ML100200213
| ML100200213 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/15/2009 |
| From: | Fehst G, Ramsey J NRC/OIP |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NRC-2018-000095, NRC-2018-000103 | |
| Download: ML100200213 (4) | |
Text
OFFICIAL USE ONLY NRC FOREIGN TRIP REPORT
Subject:
Travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina Dates of Travel and Countries/Organizations Visited:
October 11 to October 15, 2009 Argentinas Energy Ministry, Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN), and National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), and Nucleoelectrica Argentina S.A. (NA-SA)
Travelers, Title, and Agency Affiliation:
John E. Ramsey, Senior Level Advisor Office of International Programs Geraldine Fehst, International Relations Officer Office of International Programs Background/Purpose:
The primary purpose of travel to Buenos Aires was to participate in Energy Dialogues proposed by the Obama Administration for Argentina, Brazil, and South Africa as part of an overall effort to cultivate and improve international and working group relationships with non-aligned countries on nonproliferation issues. As a result, the group met with Argentina energy officials, including Argentina's Secretary of Energy Daniel Cameron, to explore increased energy collaboration and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) program. The delegation was led by the United States (U.S.) Department of Energys (DOE) Peter B. Lyons and joined by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). A separate meeting to engage in Energy Dialogues with Brazilian officials is expected to take place sometime in 2010.
This October 2009 meeting followed the August 2009 visit to Argentina by Gary Samore, President Obamas Special Advisor on Weapons of Mass Destruction and Nonproliferation, who went to Argentina and Brazil to discuss possible collaborative energy initiatives and other topics.
The Argentines extended an invitation to return, proposing three areas for the agenda: GNEP, Working Mechanisms for Energy Matters, and Technical Matters. The U.S. identified technical collaboration project possibilities in such areas as Probabilistic Risk Assessments, Burn-Up Efficiency, near-term licensing and reactor deployment activities, and development of small and medium scale reactors.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Ramsey and Ms. Fehst participated in an ARN-led five-hour tour of Atucha II, the nuclear power plant under construction two hours north of Buenos Aires.
Abstract: Summary of Pertinent Points/Issues:
The assembled Argentine regulators and foreign minister representatives expressed interest in the possibility of closer cooperation with the U.S., even while noting that many vehicles for cooperation and collaboration with the Argentine regulators are already in place. For example, OFFICIAL USE ONLY
OFFICIAL USE ONLY the current five-year Arrangement between the NRC and ARN for the Exchange of Technical Information and Cooperation in Regulatory and Safety Research Matters was renewed in December 2007. The original Arrangement dates back to 1990. Additionally the NRC and ARN have in place a five-year agreement since July 2006 that permits ARNs participation in NRCs Code Applications and Maintenance Program (CAMP). Also in place since January 2008, is a five-year Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP). NRC experts hosted a technical exchange with ARN in September 2008, to discuss safety matters related to Atucha II, the mothballed nuclear power plant now under construction with target date for licensed operation set for late 2011. Previously, NRC technical experts had also met with ARN staff on several topics, including loss-of-coolant accident analysis and the completion of Browns Ferry Unit I, the U.S. plant that, like Atucha II, was in mothball status for several years during construction. On the DOE side, ARN had entered agreements with Sandia and Brookhaven National Laboratories regarding the resumption of work on Atucha II.
The Argentines raised questions and concerns about how the DOE energy dialogue proposal would fit with the long-standing Joint Standing Committee for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (JSCNEC). Argentina has participated in six JSCNEC meetings with the U.S., the most recent one being in June 2009 in Washington, D.C. The JSCNEC has provided a forum for discussions on nuclear non-proliferation policy, and bilateral and multilateral nuclear cooperation. Primary lead for the JSCNEC is the DOS; Research and Development cooperation is led by DOE; regulatory cooperation is led by the NRC; safeguards and security cooperation is led by DOS and DOEs National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); and emergency management cooperation is led by NNSA. Both the Argentine and U.S. delegation stated that the JSCNEC had served the interests of all participants and recommended that they be continued on an annual basis between the two countries.
