An international Nuclear Leadership and Safety Culture training seminar, organized by Kudankulam NPP (NPCIL) and WANO Moscow Centre, was held in Kudankulam NPP training centre on November 25th – 29th, 2024.
21 participants from Kudankulam NPP, Tarapur NPP, Rajasthan NPP, Narora NPP and NPCIL Headquarters participated in the seminar. WANO Paris Centre representatives participated in the seminar as observer, performing peer-to-peer experience exchange implementing One-WANO philosophy. The training seminar was delivered in English and became a good example of a joint participation of WANO Moscow Centre, Tokyo Centre and Paris Centre members.
The seminar opening ceremony was conducted by Mr. L. Richard, Training Superintendent of Kudankulam NPP, including participation of all top managers of Kudankulam NPP sites, including operating KKNPP 1&2 and KKNPP 3&4 under construction.
In his welcoming speech, Mr. Sathish Kumar B, Plant Director, KKNPP-1&2 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". WANO Moscow Centre IL&D program manager Sergey Loktionov presented new WANO programs and tools for improvement of NPP performance such as “Enhanced performance monitoring”, “Organization diagnostics” implemented within initiative “Action for Excellence”. Technical Services Superintendent, KKNPP-3&4, WANO Interface Officer Mr. Sanjeev Bhardvaj made a presentation of Kudankulam NPP history, organization structure, professional carrier and leadership development programs and current challenges.
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 deliver training on the following topics:
• Nuclear Industry – Leader and Leadership.
• The Role of Leadership in ensuring
the safe operation of the NPP.
• WANO Documents for Leadership Development
• Nuclear Safety Culture.
• Personal Communication Styles.
• Inspirational Leadership.
• Leadership Traits. Human performance.
• Observation and Coaching.
• Shaping behaviors:
Positive reinforcement & Coaching.
• Time Management.
At the end of the seminar participant had opportunity to visit Kudankulam 3&4 construction site. Mr. Thirunavukkarasu S., Plant Director, KKNPP-3&4, gave an overview of the construction site, presented NPCIL plans for KKNPP expansion and discussed technical, political and social role of KKNPP project for development of Tamil Nadu state and India nationwide.
The participants highly appreciated delivered seminar, pointed out actuality and applicability of all seminar’s topics to all activities at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant and other Nuclear Power Plants of NPCIL. Participants also discussed the status and progress of WANO Leadership concepts implementation of the new WANO document PL 2019-01 “Nuclear Leadership Effectiveness Attributes”.
The seminar materials were extended with presentation describing structure and status of WANO documents and publications, and brief overview of the available WANO documents supporting Nuclear Leadership development.
The seminar participants pointed that Nuclear Leadership Training in combination with training seminars “Operational Decision Making” and “Managers in the Field” have a synergetic effect for development of the Nuclear Leadership skills and behaviors. Kudankulam NPP indicated interest in performance of the in-depth training on topics mentioned above.
All participants rose the questions of leader’s role in emergency preparedness, changes management, self-assessment of plant performance and safety culture and suggested continuing discussion of these topics within Shift Managers Leadership Development program and future seminars.
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 Kudankulam NPP training centre for continuous leadership training of the personnel.
Author: Dr. Alexey I. Soldatov