República Argentina · Nuclear power plants License, require On-Site and Off-Site emergency plans to be approved by the Regulatory Body. Nuclear Power Plants have updated the Off-Site

NATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY REPORT

República Argentina

CONVENTION ON NUCLEAR SAFETY

3rd Review Meeting2005

PRESENTATION

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NATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY REPORT

3rd Review Meeting of the Convention on Nuclear Safety

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ARN - NASA - CNEA

GROUP 5

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NATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY REPORT1998


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Highlights / Themes

Follow-up from 2nd Review Meeting

Challenges, Achievements & Good Practices

Planned Measures to Improve Safety

Updates to National Report to 3rd Review Meeting

Questions from Peer Review of National Report

Conclusions

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

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National Nuclear Activities OverviewHIGHLIGHTS / THEMES

Act No 24,804, 1997 or "National Law of the Nuclear Activity", is the legal framework for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Article 1st of the Act, sets that concerning nuclear matters the State will establish the policy and perform the functions of research and development and of regulation and control, through the Nuclear Regulatory Authority and the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA).

The Regulatory Body is independent of any organization dedicated to the use or the promotion of nuclear energy and it is provided with adequate financial and human resources to fulfil its mission.

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National Nuclear Activities Overview (cont.)HIGHLIGHTS / THEMES

The prime responsibility for safety is assigned to the Responsible Organization (NASA) for ensuring safety in the siting, design, construction, commissioning and operation.

NPPs are operated by NASA according to what is established in the Operation Licence, in the Regulatory Standards and preserving operation limits and conditions contained in the Mandatory Documentation.

The Responsible Organization for decommissioning and radioactive waste management is National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA).

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EMBALSE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

ATUCHA I NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

ATUCHA II NUCLEAR POWER PLANTUNDER CONSTRUCTION

BUENOSAIRES

PHWR - 600 MW700 km from Buenos Aires



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National Nuclear Activities OverviewHIGHLIGHTS / THEMES

Competence of the Regulatory BodyTo develop safety principles and criteria, establish regulationsand, issue standards and guidance;To issue, amend, suspend or revoke licenses (NPPs and personnel) and to set conditions;To carry out regulatory inspections and audits to verify compliance with licenses and authorisations issued.To perform review and assessments.To enforce regulatory requirements;To communicate directly with governmental authorities at higher levels, national organizations and the public;To promote co-operation and exchange information on regulatory issues and incidents/abnormal occurrences with national and international organizations and regulatory bodies of other countries .

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HIGHLIGHTS / THEMESAtucha I NPP - Backfitting ProgramEmbalse NPP inspections and PSA Lesson learnt from eventsPeriodic Safety Review and License RenewalsQuality Management System in the Regulatory BodyMaintaining Competence of the Regulatory BodyTSO agreementsSafety Culture improvementsHuman factors improvements Ageing Management ProgramRegulatory Plant Safety IndicatorsALARA activitiesEmergency Preparedness Atucha II construction decisionOperating Experience Feedback Severe Accident and Accident Management

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FOLLOW-UP FROM 2nd REVIEW MEETINGPoints from the Discussions (Raporteur Report)

1. Emergency Planning and Preparedness: A recent law requires that the regulator is responsible for decision-making and co-ordination of actions associated with Emergency Planning and Preparedness. This is a new activity that is still being developed.

2. ALARA: The Members of Group V noted that the radiation dose levels during the Atucha I backfitting were relatively high. The Members of Group V encourages the regulator to monitor these trends closely during the residual work.

3. Regulatory Safety Performance Indicators: The regulator is developing Safety Performance Indicators. The Members of Group Vrecommended that thresholds be defined in these indicators whichcan be used as measures for acceptable safety performance and regulatory action.

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FOLLOW-UP FROM 2nd REVIEW MEETINGEmergency Planning and Preparedness

Technical knowledgeFollow international requirementsStrong legal frameworkDissemination of informationEducation and training

Outline:

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Outline:Technical knowledgeFollow international requirementsStrong legal frameworkDissemination of informationEducation and training

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Technical knowledgeSpecific groups for radiological emergencies since 1960Specific groups for nuclear emergency preparedness since 1980Participating in international forums related to nuclear and radiological emergenciesParticipating in the development of international standards, technical guides and regional courses

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Follow international requirements

Practical goal:

“To ensure that arrangements are in place for a timely, managed, controlled, coordinated, and effective response as the scene, and at the local, regional and international level, to any nuclear or radiological emergency”

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Strong legal frameworkFunctions of the Regulatory Body established in Act 24804/97 andthe Ordinance 1390/98, including emergency aspects.

