On conditional "safety grades" of power units of NPPs of the Russian Federation

Author(s):  
Alexey Arzhaev

The energy obtained at nuclear power plants is considered environmentally friendly, so an increase in the number of nuclear power plants is inevitable both in Russia and abroad. But the memory of accidents and incidents at nuclear power plants, their causes and destructive consequences should force all responsible participants in the process to follow the basic principles of defense in depth and safety culture. Analysis of the factors considered in the article indicates that the approach to the implementation of the principle of safety culture on the part of officials of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom and the world's second operating organization, Rosenergoatom Concern JSC, is subject to emasculation to the greatest extent. This indicates that the lessons of past accidents at nuclear power plants are not fully absorbed in the nuclear industry of the Russian Federation and the existing bureaucratic nihilism in relation to the fulfillment of the requirements of federal norms and rules requires urgent overcoming.

Author(s):  
William D. Rezak

One of America’s best kept secrets is the success of its nuclear electric power industry. This paper presents data which support the construction and operating successes enjoyed by energy companies that operate nuclear power plants in the US. The result—the US nuclear industry is alive and well. Perhaps it’s time to start anew the building of nuclear power plants. Let’s take the wraps off the major successes achieved in the nuclear power industry. Over 20% of the electricity generated in the United States comes from nuclear power plants. An adequate, reliable supply of reasonably priced electric energy is not a consequence of an expanding economy and gross national product; it is an absolute necessity before such expansion can occur. It is hard to imagine any aspect of our business or personal lives not, in some way, dependent upon electricity. All over the world (in 34 countries) nuclear power is a low-cost, secure, safe, dependable, and environmentally friendly form of electric power generation. Nuclear plants in these countries are built in six to eight years using technology developed in the US, with good performance and safety records. This treatise addresses the success experienced by the US nuclear industry over the last 40 years, and makes the case that this reliable, cost-competitive source of electric power can help support the economic engine of the country and help prevent experiences like the recent crisis in California. Traditionally, the evaluation of electric power generation facility performance has focused on the ability of plants to produce at design capacity for high percentages of the time. Successful operation of nuclear facilities is determined by examining capacity or load factors. Load factor is the percentage of design generating capacity that a power plant actually produces over the course of a year’s operation. This paper makes the case that these operating performance indicators warrant renewed consideration of the nuclear option. Usage of electricity in the US now approaches total generating capacity. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has pre-approved construction and operating licenses for several nuclear plant designs. State public service commissions are beginning to understand that dramatic reform is required. The economy is recovering and inflation is minimal. It’s time, once more, to turn to the safe, reliable, environmentally friendly nuclear power alternative.


2021 ◽  
pp. 42-46
Author(s):  
A.P. Biryukov ◽  
◽  
E.P. Korovkina ◽  
E.V. Vasilyev ◽  
Yu.V. Orlov ◽  
...  

The purpose of the study is to analyze the oncoepidemiological situation in the vicinity of nuclear industry and nuclear power plants. Materials and methods of the study. The main materials of the study were the data of official medical statistics for 2012-2018 on the incidence of malignant neoplasms and mortality from them: the contingent of medical treatment organizations of FMBA of Russia in 10 closed administrative-territorial formations of Rosatom State Corporation — a research sample; total contingent served by medical treatment organizations of FMBA of Russia — data of the Federal Center for Extreme Problems Information Technology of FMBA of Russia; population of Russian Federation as a whole. An in-depth analysis of the morbidity and mortality from malignant neoplasms among employees of enterprises and the population served by medical treatment organizations of FMBA of Russia was performed using data from the Branch Cancer Registry of FMBA of Russia. Results of the study and their analysis. According to the results of the analysis an increase in the incidence of malignant neoplasms was observed in medical treatment organizations of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia in closed administrative territorial formations, in all medical treatment organizations of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, and in the Russian Federation as a whole. In 2012-2018 the incidence of malignant neoplasms (per 100,000 population) was: in closed administrative territorial entities — 412.4 and 526.6 respectively; in all medical treatment institutions of FMBA of Russia — 328.4 and 390.1; in the Russian Federation as a whole — 367.3 and 425.5 respectively. Analysis of mortality rates from malignant neoplasms showed that in all medical treatment institutions of the Federal Medical and Biomedical Agency of Russia the mortality rate from malignant neoplasms (per 100 thousand population) in this time interval was 149.1 and 167.9 persons respectively, which is significantly lower than the all-Russian rates of 201.0 and 200.0 persons respectively. Mortality from malignant neoplasms in closed administrative territorial units amounted to 220.1 and 257.3 persons respectively, which exceeds both all medical treatment institutions of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency and the Russian Federation as a whole.


