R2.03/03 S (2) - Maintenance equipment for VVER primary loop - lot 3 (AP ref 7.1.2.3)

The present contract was based on a comprehensive project (R2.02/97 – see 30302) programmed in 1997. The purpose of the R2.02/97 project was to provide assistance in diagnostics and maintenance of VVER reactor coolant system (primary circuit loops). A part of the project was procurement and supply of maintenance tools aimed at improving quality of reactor coolant system (RCS) maintenance resulting in:
reduction of number and severity of observed RCS integrity problems
reduction of radiation doses received by maintenance personnel during RCS maintenance
a possible increase of rated power of the VVER-1000 reactor.
The equipment supply was divided in four lots. Equipment Technical Specifications for all the lots were developed within the R2.02/97 project. However, the equipment delivery could not be contracted within the original project, therefore a new equipment supply project R2.03/03 was established in 2003 including all four lots. The tenders for all the lots were opened to public in November 2005 and offers were made for each lot. Three separate contracts were finally concluded for the lots 1+4 (contract 114514), 2 (contract 76777) and 3 (contract 115574).

The general aim of the R2.03/03 project was to deliver to Rosenergoatom a set of modern tools for maintenance and repairs of RCS equipment of the VVER-1000/V320 reactors. This particular contract (115547) was concluded for delivery of the Lot 3 including
four complete sets of grinding and lapping machines with tools and accessories suitable for repairing safety valve seats; this equipment had to be delivered to Kalinin, Novovoronezh, Balakovo and Volgodonsk NPPs as End Users (Lots 3.1  3.4 respectively)
two complete sets of grinding and lapping machines with tools and accessories suitable for repairing parallel slide seats of isolation valves; this equipment had to be delivered to Kalinin and Novovoronezh NPP as End Users (Lots 3.1 and 3.2 respectively).
Although each piece of equipment was to be delivered to a specific NPP, the equipment was supposed to be available also for the other Rosenergoatom NPPs to take advantage of it. During the warranty period, however, the equipment was to be used solely by the End User.

The contract for the equipment procurement and supply was signed with Unislip (later on renamed to Unigrind) GmbH, Germany on 12 June 2006. Initially, the contract was concluded for 4 months, but later on, it was extended by 31 months to the total of 35 months expiring on 13 May 2009. Finally, the contract was closed on 24 February 2010. The main reason for the substantial contract extension were problems in communication between the involved Russian parties (including the Russian Humanitarian Aid Committee), which delayed the overall customs clearance procedure and hampered delivery of the equipment to the End Users.
According to the TS, the equipment had to be either pneumatically or electrically powered, portable and fit for two operators, capable to reach the valve compartment/location and applicable to the whole range of dimensions of the safety and isolation valves to be machined. The main function of the equipment has been to grind and lap the valve seats while being installed on the lower part of the valve body, after the upper part of the valve was removed. The maximum roughness had to be Ra 0.8 for the isolation valves and Ra 1.25 for the safety valves. The movement of the tool on the valve during machining had to be automatic and adjustable. The cross-grinding technology had to be applied and resurfacing of every valve seat had to be possible.
The equipment has been delivered in accordance with the contract requirements. On site functional tests and training were satisfactorily performed. The certificate of provisional acceptance of the maintenance tools for grinding and lapping of the valve seats for all four NPPs was signed by the supplier, UniGrind GmbH and the recipient, the Concern Rosenergoatom, on 6 August 2007.

Conclusions

The contract, however delayed in its implementation, has been successfully completed and has fully met its objectives.