In order to accomplish what is set by 24,804 Act and 1390 enforcement Decree the “Nuclear Emergency Response System” has been created by Regulatory Body Resolution Nº 25/99 on November, 1999.

Nuclear power plants License, require On-Site and Off-Site emergency plans to be approved by the Regulatory Body.

Nuclear Power Plants have updated the Off-Site emergency plans, in order to consider legal framework, and according to the Regulatory Body “Nuclear Emergency Response System”

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Strong legal frameworkNational, Province and Local Governments Authorities have updated theiremergency plans in order to consider legal framework, and according to the Regulatory Body “Nuclear Emergency Response System”

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Dissemination of information

The activities have been focused on disseminating information for the NPPs population surroundings.

Permanent information of the radiological risk

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Permanent information of the emergency plans

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Specific information for exercises

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Dissemination of informationSpecific information for exercises

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Education and trainingMembers of the public and emergency response groups from external organizations identified in the emergency plans, are periodically educated and trained in technical aspects of off-site nuclear emergency.

Periodical exercises include public & civil organizations, Security & Army Forces, Responsible Organization and Regulatory Body.

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• At Schools...

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• To members of the public...

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• To external response organizations

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FOLLOW-UP FROM 2nd REVIEW MEETING

ALARAAtucha I backfitting radiation doses were

significantly reduced by improving:Work planning and procedures.Shielding, in particular within control rods area and

control rods coils area.Training and specific training programs were

developed.Mock-ups. Specific tools, new extracting tools for fuel channels

and control rods tube guides.Operating Experience Feedback.Regulatory control.

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ALARA

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ALARA

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ALARA

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ALARA

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FOLLOW-UP FROM 2nd REVIEW MEETINGREGULATORY SAFETY INDICATORS

Acceptability ranges for each indicator instead of threshold values were defined. Such acceptability range or satisfactory zone is considered as a range of normal behavior of the indicator. The main reason was indicators frequency distributions do not allow establishing representative thresholds. A preliminary criteria to define each acceptability range was carried out.

The set of safety performance indicators is used as an additional regulatory tool to provide a complementary view of the nuclear power plants performance allowing to improve the ability to detect any eventual degradation on safety related areas. This tool is used together with others for monitoring safety.

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Atucha I NPP - Backfitting Program (ART. 6)CHALLENGES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND GOOD PRACTICES

The backfitting program was required by the Regulatory Body in 1999. The progress of the program was presented in the second review meeting. The program objective was to prioritize the reactor internals issues, relevant safety aspects, the implementation of a new safety system, reactor pressure vessel analysis and updated of the mandatory documentation.

All the backfitting activities were fulfilled in 2004/5 and this program has represented the major safety improvement and investment for Atucha I since the beginning of plant operation.

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The main activities performed were:Installation of a new safety system, Second Heat Sink system.Replacement all fuel channels containing “Stellite-6” by new design.Replacement all fuel channels with thermal isolation 0.4 mm instead of 0.2 mm.Replacement of all control rod guide tubes with a new nozzle design.In-core neutron flux sensor guide tubes replacement.Pressure vessel integrity analysis and new surveillance program.Installation of in-vessel primary water level measurements.Reactor Protection system improvements.Moderator tank cleaning.Updating and new operating and surveillance procedures.Updating of the Safety Report, Probabilistic Safety Assessment,

Operating Policies and Principles, Maintenance and Quality Assurance Manuals.

Atucha I NPP - Backfitting Program (ART. 6) (cont.)CHALLENGES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND GOOD PRACTICES

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The main activities performed were:

Pressure tubes inspection: previous assessment indicated a lower deuterium uptake rates in comparison with other CANDU 6 data. A new scraping of pressure tubes was carried out during the last planned outage. AECL and the Responsible Organization are analysing the final conclusions on the pickup rate that depends on the assessment together with other CANDU plants data.The report will be available in April 2005.

Feeders inspection: All sensitive areas were inspected according standards and guides and their life expectancy is higher than 25 years.

Special inspection to verify the gap between calandria tubes and SDS#2 injection nozzles were carried out without detecting contact.

Full scope Level 1 Probabilistic Safety Assessment completed. Additionally PSA that involves sources different from the reactor core was also completed. Internal Fire PSA and Shutdown and Low Power PSA are being finalized. A plant specific Seismic PSA is in progress.

Embalse NPP (ART. 6)CHALLENGES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND GOOD PRACTICES

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PSRs at ten-year intervals are required by the Operating License (IAEA SS NS-G-2.10). The Regulatory Body decided to limit the validation time of the Operating Licenses to 10 years and such PSR results will be used to determine the Operating License renewal.

