CNCAN 1

Enhancement of Regulatory Capabilities for Safety Analysis

Purpose:

To strengthen and enhance the capabilities of Romanian National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) staff for the assessment and review of nuclear safety analyses performed for nuclear power plants and research reactors, to increase the capacity building and institutional cooperation.

Background: 

This sub-project  is a continuation of the sub-programme CNCAN 1 “Nuclear Safety Assessment and Risk-Informed Regulation” of the “Regional Excellence Programme on Safe Nuclear Energy in Romania”.

This sub-project will contribute to the exchange of experience of CNCAN, as national competent authority in the nuclear field, with NRPA Norway, will strengthen and enhance the cooperation between CNCAN and the other partner organizations with responsibilities in the assessment of the nuclear safety, as well as with other regulatory authorities, international organizations dealing with the nuclear safety and technical support organizations. In this way, CNCAN and NRPA will benefit from the best practices in specific areas related to the regulation and review of nuclear safety assessments.

As a result of previous programme, two IAEA missions were conducted at CNCAN, IRRS and EPREV, and specific recommendations resulted for CNCAN in the area of “review and assessment“ of nuclear safety analyses.

The self-assessment process of CNCAN as well as the “stress tests” exercise conducted at the request of the European Council for all the nuclear power plants in Europe, reaffirmed the need to continue to strengthen and enhance the capabilities of CNCAN staff for assessment and review of nuclear safety analyses performed for nuclear power plants and research reactors and to continue the development of a system of regulations, guides and procedures related to the review and assessment of the nuclear safety analyses.

Results

The programme will achieve its purpose described here above and in particular delivered:

• computer codes to assess the reactor core behavior and containment behavior under severe accident conditions for a CANDU NPP

-       Software packages including licenses and supporting documents

-       Training materials for the codes on severe accidents

-       Specific application server and specific laptops;

• trained CNCAN and NRPA staff on the use of severe accident analysis computer codes for CANDU NPPs and for research reactors and on the use of RELAP/SCDAP computer code Regulatory Review Guide for Severe Accident Analyses;

• Procedure for the regulatory review of the severe accident analyses provided by the licensees;

• CNCAN staff trained in the methodology used for the regulatory review of severe accident analyses and practical exercises on the use of the developed Regulatory Review Guide for Severe Accident Analyses provided by the licensees;

• CNCAN and NRPA staff trained on the regulatory review of Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs) and Severe Accident Management Guidelines (SAMGs);

• Guide for regulatory review of EOPs and SAMGs;

• Procedure for the regulatory review of EOPs and SAMGs;

• CNCAN staff trained on basic seismic hazard analysis and NPP seismic qualification;

• CNCAN staff trained on the use of mechanical computer codes for seismic design and verification of NPPs seismic qualified structures, systems and components;

• A set of regulatory requirements related to seismic events and other external events analysis and NPPs qualification;

• Regulatory Review Guide for seismic margins assessments;

• Computer codes ANSYS MECHANICAL and BENTLEY AUTOPIPE updated;

• Regulatory Guide on Deterministic Safety Analysis for Design Basis Accidents and Beyond Design Basis Accidents developed for licensees (NPPs).