International Insurance Survey of Balakovo NPP

An International prescheduled Insurance Survey of insured activities of Units and equipment at Balakovo site was held on 04-08 August, 2014. The inspection was carried out under the supervision of Sergey Babenko – Technical director of RANI. The Committee included inspectors of the Ukrainian Nuclear Insurance Pool, the Russian Nuclear Insurance Pool (RANI), and observers of OJSC “Rosenergoatom”. The Survey was mainly aimed to assess the insurance risk of Balakovo NPP in order to arrange nuclear third party insurance cover in foreign Nuclear Insurance Pools of the International Pooling System, and became the third one arranged by RANI. The first Survey at Balakovo NPP took place in 2009, and the second one in 2012.

The Survey was well organized by NPP.  The head of the site as well as the specialists of NPP provided all necessary support during the Inspection. The experts appreciated high operating and logistical support level of Balakovo site. NPP has made significant progress in implementing recommendations provided ​​during previous inspections. The inspectors visited reactor compartment, turbine hall, main control room, emergency control room, and other facilities of unit 2 and unit 3; inspected special block, switch yard and other equipment; investigated the areas with special equipment to operate beyond-the-design basis severe accident - mobile diesel power station, pump station.

At the exit meeting S.Babenko, the Head of the Committee, noted high operating and safety level at Balakovo NPP and approved intention of the staff to keep this high level during the process of modernization, extending Units’ service life, extending fuel cycle to 18 months and increasing designed capacity. Inspectors outlined some issues, concerning operation process at NPP’s facilities, which require detailed analysis to work out recommendations for further improvement of NPP’s activities.

The final report on the results of the inspection will be provided in four months.