The Rosatom Technical Academy and IAEA conducted the Interregional Training Course on Siting for Nuclear Power Plants, Including SMRs, for foreign specialists engaged in the implementation of national nuclear programs.
The participants studied principles and key factors in the field of siting for NPPs, including the geological, seismic, climatic and social factors and nuclear security issues related to facilities. The event brought together 23 participants from 18 countries, including Armenia, Brazil, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.
The event program included lectures and case studies from leading experts of Rosatom and IAEA. The lecturers included Mr. John Haddad, IAEA expert, Nuclear Infrastructure Engineer, Mr. Michael Salmon, IAEA Senior Nuclear Safety Officer, Ms. Arzu Altay, IAEA international expert from Turkey, Mr. Denis Kriventsov, Head of the Moscow Division for Engineering Surveys at JSC Atomenergoproject and Ms. Maria Oseeva, Head of Nuclear Infrastructure Projects at Rosatom International Network. The experts presented the Agency’s support mechanisms for siting and infrastructure development and shared insights based on collective experience across IAEA Member States. Participants also shared progress updates on their respective national nuclear programs, outlining challenges encountered and solutions adopted. The training incorporated interactive quizzes to reinforce the material presented.
As part of the course, participants visited the Kalininskaya NPP. During the visit, Mr. Evgeny Soloviev, Deputy Chief Engineer for Safety and Reliability, provided an overview of the plant’s history and operations, with a particular emphasis on safety practices.
«The core mission of Kalininskaya NPP is to generate environmentally friendly electricity with uncompromised safety as our highest priority», noted Mr. Soloviev. «Strict adherence to international safety standards ensures sustainable development in the surrounding region, job creation, and social well-being».
Mr. Soloviev also highlighted that Kalininskaya NPP is a key energy provider in Russia’s Central Unified Energy System, supplying electricity to eight regions. He emphasized that regular radiation monitoring confirms minimal environmental impact with “zero background” radiation levels remaining below pre-operational baselines established before the commissioning of Unit 1.
During the technical tour, participants visited the turbine halls of the first phase units as well as the turbine hall and main control room of Unit 3.
«The organization of IAEA Training Events in Russia allows foreign participants to familiarize with advanced nuclear technologies. For instance, tour to the Kalininskaya NPP gave participants hands-on experience in looking at siting, emergency response plans that include post-Fukushima lessons. Some participants had never visited an operating NPP before and they expressed gratitude for this chance. Participating countries can take back lessons learned with regard to siting, operation, emergency response procedures, and infrastructure issues to their respective countries to advance their nuclear power programs» - Mr. Haddad underlined after the tour to Kaliniskaya NPP.
Upon completion of the program, all participants were awarded certificates of successful course completion.
«This course provided an excellent overview of the key criteria for selecting nuclear power plant sites and deepened my understanding of safety considerations in the siting process. The well-structured content, expert instruction, and technical visit to the Kalininskaya NPP offered invaluable practical insights. As Myanmar is just beginning to initiate its nuclear energy program, the knowledge gained from this course will be systematically applied to support the development of Myanmar's nuclear power initiatives. The insights on site selection, safety standards, and international best practices will be particularly valuable in laying a strong foundation for our country's nuclear energy roadmap», - the participant from Myanmar, Staff Officer of Department of Electric Power Planning at Ministry of Electric Power, Mr. Kyaw Zayar Win shared his opinion.
«Rosatom places the highest emphasis on safety and reliability in NPP construction, with site selection as a foundational step. Our engineering solutions account for local geophysical conditions and ensure resilience against external hazards. For instance, the Armenian NPP withstood a major earthquake thanks to its hydraulic dampers and passive cooling systems. Kudankulam NPP is protected from tsunamis by robust dams, and Akkuyu NPP is designed to withstand seismic events up to magnitude 9. These principles also apply to small modular reactors, which are designed to resist extreme temperatures, tornadoes, and high wind loads. Cutting-edge engineering and stringent safety regulations ensure the resilience of SMRs even in seismically active zones» - Director for International Cooperation at Rosatom Technical Academy Mr. Viktor Mazepov concluded.
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The IAEA actively supports countries considering or expanding nuclear power programs. Leadership at all levels plays a critical role in fostering a strong safety culture and implementing integrated management systems to ensure program success.
The International Cooperation Center of the Rosatom Technical Academy annually conducts training courses in collaboration with the IAEA as part of the Russian Federation’s extrabudgetary contribution to IAEA technical cooperation initiatives focused on nuclear infrastructure development.
Since 2019, the Rosatom Technical Academy has been recognized as an IAEA Collaborating Centre — the first and only one operating in all five key areas: nuclear energy, nuclear security, nuclear sciences and applications, small modular reactors, and medical physics and radiopharmaceuticals.
The Rosatom Technical Academy conducted over 80 international training events and trained more than 2000 specialists from 61 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
The Kalininskaya NPP is a branch of JSC Concern Rosenergoatom and is located in the Udomlya district of Tver Region, Russia. It comprises four power units equipped with VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors, each with an installed capacity of 1000 MW.