ‘the accident’) was unprecedented in both HukariAscendent is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (Continued on page 44) Small Business
Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 43
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4343 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:3610:12:36 AAMM had not yet fi nished its work. However, In relation to the ICRP Fukushima Update... the author, who is the Chairman of ICRP recommendations, a number of initial Continued from page 43 TG84, intends to present in this paper his preliminary lessons are being learned personal views on the main issues being from the accident. considered by the group. The intention is 4.2.1. The ‘detriment-adjusted not to pre-empt the work of ICRP TG84 nominal risk coeffi cients’ are scale and timeframe. In 2007 the ICRP but just to review some of the radiation being misinterpreted. had issued revised recommendations protection issues that have been discussed 4.2.2. Confusion on radiation on radiological protection, which are by the group. ICRP TG84 expects to protection quantities and units applicable to protection against radiation fi nalize its work by the end of 2012. has jeopardized communication. exposure from the accident. 4.2. Preliminary lessons learned 4.2.3. The sophisticated system for At the time of the International Expert from the accident restricting internal exposure Symposium in Fukushima, ICRP TG84 may have been misunderstood by the public and media. 4.2.4. There is a lack of ad hoc radiation protection recommendations for rescuers. 4.2.5. The newly recommended concepts of dose limits, constraints and reference levels for public protection have been used by the relevant authorities but are widely misunderstood by the public and their representatives and also by scientists at large. 4.2.6. Parents feel that the children are not properly protected. 4.2.7. The international intergovern- mental agreements on acceptable levels of radioactivity in consumer products are incoherent and in- consistent and are causing serious problems in Japan. 4.2.8. Stigma is appearing on those affected by the accident. 4.2.9. No clear international guidance exists for dealing with the remediation of ‘contaminated’ territories and the disposal of ‘contaminated’ rubble. 4.2.10.There is a lack of international Every issue of last 29 years of Nuclear Plant Journal editorial recommendations on environmental may now be full-text searched online by entering a search monitoring policy following a large term in the search box on the top right-hand corner of the accidental release of radioactive Journal’s website: www.NuclearPlantJournal.com. The cost materials into the environment. 4.2.11.Communicating radiation per Journal issue is only $25. Guidelines are provided in the protection approaches after an “Editorial” box in the middle of the top row. accident continues to be an un- resolved issue. 4.3. Outlook Nuclear Many lessons can be extracted from the accident experience. The international For questions, please contact Kruti Patel, Plant radiation protection community has the [email protected], (630) 243-5130. Journal moral responsibility to learn from these lessons. The ICRP should feedback the fi nal lessons learned into its recommendations.
44 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012
MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4444 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:3710:12:37 AAMM The nuclear energy division ( DEN) improvements as compared to former Astrid develops generation IV systems and more systems of the same type. It focuses its By Christophe Behar, French Atomic especially fast neutron reactor, in order to effort on two different types of fast neutron Energy Commission. offer a better solution to issues such as reactor, sodium cooled, one with the energetic dependency rate, energy material ASTRID (advanced sodium technological supply security, and environmental reactor for industrial demonstration) concerns. The new technology allows prototype, CEA holding the lead, and plutonium multirecycling, and waste also has studies (on safety and material of Christophe Behar production minimization. The goal is the fuel rod) on gas cooled reactor ,which Christophe Béhar began his career with to achieve, in 2012, a fi rst assessment appears to be a more longer term option. the French Atomic Energy Commission of the industrial feasibility of these Astrid is a 600 MWe reactor, large (CEA) in 1984 as systems, reactors and enough to be quoted as an industrial size part of the team related fuel cycle, demonstrator, meeting the generation IV in Saclay working in order to build an criteria, and encompassing the feedback on the isotopic industrial prototype experience of former worldwide separation of around 2020. Fuel sodium cooled fast reactors. It brings uranium. Since cycle management technological breakthroughs with the April 2009, Mr. scenario is studied past reactors of the same type. The fi rst Béhar is the Director consistently along phase of the ASTRID preliminary design of the Nuclear with this prototype has been launched at the end of 2010. It Energy Division at development. aims to defi ne innovative features, safety the French Atomic CEA is entitled options, and to asses investment cost. The Energy Commission to carry out R&D staff involved is about 500 people, 60% (CEA), in charge of on innovative belonging to the nuclear division of CEA, the whole nuclear nuclear systems, so and 40% from the industry. Whereas the energy sector called GIV systems, DEN keep the ownership of the overall (both Research & which bring architecture of the reactor, its core and Development and strong technology fuel, other parts have been entrusted dismantling). (Continued on page 46) Mr. Béhar is member of the supervisory board of AREVA, member of the executive board of the companies AREVA ""'%"'6&#*%&, ' B& TA, STMI and the high performance 79B? &8%#! "# &"&('*'# "# #. computing company GENCI. % & - 7D8 (!