Periodic Safety Review and License Renewals(ART. 7)

CHALLENGES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND GOOD PRACTICES

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A strong Quality Management System is ongoing. It includes the development of organization quality policy, quality management structure, implementation plan, training program and elaboration of procedures and instructions. ISO 9000, version 2000 and IAEA document PDRP-6 “Quality Management on the regulatory bodies” were the main support documents.

Quality Management System in the Regulatory Body(ART. 8)


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Maintaining Competence of the Regulatory Body(ART. 8)


Actions in progress:Additional resources to increase the annual budget to provide human resources.Quality Management System implementation focused on the nuclear stakeholders and the continuous improvement concept.Professional career improvements.Staffing-post profile definitions.Improved annual training program.

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Harmonization of regulatory approachesand safety standards (ART. 8)


A remarkable characteristic of the Argentinean regulatory system is the use of both probabilistic and deterministic approaches to radiological and nuclear safety that can be evidenced in its Regulatory Standards.As it is well known, both approaches are complementary and modern trends in radiological and nuclear safety use both of them

Argentinean Regulatory Standards are not prescriptive but of performance, that is to say, they establish the obligation of complying with safety goals.

There are some cases where deterministic and probabilistic approaches are in conflict and the criteria used to solve these conflicts is analysing on case-by-case basis better than to apply fast conservative solutions.

The Argentinean Regulatory Standards and the IAEA Safety Fundamentals and Requirements are consistent, however IAEA Standards are more detailed.

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TSO Agreements (ART. 8)


National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) – Nuclear safety issues, materials/ageingNational University of Buenos Aires (School of Engineering). - R&D External Events National Counsel for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) -R&D of nuclear safety issuesArgentine Radiation Protection Society – Radiological IssuesNational University of San Juan – Electrical system reliabilityNational University of Cuyo - R&D of Severe Accidents and thermohydraulicNational Technological University – Quality Management SystemNational Seismic Prevention Institute (INPRES) – Seismic studiesArgentine Federal Police (Firemen Superintendence). – Fire analysis

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Safety Culture Improvements (ART. 10)


Operating Experience Feedback Program: the human contribution to significant events, minor events and near misses have been reduced since the safety culture was reinforced through training programs.

Relationship regulator–operator: regulatory findings are implemented as soon as practicable, openness and transparent meetings implied a significant reduction of formal regulatory requirements.

Regulatory inspections and audits: better results coming from routine inspection and audit finding.

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Human Factors Improvements (ART. 12)


Corrective actions on procedures, training, plant systems and safety management from application of methods commonly used such as Human Performance Investigation Program (HPIP) and Human Performance Enhancement System (HPES) were carried out.

Additional human factors improvements as a consequence of PSA results were carried out in Atucha I and Embalse NPPs such as design changes, procedures modifications and increasing training efforts in specific areas.

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Risk-Informed decision making (Art.14)


Risk-informed regulation has been applied by the Regulatory Body and the Responsible Organization since many years ago. PSA has been used to determine the plants safety level, backfitting measures and reducing the unnecessary regulatory burden caused by decisions based on deterministic requirements that produced insignificant changes on risk monitor parameters (e.g. CDF).

Atucha I backfitting program was defined based on the PSA results attending the engineering judgment and defense-in-depth concepts.

Embalse PSA results is being used to detect design weaknesses and to propose changes to close issues.

It is expected that additional PSAs results coming from “Sources different than reactor core”, “Shutdown and Low Power”, “Fire Risk”and “Seismic” would produce safety improvement in both NPPs

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Ageing Management Program (ART. 14)


The major AMP activities were:

Atucha I within the backfitting program involved fuel channels, control rods, reactor pressure vessel, control rods tube guides, part of I&C reactor protection system was updated by digital technology. Additionally to the backfitting, steam generators tubes and moderator heat exchanger were included in AMP.

Embalse issues such as pressure tubes, feeders, steam generators and moderator heat exchangers were also included in AMP.

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Atucha II Construction (ART. 18)CHALLENGES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND GOOD PRACTICES

Upon request of Secretary of Energy the Responsible Organizationperformed an updated analysis considering technical, economics and financial aspects in order to provide adequate information to take the decision to resume or not the plant normal construction program.

Governmental Authorities concluded that it is reasonable to finalize the construction of the plant. Therefore, Atucha II project has been included in the National Energy Planning for the period 2004-2008 and 2005 funds were assigned within the General National Budget.

Meetings between NASA, the designer Siemens AG and FramatomeANP are presently under way in order to solve some contractual items in order to continue plant construction.

Regulatory Body performed a project review considering the current standards and those on which the plant was designed, concluding that there is no objections to finalize the plant construction. However, it´s being carried out a detailed analysis of all plant safety issues.

