CNCAN 1
Enhancing the capabilities of the regulatory authority in the field of nuclear safety analyses

Purpose:

Strengthening and improving the capabilities of the staff of the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) in the field of the assessment and review of nuclear safety analyses for nuclear power plants and research reactors, as well as improving institutional capacity and cooperation.

Background:

This sub-project is a continuation of the CNCAN 1 sub-programme "Nuclear safety assessment and risk-informed regulation" carried out under the Regional Excellence Programme for Romania “Safe Nuclear Energy”.

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

As a result of the previous programme, the IAEA conducted two review missions in Romania, namely IRRS and EPREV, following which CNCAN received specific recommendations regarding the review and assessment of nuclear safety analyses.

CNCAN's self-assessment process, as well as the "stress tests" carried out at the request of the European Council for all nuclear power plants in Europe, reaffirmed the need to continue strengthening and improving the capabilities of CNCAN staff in the field of the assessment and review of the nuclear safety analyses performed for nuclear power plants and research reactors, and to continue developing a system of regulations, guides and procedures in this field.

Results

The programme will achieve the purpose described above and will lead in particular to the following results:

• Computer codes for assessing the behaviour of the reactor core and of the containment under severe accident conditions for a CANDU-type nuclear power plant: -software packages and IT equipment; -training materials for the codes used in the case of severe accidents.

• CNCAN and NRPA staff trained in the use of severe accident analysis codes for CANDU-type nuclear power plants and for research reactors, and in the assessment of severe accident analyses;
• Procedure for the review and assessment of the severe accident analyses submitted by licence holders;
• CNCAN staff trained in the methodology used for the review, from the regulatory authority's point of view, of severe accident analyses, as well as practical exercises on the use of the Guide for the assessment of severe accident analyses;
• CNCAN and NRPA staff trained in the assessment of emergency operating procedures and severe accident management guidelines;
• Guide and procedure for the assessment of emergency operating procedures and severe accident management guidelines;
• CNCAN staff trained in seismic hazard analyses and the seismic qualification of nuclear power plants;
• CNCAN staff trained in the use of mechanical computer codes for seismic design and for verifying the seismic qualification of the structures, systems and components of nuclear power plants;
• A set of regulatory requirements on protection against seismic events and the analysis of other external events and the qualification of nuclear power plants;
• Guide on the review of seismic safety margin assessments;
• New versions of the ANSYS MECHANICAL and BENTLEY AUTOPIPE computer codes;
• A regulatory guide for licence holders on performing deterministic nuclear safety analyses for design basis accidents and for beyond design basis accidents.