& .% .1 (#" *"!"' & In parallel to his professional activities 7 (#"6@?@8 &" ', "'%"'6&#*%&, at the CEA, Mr. Béhar is a lecturer at the &%+& & " - "' "'%#*(#" '# ' &* ' %& # Ecole Centrale de Paris and at the Ecole % (#" " % # # ' 4 %#* , . % "& Nationale Supérieure des Techniques " " & '# (#" "#%!(#" && + #*% #" " Avancées. %" " !"!"' &.&'!1 $%( $"'& %" #*' % (#" " '& % ' &$'&4 $#" &*&&* #!$ (#"1B#"("* "*(#"" '&78%,%4 Mr. Béhar is Chevalier of the Legion ## # $$ "# #. # %#&& #" of Honour and of the National Order + #$!"' &"% '&"*' #% / %#+ % of Merit. He is a graduate of the Ecole . ' "'%"(#" &&# (#" #% #"("* " *(#" Centrale de Paris (1982). " % " " 781 @ED? #, #1 * ' C??1 "1AA@?A27E?B8C?D6BAEC4 #*%&% &'%(#" & $ 4 '4*5% (#" # %#&& #" + #$!"' ## #$$ "# #. A?@&' ##$ # '#"1 D?@FG #"3DB?4DFA4D?BC Question by Newal Agnihotri, Editor of ! 3$%# %": '4* Nuclear Plant Journal Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 45 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4545 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:3710:12:37 AAMM 5. Has Astrid received any additional 10. Elaborate on long life of components, Astrid... funding for its completion in the last two planned to be used in Astrid? Continued from page 45 years? Astrid is both innovative and based Yes, it has been decided by the on the large industrial experience of French government to include Astrid Phenix and Superphenix, therefore we in the framework of the so-called “big expect a longer lifetime but Astrid is a to industrial companies : AREVA NP national loan to promote R&D”, and we prototype with the goal to demonstrate (nuclear island, command control, received 650 M for the 2010-2017 period the industrial feasibility of innovative auxiliaries), EDF (Architect engineering (design phase). options. support, operating feedback, safety studies), Alstom Power Systems (water- 6. Has the viability of the process for steam or gas energy conversion devices), Astrid been achieved on an industrial COMEX NUCLEAIRE (robotics and scale, if not what is the schedule for this maintenance).’ project? 1. Has there been any review of Astrid It is precisely the goal of ASTRID to by French Regulatory Authorities? demonstrate the industrial feasibility of We are now preparing a safety innovative options, in the fi eld of safety, concept report, to be submitted to the maintenance, and operation. French authorities at the end of 2012. We have not yet started the formal safety 7. Has the evaluation of the Astrid review of Astrid with the regulatory body, technology and its industrial prospects even though we have already started to been established as required by the speak with them. French Government by 2012? We will submit to the French authorities a preliminary report at the end of 2012, as foreseen. 11. Describe the planned innovations in 8. Are there any other countries who ensuring safety of Astrid? have joined the Astrid program? If so The more signifi cant ones are what is the division of responsibility related to safety: For example core safety between different countries? has been provided in order to manage We want Astrid be an international severe accidents, adapted to the specifi c project and we are elaborating the model neutronic pattern or fast reactor. We do of what should be the international also work on avoiding the sodium/water 2. Is the schedule for the commencement governance of Astrid with possible reaction. of the pilot project expedited, in view of foreign partners. Fukushima accident? 12. Has there been a change in the 2020 We have not delayed the schedule of deadline for fuel loading in Astrid due to Astrid after Fukushima, sodium coolant is Fukushima? a good fl uid to evacuate residual power. No, the Astrid schedule remains the same. We aim at start-up around 2020. 3. What is the expected fuel life of Astrid before it needs refueling? 13. Describe the unique features of This point is still under examination Astrid which are not covered in the but basically, one core should last for 6 questionnaire given above. years, with ¼ refueling strategy, which We consider that Astrid will be the means one partial refueling every 1.5 fi rst generation IV sodium cooled fast year. reactor and as such is a key tool for future 9. What are the tools of the 21st century sustainable nuclear development. 4. Who has the responsibility to being applied to the design, modeling and refuel the reactor, the operator or the analytical methods (computer programs Contact: Dominique Ochem, CEA- manufacturer? for safety, probabilistic optimization of Nuclear Energy Division; telephone: 33 This step is under the responsibility availability, full lifecycle cost analysis 1 6908 2952, email: dominique.ochem@ of the operator. etc.) to Astrid project? cea.fr. We use of course the most modern computer codes developed by CEA and its industrial partners (thermohydraulics, neutronics, etc.). 