Rosenergoatom JSC – the largest generating company in Russia and the 2nd largest in the world in terms of nuclear generating capacity – is hosting the OSART (Operating SAfety Review Team) Corporate Mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)* for the first time.

As part of the Mission, IAEA experts will visit the JSC's Central Office, as well as three Russian NPPs (branches of Rosenergoatom, a part of the Rosatom Electric Power Division) – Balakovo, Kola and Smolensk.

The OSART Mission is carried out at the invitation of the Government of the Russian Federation and Rosatom State Corporation.

It is organized by the IAEA, an intergovernmental organization of the UN, which for several decades has been developing safety standards and ensuring the application of these standards to any type of activity in the field of atomic energy.

The OSART team includes 12 experts and 2 IAEA observers, who originate from Germany, China, Canada, South Africa, Slovenia, Great Britain, France, Japan, Slovakia, Iran and Ukraine. Within two weeks, they will be inspecting Rosenergoatom and its three branches in the following 9 areas: corporate managing, independent nuclear supervision, human resources, communications, maintenance and repair, technical support, operating experience, procurement, accident management and emergency preparedness.

Director of Rosenergoatom Andrey Petrov, “We are ready to demonstrate the experts that our core business, as well as the supporting functions and new business lines meet the most stringent IAEA requirements and are subject to our main priority, which is safety.” He noted that the OSART Corporate Mission is a powerful inspiring factor for Rosenergoatom personnel, as it provides an incentive for the development and improvement in accordance with the best international standards. And results of the Mission – which will be in open access – will affect not only the prestige of Rosenergoatom, but also the entire Russian nuclear industry and its competitiveness in the world market. “We are ready to present to the experts the best practices formed over the long history of the existence of Rosenergoatom and the Russian nuclear industry. We have something to offer to the world atomic community”, A. Petrov emphasized.

The Mission will last until 27 November, 2018. Based on the inspection, the experts will provide a report containing suggestions and recommendations for improving the performance of the operator ensuring the safety of the nuclear power plants, as well as examples of good operating practices (recognized at the international level).

There has been an example of successful missions in Russia at Leningrad, Balakovo, Rostov, Smolensk, Kola and Novovoronezh NPPs.