Topics raised as possible future areas of collaboration by the NRC with ARN include:
- possible participation by Argentina in the upcoming forum of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies in Africa to discuss the development of nuclear regulatory infrastructure;
- information sharing about the licensing of small and medium sized reactors as Argentina moves forward with its proposal to build the CAREM reactor, which is a modular 100 MWt/27MWe simplified pressurized water reactor with integral steam generators designed to be used for electricity generation, a research reactor or for water desalination; and
- a memorandum of cooperation between the NRC and ARN with regard to the import and export of certain radioactive sources. NRC has already entered such agreements with Canada and Brazil.
Atucha II On the second day, Jack Ramsey and Gerri Fehst, of the Office of International Programs, spent five hours touring the Atucha II construction site. Construction on Atucha II (a Siemens-designed pressurized heavy-water reactor) began in the early 1980s. Construction was halted in the mid-1990s, but was restarted in 2006. Initial fuel loading and startup is projected for late-2010.
The ARN staff provided essentially unrestricted access to the site during the tour. Areas toured include the reactor hall (reactor pressure vessel head area, area beneath the reactor pressure vessel, online refueling machine, main reactor coolant system piping, pressurizer, etc.), the auxiliary building (spent fuel pools, new fuel storage area, emergency core cooling system OFFICIAL USE ONLY
OFFICIAL USE ONLY pumps and piping, reactor control room and various cable spreading rooms), the turbine building, the emergency diesel generator buildings and the service water system pump house (drawing water from the adjacent river). Extensive work was ongoing in fabricating and installing mechanical systems, but no electrical-related work (installation of power cables, Instrumentation and Controls (I&C), etc.) was observed. During discussions with the ARN staff, it was indicated that the current construction schedule calls for completing all mechanical-related construction by spring 2010. Commencement of electrical-related work (installation of power cables, I&C, etc.) was not scheduled to begin until after completion of the mechanical-related work. As such, the Argentinians late-2010 timeline for fuel loading and initial startup of Atucha II may be overly optimistic given the amount of construction remaining at Atucha II.
Pending Actions/Planned Next Steps for NRC:
U.S. NRC should continue its ongoing cooperative activities with Argentinas regulator regarding safety issues at Atucha II. NRC should also consider whether exchange of experience with ARN on licensing of small and medium size reactors may be worthwhile.
Points for Commission Consideration/Items of Interest:
There are no policy issues that need to be forwarded to the Commission.
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
OFFICIAL USE ONLY pumps and piping, reactor control room and various cable spreading rooms), the turbine building, the emergency diesel generator buildings and the service water system pump house (drawing water from the adjacent river). Extensive work was ongoing in fabricating and installing mechanical systems, but no electrical-related work (installation of power cables, Instrumentation and Controls (I&C), etc.) was observed. During discussions with the ARN staff, it was indicated that the current construction schedule calls for completing all mechanical-related construction by spring 2010. Commencement of electrical-related work (installation of power cables, I&C, etc.) was not scheduled to begin until after completion of the mechanical-related work. As such, the Argentinians late-2010 timeline for fuel loading and initial startup of Atucha II may be overly optimistic given the amount of construction remaining at Atucha II.
Pending Actions/Planned Next Steps for NRC:
U.S. NRC should continue its ongoing cooperative activities with Argentinas regulator regarding safety issues at Atucha II. NRC should also consider whether exchange of experience with ARN on licensing of small and medium size reactors may be worthwhile.
Points for Commission Consideration/Items of Interest:
There are no policy issues that need to be forwarded to the Commission.
Distribution:
OIP r/f File Name: G:\Countries\Argentina\Tripsto\ARGENTINA 2009 BiNational WG\TRIP REPORT (2).doc ADAMS Accession #: ML100200213 OIP OIP OIP/ICA/BC OIP/DD OIP/D GFehst JRamsey LTerry SMoore MDoane 11/16/09 11/17/09 11/24/09 1/11/10 1/11/10 OFFICIAL AGENCY RECORD OFFICIAL USE ONLY