July-August 2018 NPJ

Enhancing Nuclear Safety and Reliability Peter Prozesky, World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO). Peter Prozesky Peter Prozesky was appointed WANO Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in December 2015 and officially took up the position on January 1, 2016. Peter has 39 years of experience in the power generation business, starting his career with Eskom in 1979, at Koeberg Power Station in South Africa where he performed various roles. In 1989, he went on sabbatical to the nuclear division of Taiwan Power Company, studying management techniques and plant operations. On his return from Taiwan, Peter worked at Eskom until 2005 in positions including Plant Manager of Malta Power Station, Plant Manager of Koeberg Power Station, Site Vice President of Koeberg Power Station, and Generation Safety and Assurance Manager. Peter has a Bachelor of Science degree (with Honours) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town; a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Reactor Science and Engineering from the University of London; a Business Management Diploma from the University of Stellenbosch; and a Senior Reactor Operator’s Licence. In 2011, WANO identified 12 key post-Fukushima projects to implement in more than 460 commercial power plants worldwide to enhance safety and reliability. Many recommended improvements were complex and challenging, and required a significant investment of time and resources to roll out and complete. WANOandourmemberssuccessfully deliveredprojectsfocusedonthefollowing 12 areas; emergency preparedness, emergency support plan, severe accident management, early event notification, onsite fuel storage, design safety fundamentals, peer review frequency, peer review equivalency, corporate peer reviews, WANO assessment, transparency and visibility and WANO internal assessment. These 12 proj- ects have been suc- cessfully delivered by WANO and the worldwide member- ship. It is a testimony to the expertise, hard work and dedication of WANO and our members that these projects have been rolled out and are now a core part of business activities. The lessons learned from Fuku- shima have resulted in our members col- lectively implement- ing a total of approximately 6,000 safety enhancement activities worldwide. Over- all the margin of nuclear safety has been improved from the levels experienced be- fore Fukushima. A key area in which WANO is working with its members is to further develop leadership at the mid- to senior management level. These managers at nuclear power plants play a vital part in delivering excellence and a strong nuclear safety culture, due to their positional influence throughout the organisation. WANO’s nuclear leadership programmes are helping to bringmembers together in an environment where the mid- senior tier of management – including roles such as operations managers, shift managers and maintenance managers - will gain new insights, and hone their leadership skills through interaction with other senior leaders. We are excited to work with the industry in this area. Although major advances have been made to nuclear safety and plant performance since Fukushima, we know that the industry must continue to evolve and improve. WANO will work closely with its members to maximise the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants worldwide. Here is an overview of the 12 post-Fukushima projects: 1. Emergency preparedness An important early lesson from Fukushima concerned the need for WANO to increase the assistance it provides to its members following an accident, and to increase the focus on accident mitigation, not just prevention. This major aspect of emergency planning is now a fundamental part of WANO’s activities. Part of this work has been to include detailed assessment of a plant and parent nuclear operating organisation’s emergency preparedness arrangements as part of the WANO peer review programme. 2. Emergency support plan In conjunction with its increased role in emergency preparedness, WANO has developed an emergency support plan (ESP) to better provide its members with assistance if an emergency occurs. It allows members to request knowledge and technical expertise from other members and ensures accurate information about the emergency is communicated within the membership. The plan integrates WANO’s actions with those of other industry organisations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Nuclear Association. In the event of an emergency, the ESP will be capable of providing accurate event information to its members as well as coordinating requests for technical expertise and support to the worldwide membership. Each of the four WANO regional centres now has an on-call emergency response capability that is exercised in conjunction with our member plants. 38 NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, July-August 2018