The European Commission signed a service contract with IDOM Consulting, Engineering and Architecture S.A.U. (Spain), being a leader in the consortium with another Spain company “GRUPPO DOMINGUIS” and Ukrainian Institute for NPP Operation Support (IOS NPP), under the Project “Improvement of National Personnel Training System in RAW Management, Decommissioning and Area Rehabilitation”.

The project is aimed at establishment of the coordinated system of occupational training, re-training and advanced training of personnel in Ukraine who perform activities relating to management of radioactive waste (RAW) and spent ionizing radiation sources (SIRS). Safety of these activities, decommissioning-related operations, rehabilitation of the areas contaminated with radionuclides will be improved by means of improving the personnel training system at all levels.

The State Agency of Exclusion Zone Management of Ukraine is the Beneficiary of the project, and SSE “Chernobyl NPP” and State Higher Educational Establishment “Ukrainian Radiological Training Centre” (URTC) are its end users. It is expected to implement the project during three years.

Under the project, the needs of Ukrainian enterprises will be specified in terms of personnel training working in this field, the best world practice in training of such personnel will be analyzed and those areas will be specified where this experience can be useful and shared to Ukraine in practice.

Throughout the project, the training programs, training courses, modules and training materials will be developed, as well as recommendations on changing or updating the available training materials. Besides, the project includes training of instructors of the training centres that they can prepare and change training materials and provide training independently.

According to the Terms of Reference of the project, it is expected that ChNPP Training Centre will become a centre of advanced experience and knowledge in RAW management and decommissioning, as an organization having good infrastructure, highly-qualified instructional staff and wide experience of practical activity in NPP operation and decommissioning, and RAW management.

For reference: currently, Chernobyl NPP performs activities relating to decommissioning of power units, RAW management and Shelter transformation into environmentally safe system. In the short term, SSE ChNPP can face the lack in the required quality of human resources. Basically, this is related to the fact that over 40% of highly-qualified personnel working at the enterprise are of retirement age.