Instructors for Hungary’s Paks II have completed hands-on training at the Leningrad II NPP. Going forward, the Hungarian instructors will train the plant’s operating personnel using a full-scale simulator. This practice-oriented training at Russian power units is part of the broader staffing program for the new Hungarian nuclear power plant.
The training took place in the plant’s main control room and at the full-scale simulator in the training department. Over the course of a month, the future instructors learned switching operations and used the simulator to practice normal operating modes, as well as design-basis and beyond-design-basis accidents. Each trainee took on the role of shift supervisor, demonstrating their grasp of theoretical knowledge and team management skills. The training concluded with a final exam.
“The training schedule was designed so that the Hungarian instructors could observe real switching operations and then practice them directly on the full-scale simulator. This training is the last one for the future instructors before they take an instructor skills course and pass their final exam,” said Project Manager Inna Robotko. “The personnel at Leningrad II and the plant’s training department demonstrated a high level of professionalism and flexibility in meeting all the requirements of our international customer.”
The Leningrad NPP, which hosted the on-site training, is one of Russia’s largest nuclear power plants in terms of installed capacity (4,400 MW) and the only one with two different reactor types, operating two power units with RBMK-1000 reactors (1,000 MW uranium-graphite channel-type thermal neutron reactors) and two power units with Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors (1,200 MW pressurized water reactors).
The training of foreign instructors is held in accordance with contractual obligations between the partner countries. Russia not only builds nuclear power plants abroad but also assists in training their personnel, providing consulting services and technical support to international customers for the maintenance and repair of Russian-designed power units.
“On February 5, first concrete was poured at the Paks II NPP construction site, meaning the project entered the active construction phase according to IAEA classification. Construction of a training center has also begun. The project is gaining solid momentum, and having qualified instructors allows us to proceed with recruiting key operating personnel for the Paks II NPP in a timely manner. Jobs will be created for several thousand highly qualified employees. Russia provides comprehensive support to our Hungarian partners in developing training materials, organizing the training process, and equipping the training center,” noted Vladislav Smolsky, Head of the Customer Personnel Training Center for the Paks II NPP at the Hungarian office of AtomStroyExport (ASE).
Paks II will be the first nuclear power plant in the European Union featuring Russian-designed Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors.
Photo by: ASE JSC, Leningrad NPP
