U1.03/97 Zaporozhe NPP

Continuation of TACIS OSA (On-Site Assistance) at Zaporozhye NPP.

The TACIS nuclear programme is dedicated to the enhancement of the safety of NPPs in CIS (Commonwealth of Independent states) countries. The execution of this TACIS nuclear programme is based, among others, on the creation of close partnership between a NPP from the CIS and a NPP from EU ('On-Site-Assistance').

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

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

Carry out specific projects:

• U1.03/97A, spare parts: updating of specification, participation to tendering and/or procurement process and management of implementation phase;
• U1.03/97B, supply of qualified servo-valves for containment: updating of specification, participation to tendering and procurement process and management of implementation phase;
• U1.03/96C and 97C, fire protection for cables: updating of specification, participation to tendering and procurement process and management of implementation phase;
• U1.03/97D, spare parts: writing and updating of specification, participation to tendering and procurement process and management of implementation phase;
• U1.03/99A, improvement of the secondary circuit overpressure system reliability - replacement of the safety valves (PIP): writing and updating of specification, participation to tendering and procurement process;
• U1.03/99B, water level indicator in the reactor pressure vessel (PIP): writing and updating of specification, participation to tendering and procurement process;
• U1.03/99C, feedwater control valves: writing and updating of specification, participation to tendering and procurement process;
• other supply projects to be completed.

Transfer experience between Zaporozhye NPP and German Biblis NPP:

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

Lahmeyer International GmbH, subsidiary of RWE Group, has been contracted by RWE Power AG for ensuring project management of OSA at Zaporozhye NPP; RWE Power AG keeping global project management and provision of short-term experts for punctual needs.
Project management support:

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

Specific supply projects of TACIS 96, 97 and 99:

U1.03/97A, spare parts: signature of contracts (7 contracts for 7 lots) by direct agreement with the suppliers. As available budget did not fit with the scope of supply, it was decided to cancel lot A1. All contracted projects have been completed in 2002-2003, with delays for each of them.

U1.03/97B, supply of qualified servo-valves for containment: project started in October 2000 by an on-site investigation about needs. Some old valves available at Zaporozhye NPP were installed rapidly, and 40 new valves had to be procured. Spare parts for both old and new valves had to be procured. Then procurement project was split into 3 parts: 97B1 (open tender for new valves), 97B2 (informal consultation for spare parts of old valves) and 97B3 (direct agreement for spare parts of new valves). First version of the 3 TS (Technical Specification) was issued in June 2001,and final version was approved in January 2002:

U1.03/97B1, new valves: call for tender was launched, and evaluation took place in October 2002. Supply contract with Czech company ARAKO was signed in July 2003. B1 has been delivered at Zaporozhye NPP in March 2004. Valves were installed at unit 1 in October 2004, and 2-year warranty period started. B3 (with B2, see here under) spare parts were delivered at Zaporozhye NPP in December 2004, and 3-year warranty period started.

U1.03/97B2: the contact has been merged with B1 contract in November 2003.

U1.03/97B3: the contact has been merged with B1 contract in November 2003.

U1.03/96C and 97C, fire protection for cables: after merging both projects and rewriting of TS (reduction of scope of supply after failure of project in a previous tendering process), this new TS has been elaborated, updated and approved. Then tender evaluation in December 2002 was successful, and supply contract was signed in August 2003. The equipment was delivered on site, and provisional acceptance has been issued in December 2003. The 2-year warranty was still running at the end of general OSA U1.03/97 project.

U1.03/97D, spare parts (polar crane): Initially, this project was dealing with 'residual heat removal system'. As required measures have been already implemented at Zaporozhye NPP, the scope of this project has been modified. Due to specificity of such projects (they to existing equipment), direct agreement with supplier has been decided. First version of TS was issued in June 2001, and final TS was approved in January 2002. Supply contract was signed in November 2002. During implementation phase, scope of spare parts had to be reassessed due to technical difficulties. Spare parts have been delivered at Zaporozhye NPP in March 2004. Provisional acceptance has been signed in April 2004, and warranty period is still running at the end of general OSA U1.03/97 project.

