The Russian Federation has been cooperating with the United States and the IAEA in several GTRI programs. These include the return of

Russian-origin HEU fuel to the Russian Federation from countries in East­ern Europe and Asia; reduction of fuel enrichment in research and test reactors; and enhancement of physical security for high-risk radioactive sources. Active international cooperation and collaboration are necessary for achieving the strategic objectives of GTRI.

ROSTEXNADZOR is the nuclear safety watchdog in the Russian Federation. It is responsible for regulating more than 6,000 facilities in the Russian Federation, including research and test reactors.[46] It has three primary functions: regulatory control, licensing, and supervision of atomic energy facilities.

The federal codes and standards developed by ROSTEXNADZOR are of two types: (1) general and (2) facility specific. The agency develops and promulgates federal codes and standards for atomic energy use, adminis­trative regulations, guidelines, and safety guides. The federal codes and standards provide general safety provisions for each type of atomic energy facility, for example, nuclear power plants, research reactors, icebreaker reactors, and nuclear fuel cycle facilities. These codes and standards also provide specific provisions for activities at these facilities including siting, construction, operation, and decommissioning.

There are 10 separate codes and standards for research nuclear instal­lations, which include research reactors. These include, for example:

• General Safety Assurance Provisions for Research Nuclear Instal­lations (NP-033-01)

• Requirements for the Content of Research Nuclear Facility Safety Analysis Reports (NP-049-03)

• Rules of Nuclear Safety for Research Reactors (NP-009-04)

• Requirements for a Content of Action Plan for Protection of Person­nel in Case of an Accident at a Research Nuclear Installation (NP-075-06)

Many of these codes and standards draw from IAEA documents, either in full or part, the latter being adapted to local conditions.

An effort is currently under way to enhance the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety at research reactors in the Russian Fed­eration. This includes the modification of current regulatory documents and the development of new regulations. The new regulations would re­quire periodic safety reviews of research reactors, development of rules for withdrawing research reactors from state supervision, and development of procedures for modifying the design, engineering, and operating documen­tation of research reactors.

Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service

Status of Nuclear Research Facilities

There were 74 licensed research reactors (including critical and subcriti­cal assemblies) in the Russian Federation in 2011. These are being operated by 19 organizations, including Rosatom and the Russian Academy of Sci­ences. These reactors comprise (Figure 2-10):

• 32 research reactors (24 operating, 6 decommissioned, and 2 under construction)

• 30 critical assemblies

• 12 subcritical assemblies

The average operation age of the research reactors is 24 years, but 17 reac­tors have been operating for more than 30 years.

ROSTEXNADZOR is just beginning to develop regulations for the conversion of research reactors in the Russian Federation. The regulator does not see any serious barriers or obstacles that might prevent conver­sion-related licensing activities. The USNRC’s rich experience with fuel development and conversion-related approval activities would be useful for ROSTEXNADZOR in organizing its work.

The specific issues that will need to be addressed by ROSTEXNADZOR in research reactor conversion in the Russian Federation are the following:

• R&D for design and fabrication of new LEU fuel, LEU fuel tests, and validation of LEU fuel characteristics and operating conditions.

• Safety demonstrations of fabrication, transportation, storage, and disposal of new LEU fuel.

• Analysis of flux kinetics and distribution in reactor cores with LEU fuel.

• Thermohydraulic analysis.

• Safety analysis, including certification of computer codes; justifica­tion of safe operation limits and conditions; accident initiators; and modifi­cation of Safety Analysis Reports, plans of personnel and public protection, quality assurance programs, and operational procedures.

• Modification of research nuclear installation designs.