R3.IA/03-2 Licensing support to Kola PIP (ref AP 7.1.3.1)

Since it was established, Gosatomnadzor of Russia, at present time Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service of Russia (Rostechnadzor), has been supported by different international organisations in the improvement of its activities. Since 1994, a multi-annual assistance programme to GOSATOMNADZOR of Russia (now to Rostechnadzor) was in place. The assistance to Rostechnadzor aimed to transfer EU regulatory methodology to help strengthening an independent and competent regulatory body. An important task consisted of the promotion of an EU-style licensing system in order to achieve improved licensing practices and licensing procedures of NPPs including NPPs modernization programmes, taking into consideration the licensing procedures as practised in the EU.

Within the framework of the TACIS programme, the European Commission funded a number of projects with the objective to provide on-site assistance to NPP sites in the Russian Federation. The program included also the implementation of NPP safety improvements selected for each site on the basis of lists of safety deficiencies issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and approved by the Russian utility and safety authority. In order to promote the implementation of a licensing process based on a technical dialogue between operator and regulator, EU support was provided in parallel to both the Russian utility and the safety authority. The so-called “2+2 approach” can be resumed as follows: On-site EU utilities co-operate with Russian NPPs (in coherence with the utility REA) in the implementation of safety improvements, preparing the technical specifications, supporting the NPP in the licensing process, assuming the equipment procurement, taking part in the fabrication and installation follow-up, as well as the commissioning of the equipment. EU TSOs co-operate with Rostechnadzor and its TSOs in performing the technical safety evaluations of the proposed safety improvements. Joint consensus assessments of safety justification and recommendations are provided by RF and EU TSOs to Rostechnadzor for decision-making in the course of the licensing process.

The TACIS project R1.01/98 PPP “Technical Safety Organisations Support to Gosatomnadzor of Russia in the Licensing of Plant Improvement Projects at Kalinin, Kola and Smolensk Nuclear Power Plants – First phase: Preliminary Project Planning (PPP)” ensured the proper start of licensing of 3 TACIS – funded On Site Assistance Projects on three sites through the implementation of the “2+2” approach. This project is one of follow-on projects of the project R1.01/98 PPP (RF/TS/32).

The project’s purpose has been to ensure the proper licensing of the TACIS-funded Plant Improvement Project through the implementation of the “2+2” approach. The project provided technical support by EU TSOs to Rostechnadzor in its activities on licensing related assessments of improvement measures of the TACIS-funded Plant Improvement Projects (PIP) R1.01/04A “Liquid radioactive waste treatment system (LRWTS) Kola NPP”. In addition, the project ensured for all the activities a continuous transfer of European expertise and training to Rostechnadzor and its local Technical Safety Organisations in order to broaden Rostechnadzor capabilities for future licensing related activities.

The project consisted of technical reviews of design and engineering documentation and of test results of equipment submitted to Rostechnadzor for the safety improvement project “Liquid Radioactive Waste Treatment System” for Kola NPP. The Russian and EU TSOs addressed safety problems related to the implementation of new equipment and carried out an expert review of the safety documentation submitted by the licensee. The scope of work included the review of results for site acceptance testing of equipment and amendment to the licensing conditions. The Russian and EU TSOs provided the Rostechnadzor with joint consensus assessments and recommendations in the course of the licensing process and transferred the know-how underlying the work of EU TSOs to the concerned organisations in Russia.

The project was concluded with submission of joint review reports of EU TSOs and RF TSO to Rostechnadzor for considering the licensing of these modernisation measures. Based on the results of all reviews of licensing documentation and the discussions with the licensee at the technical meetings, the TSOs participating in the project recommended Rostechnadzor to authorise the further implementation of the experimental-industrial operation of the LRWTS.