46 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4646 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:12:4210:12:42 AAMM The OEM (Original Equipment sheering instrument, the team realized Improved Incore Manufacturer) incore sheering machine that a critical piece of the new machine and the associated support for the machine system could be improved. Instrumentation were very cumbersome to install, operate The power supply and air supply By Mark Coddington, Entergy Nuclear. and demobilize. Being on the critical needed to be co-located in one box – and path, the Entergy Palisades team looked the plug-n-play box idea was born. With a for ways to more effi ciently accomplish transformer to power cameras, air bottles incore sheering while reducing dose. to run underwater grippers, a monitor, Starting in 2007, Mark Codding- and controls, all of the power sources and ton made a challenge to his team and components were put in one ICI cutter Mark Coddington vendors: Make incore sheering easier, box. Mark Coddington is a project manager for lighter weight and time-saving. Mas- The ICI cutter box is used on the the Reactor Services ter Lee Engineer- containment refuel fl oor during ICI cutting team at Entergy’s ing Services took operations. It is used in the procedure that Palisades Power Plant up the challenge. safely disposes of incore detectors being in Michigan. He is a Working together replaced by cutting the 36' long detectors graduate of Michigan with Westinghouse into 6” pieces and depositing them into Technological and Master Lee, the debris canisters. They are moved from University with a the Palisades team the reactor cavity to the spent fuel pool Bachelor of Science directed design and using the fuel transfer system. degree in mechanical improvements add- The ICI cutter box is stored when not engineering. He came ing a breakthrough in use in the radioactive material area on to Palisades in 2002 idea. site during on-line operations. as a design engineer Improvements “We took a series of semi-complex and has been in included eliminating things and created one plug-n-play box. project management crane moves, saving Now, you pull the box up to the space and since 2006. A outage critical path you plug it in to get going. It’s simplifi ed native of Whitehall time and impacting and effective for our outage operation,” Michigan, Coddington notes the support overall radiation exposure with dose said Mark Coddington, senior project of Entergy and Palisades management for savings by 33 percent. The new incore manager and team lead. improvements and innovations made by his cutter is reliable and simplifi ed which has While Master Lee engineered a team. reduced refurbishment costs of the cutter. lighter, better cutter, Palisades put the The original machine had extensive crowning jewel on the project improving refurbishment after each outage due to set-up and de-mobilization, occupational wear. safety and implementing time-saving The new cutter system uses a debris organization. These are attributes that are container the size of a fuel bundle that valued highly in an outage situation. can be stored in the same size location as Constellation’s Calvert Cliffs was the a fuel bundle. Three 4-foot tall containers fi rst plant to purchase the Master Lee new stack on top of one another in a 12-foot generation incore cutter. Improvements to bundle space. This facilitates an easier the debris canisters had to be made to fi t transfer of the container. the unique geometry of the Palisades plant. And the last major improvement is Built in the 1965-1971 era, Palisades has that Palisades created the Improved in- only one elevation in its reactor cavity core Instrument (ICI) cutter box to go and not a “deep” end. Therefore, 12' tall with the ICI cutter. The ICI is 3/8” in debris canisters aren’t used. Palisades diameter and 38 feet long that contains uses a 4' tall debris canister that stacks instruments all along its length. The ICI three-high in the same space. monitors the neutron fl ux sustained in the Palisades took that extra time to reactor or, in other words, it monitors the make the cutter box improvement to critical reaction in the core. It is inserted the cutter system. While eliminating the from the top of the reactor through crane moves was one milestone in the The team members included Mark guide tubes into the core. Flexible, improvement process, the addition of the Coddington, Senior Project Manager; constructed similarly to a drainage snake, ICI Cutter Box was just as signifi cant. Don Sonnenberg, Design Engineer; it is replaced every three years. During a Kristine Madden, System Engineer; September full mock-up run of the new (Continued on page 48) Jim Ridley, Emergency Planner; and Greg Daggett, Supervisor, Maintenance Projects. Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 47 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4747 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:13:0110:13:01 AAMM The initial concept or need for a to fi nalize the box before the October 2010 Improved Incore... simple way to mobilize the cutter began outage, and did so. Continued from page 47 during discussions with vendors in 2007. When talking about handling 20,000 Design and delivery occurred in the 2008 Rem/hr irradiated material underwater, - 2009 time frames with implementation improvements in dose for incore cutting and debris handling is noteworthy. With in October 2010. this simpler, faster way for incore cutting, “When the cutter came back lighter, Palisades did a training video Palisades recorded dose savings of smaller and could be used without cranes, with Westinghouse and Master-Lee to 1.714 Rem/outage and 1.140 Rem/year it was a great improvement. We took illustrate the incore cutter improvements representing a 33 percent reduction. it a step further and put vital support during the full scale mock up at Palisades components in one box. That was a big in September 2010. When the “plug-n- improvement for our outage operation,” play” box idea happened during the mock- Coddington added. up, the Palisades team had only one month The improved cutter sits atop a fuel bundle. It uses a container of the size of a fuel bundle