Multinational Design Evaluation Programme

Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service represents Russia in the Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP), the participants of which are the nuclear regulatory authorities of the countries operating nuclear power plants, and those who are constructing or have announced their intention to construct new nuclear plants. Along with Rostechnadzor, MDEP members are representatives of regulatory bodies from Argentina, Canada, China, Finland, France, Hungary, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, the UAE, the UK, and the USA. Also, representatives of the IAEA participate in the work of the MDEP, and the functions of the Technical Secretariat of the MDEP are performed by the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD NEA). The OECD NEA performs similar functions in the implementation of work within the framework of the Generation IV International Forum.

The stated purpose of the MDEP is to analyze the approaches of regulatory authorities to review documents demonstrating nuclear and radiation safety, to determine mutually acceptable regulatory practices for further use in the examination of new reactor designs, including those developed within the framework of the Generation IV International Forum.

To date, activities under the MDEP are carried out in two areas:

- within the design specific working groups; and

- within the issue specific working groups.

Initially, working groups were created for EPR reactors (participants at various stages – the USA, Finland, France, the UK, China, India, Sweden) and for AP1000 reactors (the USA, the UK, China, Canada, India, Sweden). In 2012, with the participation of South Korea, the USA, Finland and the United Arab Emirates, a APR1400 working group reactors was formed.

In the second half of 2013, two new working groups were established:

- for ABWR reactors with the participation of the UK, the USA, Finland and Japan (completed its activities by 2020);

- for VVER reactors under the chairmanship of Russia (it is chaired by Finland since 2018 by rotation principle), with the participation of India, Finland and Turkey (Hungary and China joined later).

In 2017, it was decided to form a working group on the Chinese HPR1000 reactor with the participation of China, the UK, South Africa and Argentina.

If necessary, the programme may include working groups on projects of Gen IV reactors or any other designs that meet the criteria for forming a working group.

The criterion for forming a design specific working group is the presence of at least three countries, whose regulatory bodies have received applications for the construction of an NPP of this specific design. Representatives from other countries are generally not allowed to join the design specific working groups.

In the other area, three working groups were established for;

- digital instrumentation and control,

- codes and standards,

- vendor inspection cooperation.

The member countries of the MDEP agreed that if they reach a common position on the main issues of safety assessment, this position will be presented as a good practice to the licensing and supervisory authorities of the countries that are not members of the MDEP and transferred to the IAEA for further use in the preparation of the Agency’s relevant safety standards and guides.

Rostechnadzor specialists took part in the activities of all three working groups.

The expediency of participation of Rostechnadzor specialists in all issue specific working groups is due to the fact that equipment manufactured in other countries, including the MDEP member countries, is installed at the Russian NPPs. There is the potential to take advantage of the work already done by the regulator of a country supplying specific equipment.

The use of the existing experience of other countries in conducting a safety review or other aspect of regulatory activities can significantly increase the efficiency of Rostechnadzor's activities and reduce the time spent on licensing and supervision.

In 2015, the members of the MDEP decided to complete the activities of the issue specific working groups within the Programme and move them to the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities of the OECD NEA. As of 2021, this transfer process remains to be completed for the vendor inspection cooperation working group.

The establishment of MDEP is a certain impetus for the development of the industry, realizing that everyone must comply with a single set of technology-neutral criteria and requirements. This is a big step forward on the way to global standardization of the designs themselves and the framework for the regulators’ licensing activities.