Author(s):  
С. Гончаров ◽  
S. Goncharov ◽  
Г. Аветисов ◽  
G. Avetisov

The article presents the results of 25-old activity of the head agency of the Service for Disaster Medicine of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation – All Russian Centre for Disaster Medicine «Zaschita» (ARCDM «Zaschita») of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in the sphere of medical support of population in case of radiation accidents. The Service is a functional subsystem of the Unified State system of prevention and liquidation of emergency situations, intended for elimination of medical and sanitary consequences of emergency situation. In Russia, it is legally established that in case of radiation accident the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russia (the FMBA of Russia) is responsible for radiation safety of the population living in the NPP surveillance zone (approximately 25 km). Responsibility for the radiation safety of the rest of the population living outside the surveillance zone is assigned to the Service for disaster medicine. In accordance with the current document “Model content of the protection plan of the population in case of an accident at the radiation facility” developed by the Ministry of Emergency Situations, mandatory protective measures are provided in the territory that radius is 25 km around the radiation object (planning zones of preventive and emergency measures). Early planning in the restrictive planning zone is not envisaged, and protective measures outside the 100-kilometer zone are considered inappropriate. The article presents the concept developed by the specialists of ARCDM «Zaschita» for drafting protection of the subjects of the Russian Federation for the nuclear power plants operating on the territory of Russia. The concept is based on experience of consequences of the Chernobyl NPP accident. The concept argues that the outer boundary of the planning area for protective measures around nuclear power plants should have an outer radius of 1000 km. Radius of the emergency planning area is 100 km. The problems of preparedness for radiation safety of population support in case of radiation accidents are discussed. They are: the need for elaboration of regulatory and normative documents of the federal level on obligatory advance planning of protective measures against the possibility of radiation accidents on radiation-hazardous objects from the nuclear power plants on the territory of Russia for the population, not supervised by the FMBA of Russia (living both in the observation zone and abroad) and regulating the need and procedure of planning, organization and carrying out in case of necessity iodine prophylaxis for the population on territories up to 1000 km from operating NPPs of Russia. Same approaches to the solution of the considered problems are suggested.


Author(s):  
Vasilij V. Begun ◽  
Sergij V. Begun ◽  
Olena O. Kilina

The necessity of safety analysis methods and probable scenarios of accidents teaching in the education of experts for nuclear industry in Ukraine has been realised only after the Chernobyl accident. We developed the content of the first educational course in probabilistic safety analysis in 1995 based on the experience of the countries having developed nuclear power, the USA first of all, and on the training course of the Idaho National Laboratory. After this in 1996 the new course in probabilistic safety analysis of nuclear power plant (NPP) was adopted at our university. The new educational course in safety for students was developed and adopted in 2009 educational year - “Safety culture at nuclear installations of Ukraine”. Education and training in safety culture in higher educational institutions and in the nuclear power plants is a part of the general modern process of maintenance of safety, it is recommended by IAEA standards. The principles of safety culture are taken as a basis of the modern concept of safety of nuclear power plants. This work has received a positive appreciation from the management of departments of safety and training of the personnel of operating organization National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom (NNEGC Energoatom) and from other leaders of nuclear industry. The content of this educational course was discussed at the international scientific conferences on safety culture in 2008 and 2010, and was preliminary printed in the professional journal «Nuclear and radiation safety». The purposes of education have been defined as a survey, generalizing course on safety of the NPP with an allocation of safety issues on the foreground. Practical questions of the equipment and NPP systems work, their interaction in emergencies and the role of the human-operator are studied. The procedure of failure analysis at NPP is studied. Students analyze equipment work, root and direct causes of incidents. Methods of estimation of safety conditions based on observable operational indicators are studied. Parameters, variables and indicators of safety culture are studied. As a result of gained experience we have come to the conclusion about high advisability of educational courses in safety for students. Specially formed knowledge and education in the field of safety from a student’s bench are the basis of safety culture of the future nuclear industry expert.