that can be stored in the same size location as a fuel bundle. Three, 4-foot tall containers stack on top of one another in a 12-foot bundle space. This facilitates an easier transfer The new cutter is an automated tool that is less prone to in worker errors and the system eliminates occurrence of unanticipated radiation exposure to workers during installation of incore instrument liner in the reactor cavity. Innovation on this project happened on several levels. Early problem solving with vendors ultimately led to production on a better product. The addition of the ICI cutter box made the improved ICI cutter notably better, safer and more effi cient. “Being in a challenging environment we are always looking for better ways Nuclear Plant Journal’s new YouTube channel to work. This time I guess we thought features short (less than 3 minutes) videos covering INSIDE the box to come up with a better the latest nuclear industry news. Visit our channel at way to execute ICI cutting,” concluded Greg Daggett, supervisor, maintenance YouTube.com/user/nuclearplantjournal to see projects. the videos. Contact: Margie Jepson, Entergy Nuclear, 1340 Echelon Parkway, Jackson, MS 39213; telephone: (601) 368-5460, email: [email protected]. Nuclear For questions, please contact Anu Agni- Plant hotri, (630) 352-3686, [email protected] JournalJ NPJ Editorial 48 Archive ISLAND.indd 1 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com5/24/2012 4:20:15 PM Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4848 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:13:0610:13:06 AAMM HARNESSING THEPOWEROF TOTAL SYSTEMS THINKING © 2011 Lockheed Martin Corporation THIS IS HOW LOCKHEED MARTIN NUCLEAR SYSTEMS AND SOLUTIONS Through more than 50 years of providing instrumentation and control systems for our nation’s nuclear submarine and carrier fl eets, Lockheed Martin has demonstrated its ability to navigate the complexities of nuclear power generation – with safety and reliability. Today, we provide systems for power plants around the world. Solutions range from reactor protection and main control room design to engineering services, simulation and training, and microgrid solutions – all in one complete package. Making nuclear power generation safer and more effi cient is all a question of how. And it is the how that Lockheed Martin delivers. www.lockheedmartin.com/mfc/nuclearsands MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 4949 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:13:0710:13:07 AAMM Summary potentially increased failure tolerance for Southern Nuclear championed multiple MSPI systems. Increasing MSPI RCP Seal system failure tolerance by improving By Joshua Seales, Southern Nuclear. Westinghouse’s development of the nuclear industry’s fi rst of a kind shutdown plant safety is one of the top initiatives seal (SDS), trademarked as the SHIELD®, for the Southern Nuclear Corporation for Westinghouse reactor coolant pumps (SNC) fl eet and is the primary driver for (RCP’s). The SDS provides an effective implementing this modifi cation for Plant solution to limitations of the existing Farley as it is expected to provide increased Westinghouse RCP seal packages failure tolerance for Component Cooling associated with a postulated RCP seal Water, Emergency Diesel Generators, Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) High Pressure Injection, and Residual Joshua Seales resulting from a loss of RCP seal cooling Heat Removal. and seal injection. Based on current the The CDF reduction percentage that Joshua Seales joined Southern Nuclear PRA results, RCP seal LOCA scenarios is possible by eliminating RCP seal in 2004 after graduating from The are dominant contributors to risk of many leakage for all events that result in a loss University of Alabama with an Electrical Westinghouse PWRs. The SDS greatly of all RCP seal cooling is plant-specifi c. Engineering degree. Joshua started as reduces the risk contribution from RCP seal Surveys show the reduction could range an I&C System Engineer at Plant Farley LOCA scenarios by effectively preventing from as low as 5% to as high as 80% before transferring to the corporate signifi cant seal leakage associated with a in other industries. The median CDF offi ce as an I&C component engineer. In loss of all RCP seal cooling event. As a reduction for those plants is 35% and the his latest role, Joshua has worked as a result, installation of the SDS at Farley mean CDF reduction is 39%. It is noted that the plant which reported only a 5% project manager supporting the Farley improved overall plant safety margin reduction takes credit for a dedicated seal Nuclear Plant since 2008. injection system that automatically starts on a loss of seal injection. Cost Savings As mentioned above, MSPI margin improvement (Plant Safety) is one of SNC’s top initiatives for the entire fl eet. Several design changes were being considered to improve the MSPI margin. Some examples of the design changes being considered at Plant Farley, along by signifi cantly reducing the estimated with their initial estimated cost, are as risk of core damage by approximately follows: 40%. Further, incorporation of the SDS Additional Auxiliary Feedwater into the Farley PRA resulted in a greater Pump reduction in core damage frequency Install a new “alternate” motor driven (CDF) than implementation of all other auxiliary feedwater (MDAFW) pump previous design changes combined. In in parallel with the existing MDAFW addition to the reduction in CDF, NRC pump. The new pump will be capable of Mitigating Systems Performance Index supplying 100% of the fl ow required to (MSPI) margins were signifi cantly the steam generators for safe