Scientific and Technical Council

Scheduled meeting of Scientific and Technical Council of SEC NRS was held

The issues considered

1. Outcomes of revision “General Safety Provisions for Nuclear Power Plants”.

Decision of Scientific and Technical Council of SEC NRS

Having heard and discussed the information presented by Mikhail Yu. Lankin, Head of Nuclear Power Plants Safety Division, and after speaking in debates,

Scientific and Technical Council has noted that

The Working group that involved representatives from Rostechnadzor, SEC NRS, NRC “Kurchatov Institute” and JSC Atomenergoproekt (Moscow division) has developed the draft of the new revision of the federal regulations and rules in the field of use of atomic energy “General Safety Provisions for Nuclear Power Plants” (OPB). The last significant revision of the mentioned regulatory document was performed in 1998 in the aftermath of Chernobyl NPP accident. Certain changes were introduced in the course of this document revision in 1997.

The relevance of the current revision is predicated upon the necessity to take into consideration the legislation amendments introduced within the last 17 years both in the area of atomic energy use and in the related fields of law, to account the accumulated experience in respect to OPB enforcement, the development of the ‘safety’ vision represented, notably, in the current safety standards of the IAEA such as, in the first instance, “Safety of Nuclear Power Plants: Design” (Specific Safety Requirements No.SSR-2/1) and “Safety of Nuclear Power Plants: Commissioning and Operation” (Specific Safety Requirements No.SSR-2/2). The lessons learned from events and accidents occurred, including the severe accident at Fukushima-Daiichi NPP (Japan), are subject to be accounted for.

In the frames of the preparatory work the benchmark analysis was performed in respect to the Russian regulatory documents requirements and the requirements from the mentioned safety standards of the IAEA (SSR-2/1 and SSR-2/2). The enforcement practice for the period since the previous revision of OPB and all amendments introduced into the Russian regulatory framework were also analyzed.

The structure of the effective OPB-88/97 was considered as to be the basis of the draft revision, but in some parts it was subject to transformation.

The following significant changes in respect to OPB requirements are to be noted:

• Clarification of the concept “safety of a nuclear power plant”;
• Detailed requirements to safety analysis carrying out;
• Revision of classification rules in respect to NPP systems and components;
• Introduction of a new category of NPP systems and components such as special engineering means on BDBA management and requirements thereto;
• Substantial extension of “safety culture” concept;
• Introduction of “management for safety purposes” concept to the Russian regulatory practice;
• Specification of requirements to defense-in-depth implementation;
• Renewal of requirements to NPP unit decommissioning;
• Renewal of requirements to performing of nuclear-hazardous works and definition of list of nuclear-hazardous works;
• Requirements to operational experience analysis are extended; in particular, the concept “precursors of severe accident” is introduced.

Draft revision of OPB was distributed for consideration and comments to the interested stakeholders in correspondence with the list provided by Rostechnadzor’s technical assignment on this regulatory document development. Several meetings have been organized involving the representatives of Rostechnadzor subordinated organizations and departments and State Corporation ROSATOM enterprises to discuss the draft revision. Based on the findings from these discussions all necessary changes were introduced into the new revision of OPB prepared. In general, the majority of comments were of constructive character and all of them have contributed to improvement of the updated revision of OPB.

The draft of the renewed OPB conforms to the current international approaches to NPPs safety, takes into consideration the accumulated national and foreign experience in respect to NPPs operation and lessons drawn from accidents (including the Fukushima-Daiichi NPP accident), and changes introduced into the Russian legislation and the enforcement feedback. At the present moment the draft of the renewed OPB is published in “Nuclear and Radiation Safety” periodical.

Scientific and Technical Council has decided to

• take into consideration all presented information concerning the outcomes of revision (preparation of new version) of the federal regulations and rules in the field of use of atomic energy “General Safety Provisions for Nuclear Power Plants”.
• To proceed with works directed at preparation of new version of the federal regulations and rules “General Safety Provisions for Nuclear Power Plants” in the correspondence with the procedure established for development of the federal rules and regulations in the field of use of atomic energy.

Responsible for: Nuclear Power Plants Safety Division.

Deadline: in compliance with the procedure on FRR development.

Chairman: А.А. Khamaza

Scientific Secretary: А.А. Аfanasiev