The elimination round of the sectoral contest for the title of the best specialist in the field of environmental protection and ecological safety of nuclear power plants* took place at Kola NPP on November 21.

The main purpose of the event was upgrading of the training level of the plant’s personnel in the field of environment protection and environmental safety, as well as searching of new methods of work in the environment-oriented field.

Opening the contest, Head of the Environment Protection Laboratory of Kola NPP, Andrey Chuprunov, stressed that environmental safety was a priority for each nuclear power plant and Rosenergoatom Concern in general.

”The public confidence in the nuclear industry depends on the environmental well-being. It’s important that this area employed highly professional specialists enhancing their level of knowledge constantly that will ensure environmental safety in the future,” noted A. Chuprunov.

15 specialists from different units of the plant fought for the title of the best environmental expert. Each participant got a task consisting of 30 questions related to the knowledge of the national legislation and regulatory documents in the field of environment protection and rational nature management, environmental management system, production and environmental monitoring as per radiation and non-radiation factors and environmental safety.

According to the results of the mind contest, an engineer of the Radiation Safety Department (RSD), Dmitry Vinogradov, obtained the title of the best environmental expert. His colleague, a chemical analysis laboratory assistant of RSD, Varvara Perevozchikova, got ”silver”. Alexander Yeroshkov, an engineer of the Radioactive-Waste Handling Shop, was the third.

In 2013, the winners of the elimination round will represent Kola NPP in the contest of professional skills of environmental experts of Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC, which will be held at the site of Kalinin nuclear power plant (Udomlya city).

*First the contest of professional skills of environmental experts was held at Smolensk NPP (Desnogorsk) in 2010 as part of the program of the environmental certification of Rosenergoatom Concern and its constituent plants.

Kola NPP is a branch of Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC. The plant is located 200 km to the south of Murmansk on the bank of Lake Imandra. It produces about 60% of electricity of Murmansk region. Currently, the plant operates 4 power units with VVER-type reactors. Each reactor has capacity of 440 MW. Kola NPP supplies power for Murmansk region and Karelia.

Online data on the radiation environment near nuclear power plants in Russia and other nuclear facilities are provided on website russianatom.ru.