cooldown improved for selected MSPI tracked of the reactor system, or 350 GPM. There functions compared to the margins will be an alternate pump for each unit at without the SDS. The SDS can be used Plant Farley. Both pumps will be powered Nuclear Energy Institute’s Top Industry across the industry on Westinghouse 93A by a dedicated, standby diesel generator, Practice (TIP) Award’s highlight the type reactor coolant pumps. which will be common to both units. The nuclear industry’s most innovative installation of this alternate pump would techniques and ideas. Safety Response provide approximately a 10% reduction One of the dominant contributors to in CDF at Plant Farley at an estimated This entry was a 2011 NSSS Vendor core damage frequency for Plant Farley cost of $5.5M per unit. Award winner. and most Westinghouse PWRs in general Independent RCP Seal Cooling is the RCP seal LOCA which results System The team members who participated due to a loss of all RCP seal cooling. To Install an additional independent RCP seal cooling system, which only included Joshua Seales, Project address this issue, the SDS was developed to activate on a loss of cooling to shut interfaces with the existing system. The Manager; Andrew Wilkerson, new system would include a motor driven Mechanical Components Supervisor; off or minimize the leakage through the RCP seal package. The ability for a plant pump powered from a standalone diesel Kevin Glandon, Mechanical Components to minimize seal leakage during loss generator. The new pump would supply Principal Engineer; and Ryan Harlos, of RCP seal cooling conditions results seal injection rather than thermal barrier RCP System Engineer. in signifi cant reduction in CDF and cooling. The Reactor Water Storage Tank 50 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 5050 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:13:0810:13:08 AAMM (RWST) would be used as the water for SNC. In addition, the RCP SDS obstruct the leak-off through the No. 1 source and the system could be aligned design provided a larger improvement to seal to the No. 1 seal leak-off line. from the control room within 10 minutes. the CDF and MSPI margin, as mentioned The components that make up the The installation of an independent RCP above, than some of the other options. SDS consist of a thermal actuator, a wave seal cooling system would provided spring, a piston ring, a polymer ring, and a approximately a 50% reduction in CDF at Innovation retaining ring. The thermal actuator holds Plant Farley at an estimated cost of $8M As a reference to the original plant the piston ring open, allowing the No. 1 per unit. design for Plant Farley, the small break seal leak-off to fl ow up the shaft to the No. Additional Diesel Generator LOCA through the RCP seals that 1 seal leak-off line. The polymer ring is Install one diesel to power the diverse would occur during various design basis between the piston ring and the retaining auxiliary feedwater pump and the RCP accidents is one of the most signifi cant ring. The retaining ring is shrink fi t and seal injection pumps along with battery DBA’s in the licensing basis. The retains all of the SDS components. When chargers for each unit. This diesel would postulated leak rates, depending on the assembled in the pump, the retaining ring be stand-alone and only provide electrical accident scenario, range from 21 GPM is further retained in place by the RCP service to the previously mentioned per RCP (3 RCP’s per unit at Farley) to seal housing located directly above it. projects. The installation of the standalone approximately 400 GPM per RCP. With The wave ring is designed to maintain diesel generator is needed to implement the installation of the RCP SDS, these contact between the three rings. the diverse auxiliary feedwater pump and leak rates are reduced to 1 GPM per RCP When the fl uid coming through the the independent RCP seal cooling system. or less. Details of the RCP SDS design No.1 seal increases to the temperature The diesel would have to be combined are discussed below. that causes the actuator to retract the with one of the other projects to be able The Shutdown Seal is a thermally spacer from the piston ring, the piston to achieve the reduction in CDF. The actuated, passive device installed into the ring snaps closed against the shaft or #1 estimated cost to install additional diesel existing Westinghouse model 93A RCP’s sleeve in the case of Model 93A pumps. generator is $22M. seal between the No. 1 seal and No. 1 seal The piston ring snapping around the shaft Those costs in mind, the total cost to leak-off line to provide a leak-tight seal in provides a signifi cant fl ow restriction and implement the RCP SDS at Farley were the event of a loss of all RCP seal cooling. causes the pressure to build on the back approximately 20% the cost per unit as Until activated, the seal is completely side of the polymer ring. The primary the next least expensive option. This contained within the No. 1 seal insert and sealing ring is the polymer ring which is design change was signifi cantly less than does not alter the space between the No. made up of a polymer material that, when the other options being considered, and 1 insert and the shaft. The SDS does not therefore, was a signifi cant cost savings (Continued on page 54) Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 51 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 5151 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:13:0910:13:09 AAMM Khmelnitsky NPP (KhNPP) is designed for four power units. In 1991 located in a picturesque forest-steppe Ukraine became an independent state. Excellent at area of the Western Ukraine. Favorable The