U1.03/99A, improvement of the secondary circuit overpressure system reliability - replacement of the safety valves (PIP): First version of TS was issued in March 2001, and final TS. After long discussions about the technical solution to be implemented, and final version of TS was approved in February 2004. PPP phase (preparation of TS) of this project is now completed. Tendering process is still pending at the end of general OSA U1.03/97 project.

U1.03/99B, pilot valves for pressuriser safety valves for units 1 to 4 (PIP): initially, this project was devoted to 'water level indicator in the reactor pressure vessel'. Zaporozhye NPP proposed to perform this work on its own, and another topic has been agreed in December 2000 for U1.03/99B about pressuriser safety valves. First version of TS was issued in August 2001. Final version was issued in February 2005, after many safety studies by local subcontractor EIS, discussions with UNRA and supplier Sempell (direct agreement supply contact). PPP phase (preparation of TS) of this project is now completed. Supply contract signature is still pending at the end of general OSA U1.03/97 project.
U1.03/99C, feedwater control valves (PIP): initially, this project was foreseen under U1.03/97D for one unit. It has been extended to the 6 units in the frame of PIP U1.03/99. First version of TS was issued in April 2001, and final version was approved in October 2004. PPP phase (preparation of TS) of this project is now completed. Process for tendering is still pending at the end of general OSA U1.03/97 project.

Other projects:

U1.03/93B, U1.03/94B, U1.03/95B, hydrogen monitoring system for 6 units: the supplier of the system is Siemens (now Framatome ANP). Provisional acceptance has been pronounced in August 1999, and final acceptance in August 2002. The project is now completed.

U1.03/95E, spare parts: spare parts were delivered in June-July 2000, and final acceptance has been pronounced in August 2001. The project is now completed.

U2.03/96, pressuriser safety valves for units 5&6: preliminary licensing activities (technical requirements, technical decision on modernisation) took a long time, until November 2001. Then, writing and revision of TS took place, and TS was approved in May 2002. Call for tender was launched, and evaluation took place in January 2003. Company Sempell was awarded, and contract was signed in November 2003. Safety valves lot 1 were delivered in June 2005 at Zaporozhye NPP, and were installed. Provisional acceptance for lot 1 was signed in November 2005. Warranty period is still running. Valves for lot 2 have been delivered in December 2005, and they will be installed beyond this U1.03/97 service contract.

Transfer of experience between Zaporozhye NPP and Biblis NPP:

2 seminars have been organised:

• November 2002: seminar on 'Valve installation, valve maintenance, system assessment and feed and bleed concept' at Biblis NPP. Experts from Zaporozhye NPP, Balakovo NPP (Russia) and Gidropress (Russian designer) attended the seminar.
• February 2004: seminar on 'Ultra sonic testing methods and tools' at Biblis NPP.

In addition, RWE provided support to Zaporozhye NPP in '2+2 approach' (approach used for some TACIS projects, consisting in parallel support of an Eastern plant by a Western Utility and support of the Eastern NRA by a Western TSO in the same projects). UNRA (Ukrainian NRA) has been supported by French-German RISKAUDIT TSO consortium through separate TACIS contracts. This approach has been implemented during the elaboration of technical specifications for U1.03/99A and U1.03/99B (PIP projects).

Comments 

According to information delivered by the contractor, a number of problems made delays for specific supply projects. Most of them had delays, main due to:

• duration of finalisation of equipment specification, especially for PIP projects;
• duration of some licensing activities;
• very long process of contract signatures in most cases.

A number of projects have totally changed their scope, including important delays. This is mainly due to the fact that Zaporozhye implemented in the meantime these projects with Ukrainian funding.

Further information

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