OREANDA-NEWS. May 14, 2008. In Apr 2008 a delegation of Rosenergoatom Concern took part in a seminar “Training of Young Specialists for Nuclear Power Plants of Japan at Universities and Training Centers of Power Companies”.

This project is being carried out in the framework of the agreement for technical cooperation in the field of nuclear energy production between Rosenergoatom Concern and Japan Electric Power Information Center (JEPIC). The Russian delegation was led by the first deputy head of the Personnel Management Department of Rosenergoatom Concern Nikolay Karelin.

The participants in the seminar discussed questions related to the training of young specialists for nuclear power plants of Japan at universities and regional and NPP training centers as well as ways to attract youths into the nuclear power sector, particularly, by showing them the advantages of nuclear energy. Special attention was paid to the study of information about incidents at nuclear power plants and the use of this data in training NPP personnel.

The Russian delegates visited Japan Electric Power Information Center (JEPIC), Nuclear Power Training Center (NTC), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Electric Power Historical Museum of TEPCO, Japan Nuclear Technology Institute (JANTI) and Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant.

Karelin says that Russia and Japan have almost similar problems in training NPP personnel. Both countries are facing the problems of deteriorating demography, declining interest in engineering occupations and certain distrust in nuclear energy – but each solves them differently. So, the experience of Japan may be quite useful for Russia.

For example, unlike their Russian colleagues, the personnel of the reactor control boards of Japanese NPPs are not obliged to have higher education. In Japan people with higher education do managerial work. However, Japan has an effective corporate personnel training system, which turns a young person into an experienced operator and shift manager in some eight years.

The hosts told their Russian guests about their public awareness system: Japanese nuclear power companies spend very big money to inform the population about their work and technologies. The Russian specialists showed special interest in Japan’s experience in handling information about incidents and accidents at nuclear power plants: such information is collected by JANTI and placed on the internet. Besides, Hamaoka NPP has a “museum” of accidents – a database describing different nuclear accidents, their causes and consequences.

During the seminar the Japanese partners confirmed their readiness to hold the next seminar at one of the Russian NPPs.