The Novovoronezh NPP became the first Russian nuclear station to open a project office for “The International Staff Training Center”, which is to hold training sessions for specialists from many countries. The new department was established as a part of the Rosatom* strategic initiatives.

“We have started working on two major strategic goals of Rosatom – to enter international markets and to launch new products. Now we are more than just a heat and electric power producer – we are an international market player delivering educational products”, Sergey Gudin, the deputy human resources director at the Novovoronezh NPP, has reported.

The new project office will be responsible for defining the curriculum jointly with the foreign specialists and the customers, coordinating the operational activities with the Novovoronezh NPP Training center and other departments offering internships for the foreign guests. The training will be delivered in cooperation with JSC Atomtekhenergo, the Rosatom Central institute for advanced training, and the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Nuclear Power Plant Operations.
The first internship in the office started on April 18 for the Belarusian NPP specialists. For the next two months ten operational workers, including lead engineers, workshops’ and NPP’s shift leaders will work as trainees at the Novovoronezh NPP power block No.6, the reactor of which is identical to the VVER-1200 ones erected in Belarus.

“The majority of the Belarusian NPP staff are former Belarusian thermal stations’ experts and Russian or Ukrainian NPP experts”, said Alexander Kachaev, the head of the International Staff Training Center. “Those who used to work at thermal stations are not well aware of how a nuclear reactor operates; that’s why when training them, we focus on the peculiarities of nuclear equipment exploitation. Those who previously worked at nuclear stations are familiar with NPP services; however, they still need to get used to VVER-1200 operations. Besides, it is very important for every intern to learn their organizational responsibilities”.

According to Vladimir Merkushev, a Belarusian NPP shift leader, the way the training is organized at the Novovoronezh NPP is impressive. “I’ve been in the nuclear industry for almost 30 years; still, I can learn a lot here. I’d like to learn more about VVER-1200 in particular. We’re happy to undergo internship during the 6th power block physical startup, as it’s a critical step we look forward to having in two years”, Mr. Merkushev commented.

The first group’s training is to be completed mid-June while the new 15-members session is to start their training at the Novovoronezh NPP International Staff Training Center in May.

In the coming 18 months over 250 Belarusian NPP employees are to undertake training here. The center also plans to win contracts with customers from Bangladesh, Egypt, and other countries.

The core charge has been fully completed at the power block No.6. The next steps required for the new power block startup rely on obtaining Rostechnadzor’s license for the following physical startup phases: reactor assembly, turning on main circulation pumps to switch the reactor unit to the hot position, and completing a set of tests at the minimum controllable power level. At that point, the completed physical startup is to be followed by the power startup.
Construction and installation activities are being carried out at the power block No.7.

The up-to-date information on the nuclear environment close to the Russian NOOs and other nuclear objects is available at www.russianatom.ru

Novovoronezh NPP Information and Public Relations Administration.