From March 20-23, 2017, AdSTM staff (Mel Fields and Lawrence Kokajko) conducted an IRDP workshop on the Fundamentals of Reactor Safety and Regulations at the offices of the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) in Bucharest, Romania. Mr. Brett Rini, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) desk officer for Romania desk officer, and Ms. Tammy Way, IRDP Director, AdSTM, were also in attendance. The audience was composed of CNCAN regulators, Nuclearelectrica staff – licensee holder for Cernavoda NPP Units 1 and 2; and CITON staff (Centre of Technology and Engineering for Nuclear Projects – a design and engineering company involved in nuclear power plants (NPP)).
The course provided both the Romanian regulator, CNCAN, and licensee staff with an overview of the approach the USNRC takes to license a NPP, as well as basic concepts associated with NPP safety and regulation. During the week-long workshop, the lecturers provided instruction and exercises that focused on these areas. The workshop format was kept informal and flexible to allow for questions and answers throughout the sessions, which helped participants to fully understand each topic. In regard to reactor safety, the workshop covered reactor safety strategy, how design basis accidents are postulated, and the safety systems and operator actions used to mitigate these accident scenarios. In addition, the workshop covered the licensing process used by the USNRC to grant a construction permit for an NPP as well as the relevant IAEA guidance addressing the same topic. The workshop also covered other major licensing activities, safety culture, and specific topics of interest to CNCAN. During the workshop, the instructors provided illustrative examples from USNRC experiences.