Author(s):  
William D. Rezak

One of America’s best kept secrets is the success of its nuclear electric power industry. This paper presents data which support the construction and operating successes enjoyed by energy companies that operate nuclear power plants in the US. The result—the US nuclear industry is alive and well. Perhaps it’s time to start anew the building of nuclear power plants. Let’s take the wraps off the major successes achieved in the nuclear power industry. Over 20% of the electricity generated in the United States comes from nuclear power plants. An adequate, reliable supply of reasonably priced electric energy is not a consequence of an expanding economy and gross national product; it is an absolute necessity before such expansion can occur. It is hard to imagine any aspect of our business or personal lives not, in some way, dependent upon electricity. All over the world (in over 30 countries) nuclear power is a low-cost, secure, safe, dependable, and environmentally friendly form of electric power generation. Nuclear plants in these countries are built in six to eight years using technology developed in the US, with good performance and safety records. This treatise addresses the success experienced by the US nuclear industry over the last 40 years, and makes the case that this reliable, cost-competitive source of electric power can help support the economic engine of the country and help prevent experiences like the recent crises in California and the Northeast. Traditionally, the evaluation of electric power generation facility performance has focused on the ability of plants to produce at design capacity for high percentages of the time. Successful operation of nuclear facilities is determined by examining capacity or load factors. Load factor is the percentage of design generating capacity that a power plant actually produces over the course of a year’s operation. This paper makes the case that these operating performance indicators warrant renewed consideration of the nuclear option. Usage of electricity in the US now approaches total generating capacity. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has pre-approved construction and operating licenses for several nuclear plant designs. State public service commissions are beginning to understand that dramatic reform is required. The economy is recovering and inflation is minimal. It’s time, once more, to turn to the safe, reliable, environmentally friendly nuclear power alternative.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-376
Author(s):  
Viktor Vladimirovich Anikeev ◽  
Sergey Viktorovich Bazavluk

This article examines the current state of nuclear power in the Middle East. The construction of nuclear power plants is closely related to the issues of energy security in the region. The necessity and prerequisites for diversification of the energy balance in the countries of the region, as well as the need for a reliable source of electricity, which will completely solve the problem of growing demand, are analyzed. The authors analyze the role of the Russian Federation in the development of nuclear energy in the Middle East and assess the prospects in the market of services in this sector, consider cooperation in the nuclear sector with all states of the region, identify the advantages and prospects of Russia’s possible participation in the implementation of nuclear power plant construction projects in the Middle East. The most promising direction for the development of nuclear energy today is the use of fast neutron technology and a closed cycle that allows the processing of spent nuclear fuel. The possession of such technologies has a significant potential for export and international cooperation and is a significant technological advantage of Russia. Rosatom group has competitive advantages in the market of nuclear technologies, including in the Middle East, as it has competencies in all parts of the production and technological chain of nuclear energy. The Russian Federation participates in many projects related to the construction of nuclear power plants and related infrastructure and plays a significant role in the development of nuclear energy in the Middle East, cooperates with all countries in the region that are promising for cooperation in this direction, having intergovernmental agreements, which include the construction of nuclear power plants with such States as Egypt, Jordan, Iran, UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and memorandums of cooperation with Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman.


Author(s):  
Ronald C. Lippy

The nuclear industry is preparing for the licensing and construction of new nuclear power plants in the United States. Several new designs have been developed and approved, including the “traditional” reactor designs, the passive safe shutdown designs and the small modular reactors (SMRs). The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) provides specific Codes used to perform preservice inspection/testing and inservice inspection/testing for many of the components used in the new reactor designs. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviews information provided by applicants related to inservice testing (IST) programs for Design Certifications and Combined Licenses (COLs) under Part 52, “Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants,” in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 52) (Reference 1). The 2012 Edition of the ASME OM Code defines a post-2000 plant as a nuclear power plant that was issued (or will be issued) its construction permit, or combined license for construction and operation, by the applicable regulatory authority on or following January 1, 2000. The New Reactors OM Code (NROMC) Task Group (TG) of the ASME Code for Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants (NROMC TG) is assigned the task of ensuring that the preservice testing (PST) and IST provisions in the ASME OM Code to address pumps, valves, and dynamic restraints (snubbers) in post-2000 nuclear power plants are adequate to provide reasonable assurance that the components will operate as needed when called upon. Currently, the NROMC TG is preparing proposed guidance for the treatment of active pumps, valves, and dynamic restraints with high safety significance in non-safety systems in passive post-2000 reactors including SMRs.


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