The journalists of district and local mass media assured themselves of the nuclear plant safe operation having visited Kursk NPP as a part of regular public inspection on April 27, 2011.

At present, public inspections are being held at all operating nuclear power plants of the Russian Federation. 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.

The route of the Kursk journalists included a visit to multiple nuclear plant production facilities, located at the industrial site and in the limits of Kurchatov city. During the visit, the inspectors did not only watch the production processes, but also required the information concerning the equipment working parameters, the way the parameters were supported, whether there were reserve and redundant systems in case of regular systems failure, etc. The guests were especially interested in the reliability of the NPP equipment electric power supply, the environmental radiation control and the personnel emergency preparedness.

While attending the reserve diesel electric plant of safety systems, the inspection participants learnt with satisfaction about existence of the equipment electric supply multiple backup, among them, the equipment demanding incessant electric supply. Various theme reports, licenses and other documents were presented to the journalists due to their requests made during the inspection process. 

During the working day the inspection participants controlled the radiation situation and the work of the appropriate equipment three times. First, they did it in Kurchatov city Central Square, after that – at Kursk NPP first stage radiation monitoring room and finally, at the central post of ASKRO (Radiation Environment Automated Control System). Besides, mass media representatives were given individual dosimeters, the readings of which can be monitored at any moment and at any NPP point. Each guest underwent control by human radiation spectrometer (SIC) at the nuclear plant territory entrance and exit.

The topic of emergency response and the personnel readiness to act in emergency situations was studied by the public inspection participants in the emergency and educational and training centers of Kursk NPP. In the educational and training centers the inspectors estimated the personnel actions during an emergency response drill on a full-scale imitator-archetype of power unit No. 4.

“The visit to Kursk NPP made us sure in its operation safety”, Deputy Head of Department of Information Management Committee on Information and Publication of Kursk NPP Ludmila Gogoleva made the conclusion on the inspection results. “The modernized systems, especially the complex reactor control and protection system, having independent shutdown system are impressing”.

“For safety there is everything done to the maximum”, - “Kursk” Newspaper Chief Editor Olesya Yudaeva noted.

“I am skeptical towards various phobias related to nuclear power”, correspondent of the regional TV-company “Seim” Denis Lomakin said. “And today I have hardened to the view. We have received a great volume of information first-hand”.