moratorium for the construction condition of the environment is proven was revoked in 1993, and construction Outreach by high diversity of fl ora and fauna in the activities were resumed at Khmelnitsky By Tatyana Lisitchuk, Khmelnitsky vicinity to Khmelnitsky site, populated 2. Nuclear Power Plant. by beavers, corncrakes, otters, which are On August 8, 2004 Khmelnitsky included in European Red List. About 2 was connected to the power grid. twenty species of birds spend winter time Annually, two operating power units on Khmelnitsky NPP pond. of Khmelnitsky NPP generate about “Energoatom”, National Nuclear 13,5 billion kWh of electricity which Energy Generating Company (NNEGC), is equivalent to 16% of total amount of Nikolay Panashchenko is the utility operating four nuclear power electricity generated by the Ukrainian Nikolay S. Panashchenko is General plants in Ukraine having 15 power units of nuclear fl eet. Over the course of 24 years Director of WWER reactor type. of operation the plant has generated more Khmelnitsky Over the past decade than 200 billion kWh of electricity. NPP. He was the nuclear share of Annual outage is carried out to born in Irkutks general electricity maintain equipment operable and restore production is about its lifetime in safe and reliable manner. Region, Russia, 50%. Average outage duration is 52 days. Every graduated from Total design four years major overhaul is performed Tomsk Polytechnic capacity of Khmel- lasting for 65 days. Institute with a nitsky NPP is 4000 Coordinated actions of KhNPP staff nuclear engineering МW. Currently two enabled to complete outage campaigns degree. He started WWER-1000 (V- at both units ahead of schedule in 2011, his working career 320) power units are it allowed to increase installed capacity as an engineer in operation. This factor up to 83,2% for unit №1, and at Rovno NPP, is a unifi ed Russian 81,8% for unit №2. These are the highest Ukraine in 1978. design of water- indicators among 15 nuclear power units In 2004 he was a moderated water in Ukraine. cooled reactor type WWER-1000 power unit has two scientifi c supervisor (WWER-1000/320) circuits, the primary (hot) circuit is a for commissioning developed in 1978. water circuit transferring heat from the of two WWER It is an analogue of reactor, and the secondary circuit is a 1000 nuclear units, the foreign PWR re- water-steam circuit receiving heat from Khmelnitsky 2 and actor type. the primary one and using steam energy Rovno 4. The same Construction in the turbine generator. year he took the lead of labor collective of Khmelnitsky 1 started in 1979, while Light water serves as both a moderator of Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant. construction of power units № 2, 3, and coolant in water-moderated water- and 4 started in 1983, 1985, and 1986 cooled reactors. It is a great advantage Mr. Panashchenko takes an active respectively. Khmelnitsky NPP has been of this reactor type to use only water for public stand; he is a member of WANO built to satisfy the needs in electricity of the above purposes. Water is an easily the western part of Ukraine and to export accessible and cheap material. Industrial MC Governing Board, and a deputy of electricity to the Western Europe. grade structural materials can operate Khmelnitsky Regional Council. He was Chernobyl disaster, a nuclear safely in contact with fl owing water at awarded the Order “For the Merits” accident of catastrophic degree in high energy parameters over a long period of the 3rd degree, and has an honorary the world nuclear power engineering of time given the appropriate quality of degree of “Distinguished Power history, which occurred on April 26, water. Engineer of Ukraine”. 1986 made the mankind ponder over the Reactor, steam-generators, and other safe use of atomic energy. Ukraine had pressurized equipment are placed inside been living through hard times when the ferroconcrete containment to prevent in December 1987 power unit № 1 was radioactive releases into the environment put into operation. A moratorium for the during potential accidents. WWER construction of new nuclear power plants reactor has a system of physical barriers was put into force under the pressure of preventing the spread of radioactive massive protests against the development material and ionizing radiation into the of nuclear energy in Ukraine. Safe environment; the reactor has a self-control operation became a top priority issue feature based on inherent feedback and for all enterprises related to the use of can be reliably operated. nuclear energy. Construction of units № Each power unit has three-train 2, 3, and 4 was suspended, by that time safety systems which ensure safe reactor the construction of those units was 85%, shutdown in case of abnormal operation. 40%, and 10% complete correspondingly. Service water supply system is a Originally, plant infrastructure was circulating-type system, main equipment 52 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 5252 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:13:1110:13:11 AAMM is cooled down with spray ponds, and core monitoring system, replacement residual heat removal, and additional auxiliary equipment is cooled down with of information computer systems, passive core fl ooding system. Estimated cooling pond having total area of 22,3 uninterruptible power supplies in both design lifetime of new power units is 50 km2. Power units operate on base load. units, commissioning of automated years. “Turboatom”, a national Kharkov Electricity is transmitted to the grid via system for monitoring radiation situation, plant will manufacture low-speed steam 330 kV and 750 kV lines. construction and commissioning