Russian government honors PNNL staff for 10 years of service

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In the end, the appreciation of an entire country could be held in one hand. A medal and a ribbon represented ten years of effort to safeguard Soviet-designed nuclear reactors in hopes of preventing another Chornobyl-scale accident.

The Russian government's federal nuclear utility, Rosenergoatom, recently presented a medal and ribbon to several current and former PNNL employees for "the important personal contribution to development and efficient implementation of a 10-year program for the American technical assistance to the Russian nuclear power." The award was part of Russia's celebration of 50 years of nuclear power.

The program cited in the award is the Department of Energy's International Nuclear Safety Program (INSP). Those honored included: Bob Moffitt, Dan Couch, Jeff Ace and Doug Dahl, all with PNNL; Rich Denning of Battelle Memorial Institute; Laurin Dodd of Bechtel; and Richard Reister of the Department of Energy, which sponsors the program.

"It was a bittersweet occasion," said Bob Moffitt, INSP program manager. "You look back and you're really proud of the accomplishments. On the other hand, you realize it is proof that this collaboration is coming to an end."

In 1994, PNNL was selected as the lead lab to manage the INSP, which was established to improve the safety of Soviet-designed reactors in Russia and eight other countries. After 10 years of accomplishing much for worldwide nuclear safety, INSP activities are winding down. Only a few individual projects remain.

"These individual projects built on each other," Moffitt said. "Through INSP, we were building synergy here and in Russia."

One of the last projects in Russia was a full-scope simulator deployed at the Volgodonsk Nuclear Power Plant in Rostov. Most of the remaining projects are in Ukraine, Armenia and Bulgaria, where an earlier full-scope simulator will be updated with new computer technology. The Volgodonsk full-scope simulator is a full-size replica of the actual control room. Multiple computers run simultaneously and model that particular reactor's operations and operators use the controls of the simulator just like they were the actual reactor control room. It is an excellent tool to train operators on how to respond to various operational scenarios, including teaching them how to react to abnormal, seldom-occurring events.

After the Volgodonsk full-scope simulator was dedicated this summer, the PNNL/DOE team traveled to Moscow for the award ceremony. The ceremony theme was "working together," Ace said. When the program started, however, that working relationship proved one of the greatest challenges. With both countries coming out of the Cold War era, neither had the confidence or trust of the other. INSP was one of the first and largest joint programs between the U.S. and Russia.

"We weren't there to gather ammunition to have the reactors shut down, as many of our counterparts suspected in the beginning," Moffitt said. "But as they came to understand our goals for being there, the program successfully opened the door to help move other significant decisions along."

"In fact," said Carol Kessler, who at the time was Senior Coordinator for Nuclear Safety in the US Department of State, "the INSP program opened an important door for new programs in Russia and other countries of the New Independent States because we teamed with the Russians and paid them for their work on the projects rather than insisting on implementing them ourselves and pocketing all of the assistance funds." That open door contributed to opportunities for DOE to pursue other programs in Russia, such as the International Material Protection, Control and Accountability program, Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention, and the more recently created Global Threat Reduction Initiative.

Impacts to PNNL

INSP is the largest-ever program at PNNL. It brought more than $650 million to PNNL over the past 10 years. At its peak in FY99, PNNL received about $85 million for INSP activities that employed about 70 FTEs. The program created opportunities for PNNL staff to live in a former Soviet country for a year or two. The time overseas provided unparalleled experience for many employees. Those same staff have now transitioned to working on projects for other large-scale efforts that PNNL leads, including the Radiation Portal Monitor Project funded by the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection.

Despite the exhausting travel schedules and bitterly cold winters they endured, PNNL researchers remained involved because they shared one trait: a "strong personal commitment to safety," said Mike Kluse, PNNL's associate laboratory director for national security. "Frankly, I've been touched by their commitment. It has astounded me. They know that their success has been proven in the absence of events, and has contributed to protecting the public health and safety of millions of people against potential nuclear accidents.

In addition, their success helped PNNL build a reputation for excellent program management, which has helped us secure leadership roles in other major DOE and DHS projects."

A Viable Future

Even though INSP is winding down, it isn't over. In fact, it remains one of the largest-funded programs at the Laboratory. In FY05, the program is expected to receive $14 million. Moffitt anticipates that the activities and funding will continue through approximately FY07.

The opportunities may continue to evolve. The expansion of nuclear power in a country can pose challenges in terms of safety of the reactors and in terms of discouraging proliferation. The Laboratory has the expertise to help countries, especially those new to nuclear power, to establish a regulatory infrastructure, training, operational safety, and other programs key to safe operation of nuclear plants.

By Staci Maloof