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Operational Experience Feedback (ART. 19)CHALLENGES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND GOOD PRACTICES

The most important implemented improvements coming from international experience were:

Embalse, installation of new design ECCS sump strainers.Embalse, liquid relief valves design changes.Embalse, feeders inspection improvementEmbalse, verification and changes of power and control I&C cables.Embalse, additional routine inspection for PHTS feed and bleed pumps.Embalse, new components belonging to primary and secondary auxiliary systems and CSDV header were added to surveillance program.Atucha I, new measurement of wall thickness in components of secondarysystem such as main feedwater systems, main steam and condensate systems, SG drainages included in the shutdown inspection program.Atucha I, new calibration of the step power relay and trip step device within loss of outside power actions

Specific training courses, meetings and discussions based on lessons learnt from events were organized (SOER/SER WANO).

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Accident Management and Severe Accidents (ART. 19)


The Severe Accident Management Program (SAMP) is in progress. It involves six severe scenarios together with their potential strategies identified. The first stage of SAMP, for Atucha-I NPP was finished.

The second stage program has just been presented to the Regulatory Body. It involves a systematic assessment and the effectiveness of each one of the strategies, equipment needs and human performances to elaborate the corresponding procedures and the staff training program. Additionally, this stage will include more scenarios to be taken into account.

Future stages will consider the SAMP for Embalse NPP.

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Public confidence and transparencyCHALLENGES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND GOOD PRACTICES

Openness and Transparency are important issues for both the Regulatory Body and the Responsible Organization which consider the challenge to balance the public information availability andconfidential data.Information on safety related experience is disseminated through

COG, WANO, IAEA-IRS, IAEA-INES, CANDU Regulators Group, Ibero-American Forum of Regulators, and Network of Regulators of Countries with Small Nuclear Programs and other forums.To organize specific meetings in all the country and emergency drills with the community participation.To promote strong proactive NPP/local community relationship To inform through a dedicated web site: www.arn.gov,arPress releases about public concerns related to nuclear activities.Public Annual Regulatory Report to National Congress, public libraries and national institutions.

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International Cooperation


Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC and Department of Energy DOE (USA)Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear CSN (Spain)Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission CNSC (Canada)Gesellschaft für Reaktorsicherheit GRS (Germany)Commissariat à l´Energie Atomique CEA and Directorate General for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection DGSNR (France)University of Pisa (Italy)Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear CNEN (Brasil)Hauptabteilung für die Sicherheit der Kernanlagen HSK (Switzerland)National Radiological Protection Board NRPB (UK)European Commission EC

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PLANNED MEASURES TO IMPROVE SAFETYIn addition to planned measures detailed in the previous slides

(challenges, achievements & good practices) it can be mentioned:

Measures to improve the safety at Embalse NPP are being planned by using current CANDU community safety improvements, specific plant PSA results and specific safety assessments as a documents basis.

Application of PSAs results coming from “Sources different than reactor core”, “Shutdown and Low Power”, “Fire Risk” and “Seismic” would produce safety improvement in both NPPs.

Operating Experience Feedback applied at Atucha I must be improved. A dedicated regulatory audit is being planned for 2005.

Embalse NPP refurbishment (PLIM + PLEX) is being analyzed by the Responsible Organization.

An IAEA Design Review Mission is being considered to review safety aspects of Atucha II plant design.

Peer Review WANO missions are planned for both NPPs by 2006/7.

To reinforce the Ageing Management Program application.

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UPDATES TO NATIONAL REPORT TO 3rd

REVIEW MEETINGLesson Learnt from events: “loss of power of a 220 V AC safety bus bar” and “opening of a PHTS liquid relief valve” at EmbalseNPP. “Loss of off-site power” at Atucha I.

During Embalse planned outage 2004 some safety improvements were carried out such as SG U tubes supports and additional inspections coming from Operating Experience.

Atucha I finished the channel replacement program using 0.4 mm thermal isolation foils instead of 0.2 mm foils and the moderator tank cleaning. Additional improved RPV welding inspections were carried out.

New regulatory procedures within the Quality Management System were finished.

Additional steps focused on getting a Atucha II final agreement between NASA and Framatome are in progress.

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QUESTIONS RAISED FROM PEER REVIEW OF NATIONAL

REPORT

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CONCLUSIONS

As a result of the implemented measures according to what is established in each Article, it can be concluded that Argentina met all the obligations imposed by the Convention on Nuclear Safety.

Documents

República Argentina · Nuclear power plants License, require On-Site and Off-Site emergency plans to be approved by the Regulatory Body. Nuclear Power Plants have updated the Off-Site