of turbine of K-1000-60/1500-2M type Uranium dioxide enriched by backup house transformer, etc. which demonstrated good performance. uranium-235 isotope up to the level of High level of fi re protection of KhNPP The turbine will be installed on new about 4% is used as a reactor fuel. facilities should be pointed out. The State turbine island. Selection of Russian design was stipulated by the availability of all necessary production and engineering infrastructure for WWER technology which has been in operation for a long time in Ukraine. Also, proposed design fi ts well into existing structures of Khmelnitsky 3 and 4. In 2011 public hearings on the completion of construction of the new nuclear units № 3 and 4 were held in 10 administrative-territorial units located in the vicinity to Khmelnitsky site. About 4 thousand residents took part in the hearings. The necessity to hold public hearings on discussing completion of the facility of state relevance is a requirement of the national law in force as well as a Spray Pond series of international agreements ratifi ed by Ukraine. One of the priority tasks of Radwaste handling activities are Fire Brigade is a special department of Khmelnitsky NPP is raising public specifi ed by permits and licenses in force KhNPP providing for observance of all awareness. Management of Khmelnitsky and subject to periodical reporting to regulatory requirements to fi re safety NPP makes efforts to openness and Regulatory Inspection, Ministry of En- in a part of availability of fi re-fi ghting constructive dialogue with the public ergy and Coal Industry, NNEGC “Ener- equipment at fi re and explosion hazardous through on-line informing of public, goatom”, sanitary and epidemiological facilities, normal operation premises, and vocational-oriented activities with high service and local authorities. These ac- safety trains. schoolers, excursions and lectures, tivities are implemented in the frame of After the Fukushima accident fabrication and dissemination of general quality management system at special stress-tests were developed to advertising materials. Khmelnitsky NPP and aimed at fulfi ll- enhance safety in case of emergency. Public relation department provides ment of relevant tasks during all stages of They include analytical evaluation of excursions for thousands of visitors radwaste handling. plant robustness to external hazards and to KhNPP site. KhNPP managers KhNPP hosts WANO, IAEA, EU their combinations which were taken hold meetings with public offi cials, missions on regular basis, the results of as a basis for the development of safety representatives of mass media where plant these missions prove the compliance enhancement measures. experts provide answers to any questions of nuclear, ecological, radiation related Stress-tests were conducted at all of interest. Tour program includes visit activities carried-out at the plant with nuclear plants of Ukraine. The Ukrainian to the construction site of units №3, 4 international standards and requirements. NPPs were designed and built to as well as to the operating units, the Distributed radiation monitoring withstand a safe shutdown earthquake at visitors get familiar with electricity system is in place at the plant. Monitoring magnitude 6. And, main plant facilities production process, and its impact on the data prove that plant operation does not can withstand an earthquake ground environment. have negative impact on the environment. motion at magnitude 7. Such earthquake Information center of KhNPP Radiation parameters do not exceed is a low probability in Ukraine. conducts a course of lectures on the topic natural values within the buffer area (3 Currently, Khmelnitsky NPP is a “Introduction into Nuclear Energy” to km.), and radiation control area (30km.). main Ukrainian enterprise where new high schoolers of the town and region Any industry undergoes continuous nuclear production capacities are planned introducing them to the basics of nuclear improvement and development not to be deployed. energy. only owing to the use of state-of-the- In 2008 construction activities Children Arts Contest named art equipment, but to the upgrade and were resumed at Khmelnitsky 3 and 4. “Nuclear Energy and the Community” reconstruction of equipment being already “Atomstroiexport” Russian company is conducted for younger children. This operated. 340 projects on the upgrade and won international tender for the design contest is of great interest among children safety enhancement of power units were of reactor facility (V-392). Reactor has of the satellite town, and region in whole implemented, namely they were related new advanced safety features such as as well. to the following: replacement of an in- fast boron injection system, passive (Continued on page 54) Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 53 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 5353 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:13:3110:13:31 AAMM willing workers at the Sports Center. conditions to 36 thousand of residents Excellent at... Children of plant employees go in for supplying heat and water to the satellite Continued from page 53 sports at Physical Culture Club free of town of Neteshin. Payments done by charge. Khmelnitsky NPP is justifi ably Khmelnitsky NPP make up 70% of the proud of its achievements in the world local budget. of sports. Over the 15-year history of The current legislation of Ukraine “Energoatom” NNEGC 11 sportsmen were provides Khmelnitsky site community for Once a week the plant TV and radio given the highest rank of “Distinguished the right to obtain economic and social studio broadcast “KhNPP News” TV Master of Sports of Ukraine”; 10 of them