November 6-7, 2012 – The expert group of the International Pooling System has conducted the scheduled international insurance inspection of power units of Balakovo NPP. The committee included representatives of the British Nuclear Pool (Great Britain), Russian Association of Nuclear Insurers, JSC Atomic Insurance Broker and Rosenergoatom Concern.

At the meeting with the management of the nuclear power plant, there was voiced the information about the current situation and prospective lines of development of Balakovo NPP, report on the implementation of measures on closure of comments made by the international insurance inspection in 2009. The experts also got acquainted with the programs on modernization of NPP and measures adopted at Balakovo NPP that were implemented after the accident at Fukushima NPP. Also, there were heard the reports on the outcome of the recurring OSART mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held at the plant in 2010 and WANO Peer Review of 2011.  

The experts visited the turbine island, main and emergency control rooms of Unit 4, central hall of Unit 1 (which was in scheduled maintenance), special building and other industrial areas.  

At the final meeting, Miss Valerie Martel, head of the expert group and Inspector of the British Nuclear Pool, noted that Balakovo NPP was a well-run plant, where there was achieved a very high level of safety and productivity. Also they gave some recommendations on improving of the plant’s operation. The final report on the results of the inspection will be provided in a few months.  

Nuclear risk insurance is a form of insurance providing for compensation for material damage or personal injury from radiation exposure caused by the sudden and unforeseen circumstances at production, storage, use and transportation of nuclear fuel and radioactive materials. The development of the nuclear insurance in Russia became possible after the ratification of Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage that allowed the Concern Rosenergoatom and the Russian Association of Nuclear Insurers going global in insurance.