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Shift Managers Leadership Development and Safety Culture training seminar at Federal State-owned Unitary Enterprise “Atomflot”, Murmansk, Russia

Shift Managers Leadership Development and Safety Culture training seminar at Federal State-owned Unitary Enterprise “Atomflot”, Murmansk, Russia
On July 08 – 12, 2024 the Shift Managers Leadership Development and Safety Culture training seminar, organized by FSUE “Atomflot” and WANO Moscow Centre was held in Murmansk, Russia.

26 Representatives from 6 Nuclear Power Plants (Beloyarsk NPP, Kalinin NPP, Kursk NPP, Leningrad NPP, Novovoronezh NPP, Smolensk NPP) and Nuclear Powered Fleet operator FSUE “ATOMFLOT” participated in the seminar.

In his welcoming speech, FSUE “Atomflot” Chief Engineer Vladimir Kondratiev noted the importance of collaborative work with WANO in organization and delivery of the training program dedicated to the topics "Nuclear Leadership” and “Safety Culture" for the “Atomflot” personnel. Particularly he mentioned the role of the Nuclear Powered Ships Captains, captain’s mates, chief mechanics and reactor operators on board, during operation in sea, and during maintenance and preparation while ships are in base. Analysis of naval reactor operation practice and wise implementation of the good practices of the land-based NPPs is essential for safety and performance of FSUE “Atomflot”. WANO Moscow Centre IL&D program manager Sergey Aleksandrovich Loktionov presented WANO new programs and tools for improvement of NPP performance such as “Enhanced performance monitoring”, “Organization diagnostics” implemented within the initiative “Action for Excellence”.

The seminar instructors Sergey Loktionov, Vadim Tarykin, Anna Tatarinova, Maxim Shkrebtan and seminar coordinator Dr. Alexey Soldatov presented WANO leadership philosophy, new WANO leadership principles, guidelines and best practices and delivered the training on the following topics:

• Nuclear Industry – Leader and Leadership.
• The Role of Leadership in ensuring the safe operation of the NPP.
• Operation Fundamentals
• Emergency preparedness.
• Nuclear Safety Culture.
• Complex and multidisciplinary role of Shift Managers in NPP safe and reliable operation.
• Personal Styles.
• Inspirational Leadership.
• Leadership Traits.
• Human Performance.
• Observation and Coaching.
• Shaping Behaviors, Positive Reinforcement & Coaching.
• Plant Performance Cycle: Decline and Recovery.
• Time Management.
• WANO Documents for Leadership Development.

The seminar participants noted the importance of personal (face-to-face) communication for sharing information; work experience and leadership skills between shift supervisors representing different countries and different power plants. Participants suggested holding seminars and workshops for Shift Supervisors on a regular basis in order to share experience and good practices.

The participants and Atomflot management noted that Naval Nuclear operations has specific aspects. These aspects includes emergency preparedness, leadership in emergency, work management and planning, recourses management, preventive maintenance. FSUE “Atomflot” management is interested in adaptation of Operator Fundamentals and WANO Principles for Naval Nuclear Reactors and strongly support further cooperation with WANO and information exchange with other operators of nuclear reactors.

In accordance with the WANO “Train-Trainers” Philosophy, all training materials (Lecture slides, practical training exercises, test questions and answer keys) and training methodology were presented to FSUE “Atomflot” for continuous leadership training of the personnel.

At the end of the seminar, the participants had the opportunity to visit the nuclear icebreaker Arktika. Roman Bektash, Captain 1st Mate, gave a tour for seminar participants, including visit to turbine compartment, propulsion and auxiliary systems of the icebreaker, and the control panel of the nuclear reactors. The captain of the icebreaker Arktika, Vasily Gubkin, answered participants’ questions regarding the specific issues of nuclear icebreaker of the operation at sea, when guiding ships in the ice of the Arctic Ocean, navigation and interaction with other vessels and services that ensure the safe operation of the Northern Sea Route. Than seminar participants visited the training center of FSUE Atomflot. There they had an opportunity to have hands-on practice with reactor-simulators of the Vaigach and Arktika nuclear icebreakers, under the guidance of the leading specialist of the automation group, Valery Anatolyevich Gorbachev, adviser to the general director Evgeny Anatolyevich Khodus and the head of the nuclear safety and licensing service Viktor Ivonin. At the end of the technical tour, the seminar participants visited the Marine Operations Headquarters. First Deputy Director General, Chief of the Marine Operations Headquarters Vladimir Arutyunyan introduced the participants to the technical capabilities of the headquarters and explains how FSUE Atomflot perform work-planning, directing and interacting with vessels at sea.

The participants highly appreciated delivered seminar, pointed out actuality and applicability of all seminar’s topics to all activities at FSUE “Atomflot” and Russian Nuclear Power Plants. Participants also discussed actual leadership challenges and the progress of WANO Leadership concepts implementation at Moscow Centre Members: FSUE “Atomflot” and JSC “Rosenergoatom”.
Author: Dr. Alexey I. Soldatov