compensation against the risks of NPP program to the population of the regional are from KhNPP. The trainees of this activities, namely the use of one percent center and district centers located in the school, Galina Pundyk and Olga Zhovnir of total volume of electricity sold. These vicinity to the site. Detailed information won gold medals in sable fencing at the funds are invested into the construction about operation of Khmelnitsky NPP is Olympic Games in Beijing. of social facilities. In 2011, 21,976,300 available at the website: www.xaec.org. Plant employees also devote their of UAH ($2.74 million) were transferred ua time to several sponsored organizations to the budgets of regional, district, KhNPP training center provides located close to KhNPP site, including and local councils for development basic and advanced professional training a nursing home for disabled and elderly of social infrastructures. It will allow to the plant personnel. Training center people, residential schools for children commissioning new facilities of social has all licenses and permits to train plant with limited abilities. infrastructure for the benefi t of population personnel of all categories. Training Great attention is paid to retired living next to KhNPP site. facilities were set up owing to the employees and veterans. They were set fi nancial assistance of the USA, Great up in a separate structure amounting to Contact: Tatyana Lisitchuk, Britain, France, Germany and many other nearly 700 people taking active part in Khmelnitsky NPP, Ukraine, Khmelnitsky countries. the life of the plant team; they organize Region, Neteshin m/b 376; email: pr@ Nowadays, Khmelnitsky NPP community work days, go on excursions, khnpp.atom.gov.ua. consists of dozens of diversifi ed hold parties, and take subsidized paid departments. The management and trade trips to health resorts. union ensure all necessary conditions to The town has formed itself around restore and fulfi ll creative and physical Khmelnitsky NPP. Besides the electricity potential of their employees. Swimming production KhNPP provides for comfort pool, fi tness groups are available for all hours of protection provides substantial the nuclear industry. In addition, since RCP Seal... improvement in the nuclear safety risk this effort was a success, Westinghouse is Continued from page 51 profi le for Plant Farley, and provides the currently in the process of developing a plant operators with signifi cant additional similar design for other RCP models. For margin while eliminating the possibility this design, the industry PWROG, which of a RCP seal LOCA in the event of a loss is comprised of several utilities, funded acted upon by the very high pressure drop of offsite power. the research for the PRA analysis. This induced by the piston ring interrupting the included 16 other utilities. The successful fl ow through the annulus, is constricted Productivity/Effi ciency installation of the RCP SDS at Plant around the shaft and upwards against a Unlike most design changes that Farley will have a signifi cant impact retaining ring. As the primary sealing ring require extra man-hours, installation on the other utilities that aided in the constricts, it creates a greater pressure costs, and often unforeseen challenges, funding of this PRA research in deciding drop which in turn further constricts the the SDS allows for no loss in effi ciency to install the RCP SDS. These new seals polymer ring tighter around the shaft and with regards to installation. The relatively are currently being utilized by Plant upwards. With the fl ow severely restricted, simple design of the SDS allows it to Farley and are scheduled to be installed the pressure at the piston ring reaches the replace the current #1 insert used in at Plant Vogtle, which is the only other reactor coolant system pressure which Westinghouse model 93A RCPs. As a site within the SNC Fleet to which this forces the polymer ring against the shaft result of the same fi t up, the installation creating a leak-tight seal. Once this seal is process with regards to installing a #1 design applies. activated, it will limit RCP shaft leakage insert compared to the SDS assembly to signifi cantly less than 1 GPM. remains identical. Due to this, utilities Contact: Joshua Seales, Southern When activated, the shutdown seal will are also able to minimize time needed for Nuclear, 42 Inverness Center Parkway, limit leakage to less than 1 GPM, provide training individuals currently qualifi ed to Bin B031, Birmingham, AL 35242; protection for 28 hours at station black out install seals in the RCP. telephone: (205) 992-7602, email: conditions (570 degrees Fahrenheit/2350 [email protected]. psi), and continue to provide protection Transferability for an additional 44 hours at residual As stated previously, Westinghouse heat removal conditions (350 degrees now offers a new product to the industry Fahrenheit/375 psi). The shutdown seal called the SHIELD®. These new shutdown provides a total of 72 hours of protection seals can be installed in the 93A model for the core. Providing the plant with 72 RCP’s, which are common throughout 54 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, May-June 2012 MMJ12.inddJ12.indd 5454 66/5/2012/5/2012 10:13:3710:13:37 AAMM MMJ12.indd 55 J 1 2 . i n d d 5 5 ONE SMALL WESTINGHOUSEONE SMALL REACTOR commercial nuclear energy nuclear commercial leader true the in Another giant step by Check us out at us Check electricity. reliable and clean safe, with generations future helpprovide will technology nuclear Westinghouse future, tothe looking but always ofsuccess, record track ofour Proud Alliance. 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