8
Product & Service Directory–2014
Kozloduy
Unit 5
& 6 Life
Extension
By Dimitar Lazhov, Kozloduy NPP.
Ivan Genov
In 1980, after
he graduated
from the Moscow
Institute of Energy
with a degree in
Nuclear Plants
and Equipment,
Ivan Genov started
working for
Kozloduy NPP. He
subsequently held
all operational
positions at Units
1 to 4 and was
promoted to Shift
Unit Supervisor.
In 1985, he worked on Units 5 and
6 which were in construction. He
participated in the commissioning of
Unit 5 as a Unit Shift Supervisor. In
1991, Ivan Genov became the head of
Operations Division. At the end of 2005
he became deputy executive director,
and within the period 2006 – 2009 he
was Kozloduy NPP Executive Director.
In 1991, Mr Genov completed a
training course at the Argonne National
Laboratory, USA. In 1993 – 1994 he
was awarded an IAEA scholarship
and specialized in Beyond Design
Basis Accident Management at GRS,
Germany.
Bulgaria’s only nuclear power plant
has always been praised as one of the
nation’s highest accomplishments in
terms of technology and efficient energy
generation.
Back in the 1970s, it was a great
achievement for Bulgaria to be the first
country in the region of South East
Europe to start utilizing nuclear power
generation. Unit 1 was commissioned in
1974. It was equipped with a VVER-440
reactor - a light-water reactor designed
in the former USSR, belonging to the
large familyof pressurizedwater reactors.
Between 1975 and 1991 five more units
werecommissionedon theplant site.Thus,
Kozloduy NPP became the major power
supplier in Bulgaria providing for 45% of
the total generation in the country.
Due to political commitments in the
EUaccessionprocess,
Kozloduy was forced
to permanently shut
down 4 units (4
х
440
MW) before their
design lifetime has
expired. However,
Units 5 and 6, each
1000 MW, continued
to generate power at
competitive prices
for both national
and regional market.
Modernization
A large-scope Modernization
Program was envisaged for these two
units in the early 1990s in order to
ensure state-of-the-art equipment and
reliable operation. An international team
of experts prepared the Modernization
Programwhich encompassed212 specific
measures.
ThemodernizationprogramforUnits
5 and 6 of the Bulgarian nuclear power
plant was the first program of its kind in
theworld to implement the full scopeof the
IAEArecommendations for improvement
of VVER-1000 MW units.
KozloduyNPP ensured transparency
of thewholeprocess of theProgramimple-
mentation and took into consideration the
best practices innuclearpower engineering
and the best specialists’ opinions.
The Program was successfully
finalized in 2008. The funding of the
project was ensured by the company’s
own resources according to the investment
program of Kozloduy NPP, as well as
loans fromdifferent international financial
institutions (Euratom, Roseximbank,
Citibank).
Independent
International reviews
The program was reviewed in 1995,
and twice in 2000 by the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for
adequacy and completeness of the
measures envisaged. The project was
also independently assessed in 1997 by
Risk Audit – an organization including
specialists from institutes assisting the
regulatory authorities of France and
Germany, (IPSN and GRS Int).
The expert mission of IAEA
conducted in 2000 concluded that there
were no problem areas in terms of
safety. Between 2000 and 2012, eight
different reviewmissions of international
organizations took place at Kozloduy’s
Units 5&6, including five missions of
the International Atomic EnergyAgency.
“Kozloduy NPP is among the most
inspected nuclear power plants in the
world,” says Mr. Ivan Genov, CEO of the
company. He is confident that the level
of safety at the plant meets the highest
standards. The company’smission is to be
a safe, efficient, secure and environment
friendly electricity supplier.
The Kozloduy NPPmanagement has
set several top priorities:
highest level of safety;
efficient and competitive power
generation;
certified, competent and motivated
staff, and
financial stability.
Plant Life Extension
The implementation of a complex
Modernization Program at Units 5&6 set
ground for preparatory work for plant life
extension.
Units 5 and 6 were commissioned
in 1987 and 1991, respectively. In 2011,
followinga tender procedure, aconsortium
was established between Rosenergoatom
and EDF to deliver a comprehensive
inspection of systems, structures and
components, as well as a full scope
program for lifetime extension.
The kick-off meeting took place in
June 2012 where experts agreed on the
plan for organization and implementation,
Acronym Description
GRS, AGerman Scientific and Technical
Expert and Research Organization
IPSN, An Institute Assisting the Nuclear
Regulatory Authorities in France
