22.04.2011
Public Information Centre of Kola NPP
A public inspection has been held at Kola NPP
On April 21, a public inspection was held at Kola NPP. It engaged experts of the Public Council of Nuclear Power Safe Use of Murmansk region, including the Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems, Murmansk Department of All-Russian Society of Nature Conservation as well as public organizations and mass media of Kola Peninsula.
Director of Kola NPP Vasily Omelchuk presented the guests a report on operating principals of the nuclear power plant, its organization and technological features, where he paid special attention to the issues of plant operational reliability and safety systems existing at the plant.
KNPP Director noted that the public inspection became a unique event for Kola nuclear power plant. ТInspections of various formats were held at Kola NPP, but it is the first time in Russian fuel and energy industry when representatives of public organizations, mass media and government authorities have examined the power enterprise activity directly at the site with operating equipment,У Vasily Omelchuk said.
Inspection participants were mainly interested in such issues of Kola NPP production processes as security assurance during energy production at the nuclear power plant, plant equipment modernization, labor protection at the enterprise and a program of unitsХ power ascension. During the inspection of the industrial site production facilities the quests got irrefragable answers to all their questions. They visited a mobile stand alone diesel-generator plant and radiation monitoring room and were acquainted with the operation principles of the reactor emergency core cooling system of the fourth power unit. The guests also examined the reactor vessel diagnostic control equipment, which is unique for Russian nuclear power industry and is represented by a single copy at Kola NPP.
ТWe have become personally certain in the efficiency of the multilevel safety principle, which is used at the NPP and helps the plant personnel to ensure radiation and nuclear safety of the nuclear power plant in any operating mode,У Secretary of the Public Council of Nuclear Power Safe Use of Murmansk region Sergey Zhavoronkin said.
The inspection participants noted that use of safety systems, existing Kola NPP, was a guarantee of its efficient and safe operation. According to their collective opinion, the internal resources, designed for actions in emergency situations (diesel-driven pump units (DDPU) and a mobile stand alone diesel-generator plant), significantly improve the readiness for emergency situations and beyond design basis accidentsХ management. This equipment includes simulation at Kola NPP of the Japanese case scenario.
The expert group visited the Liquid Radioactive Waste Processing Complex of Kola NPP, which had been commissioned in 2007.
The participants were particularly interested in the radiation environment automatic control system (REACS) with the help of which specialists of the nuclear power plant perform a round-the-clock monitoring of the environment within the sanitary protection zone and control area. The experts noted that the availability of a mobile radiological control laboratory made the monitoring mobile and operative.
At the end of the inspection a round-table discussion was held in the Information Centre of Kola NPP, where the experts summarized the inspection results. ТKola NPP continues to operate, using the equipment that helps not only to avoid an emergency situation, but also to localize a beyond design basis accident to the maximum extent and minimize its consequences,У Director of the Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems Vladimir Masloboev stressed.
The public inspection experts gave a positive evaluation to Kola NPP operational safety, as the plant complied with all national and international requirements and standards. The inspection participants also noted information availability and openness: beginning with general presentation of the industry development program and ending with perspective projects.
ТKola NPP is ready to continue such inspections that engage public and government representatives,У Plant Director Vasily Omelchuk summarized. ТThey help regional citizens to understand a true state of affairs in the nuclear power industry and once again assure in reliable and safe operation of the plant.У
At present, public inspections are being held at all operating nuclear power plants of the Russian Federation (branches of Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC). They are organized at the initiative of Rosatom State Corporation in order to demonstrate public and mass media representatives a high level of safety and reliability systems of Russian modern power units.
Timely information about the radiation environment near Russian NPPs and other objects of the nuclear industry is available in the site www.russianatom.ru.