OREANDA-NEWS. October 4, 2012. On the 3rd of October 2012 the SCC of ROSATOM jointly with the Group for emergency assistance to nuclear power plants (OPAS) took part in the integrated emergency exercise (IEE-2012) at Kursk NPP.  

The key objective of the integrated emergency exercise is to check on preparedness to act in emergency and mastering practical skills of force and capabilities of the Russian nuclear industry-wide emergency response system as regards organizing and conducting activities to confine and eliminate emergencies. The interaction is mastered in frames of the federal system for prevention and elimination of emergencies with involvement of ROSATOM’s technical support centers, as well as the IAEA and National Competent Authorities of bordering states. 

During IEE-2012 the aspects to be drilled include the preparedness to act in conditions of a process and radiation accident at the nuclear power plant; interaction of the involved emergency response units; and mastering skills of the Kursk NPP personnel to organize and conduct necessary activities. According to the IEE-2012 scenario, various actions of emergency rescue teams, audible signals, special-purpose and armored vehicles maneuvering, sheltering and evacuation of Kurchatov City residents will be demonstrated. 

The exercise, which will run until October 5, will involve over 1,400 persons and 150 machinery items. For the first time at an exercise of such scale the operation of mobile equipment purchased by Rosenergoatom in the post-Fukushima period to improve plants resistance to extreme impacts will be demonstrated.

Twenty three foreign observers from Armenia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Iran, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Ukraine and United States and journalists will witness the exercise. 

At present, Units 1, 2 and 4 are in operation at Kursk NPP. They operate at power levels prescribed by dispatcher schedule. Unit 3 has been under the major overhaul since September 1 of this year.

Rosenergoatom conducts the integrated emergency exercises at one of Russia’s nuclear power plants each year.