VUJE

VUJE was established in 1977 as a state research institute; in 1994, it was transformed into a joint stock company whose shares are owned by company employees and former employees. The change from the state-owned company into a 100% private company meant also a change in company operations, i.e. a change from an originally research organisation into an engineering company that presently implements large projects mainly in the field of nuclear power generation.
VUJE is an engineering company providing services in the energy sector, with a special focus on nuclear power plants. Its activities have included regulatory support and active long term participation at the establishment and operation of Slovak nuclear industry, at preparation, construction, operation and decommissioning of power installations, in particular:
• Research, development and engineering activities in the area of evaluation of safety, reliability and effectiveness of operation in all phases of power sources lifetime, especially nuclear ones, starting from siting, through commissioning and operation up to decommissioning and handling of radioactive wastes;
• Technical support to nuclear regulator in establishment of human resources and expertise, including participation on development and application of diverse guidelines, regulations and policies, to cover regulator duties in licensing and regulation of safe operation of nuclear facilities;
• Assessment of safety and public acceptability of power installations and of their impact on the environment including impact monitoring, emergency planning and crisis management;
• Development and use of information, management and supporting systems for increasing the safety and reliability of operation of nuclear industrial objects;
• Training in the area of safety, reliability and effectiveness of operation and decommissioning of energy and heat sources, including classified training of both regulator and operator staff.
Extensive and long term VUJE experience and expertise of more than 600 employees shall be used for this project. The experience has been gained during more than 40 years of support of Slovak nuclear regulatory authority as well as nuclear operators in Slovakia, covering all the phases of plant lifetime, including construction and start-ups of the units, development of licensing documentations (EIA, FSARs, procedures of any types and purposes) and development of methodologies and analytical predictions of evolution and impacts of operational events, covering full scope of operation up to severe accidents and emergency planning within the country.
The infrastructure and technical equipment, relevant to the proposed work is sufficiently available, counting all necessary administrative and technical support, including among others also complex system of codes for safety evaluation of nuclear utilities (power plants, spent fuel storages, nuclear fuel transports, etc.), standardized methodologies for European Union application, models for VVER simulations and expertise to develop new adjusted models and corresponding contemporary computer based equipment.
VUJE has an established and certified integrated management system, which includes:
• Quality management system
• Environmental management system
• Occupational health and safety management system
• Quality management system for welding process
Integrated management system is based on international standards ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 3834-2 and related national regulations aimed at improving the safety of nuclear facilities exploitation, the environment protection as well as occupational safety and health protection. It also applies requirements and recommendations of IAEA.
VUJE provides also classified training and education of experts, to prepare and maintain highly skilled and qualified professionals as well as competent personnel of both nuclear regulator and operator of nuclear power plants. For the training appropriate training facility is available at VUJE premises, with skilled lectors for theoretical training for selected and special competence personnel as well as for practical training using VUJE full-scope simulator of the VVER V213 unit. The scope of training is sufficient to cover requirements for operation up to decommissioning of nuclear facilities.
The experts are certified by the Ministry for environment according to § 61 of EIA Act and they are registered in a Ministerial list according to the Regulation of MZP SR No. 113/2006 Coll. laying down details of competency for assessment of environmental impact assessment which executes the provisions of § 62 of EIA Act.
VUJE provides also capabilities to develop full scope safety documentation necessary for the licensing process of nuclear installations and for environmental impact assessment including monitoring, emergency planning and crisis management.
VUJE has developed several methodological documents for support of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority in Slovakia (UJD SR). Its experts are regularly involved in discussions and meetings with UJD SR in the field of nuclear safety, operation of nuclear installations, decommissioning planning, radioactive waste management and radiation safety. VUJE has been involved into the establishment of the Slovak National Strategy for spent nuclear fuel and radioactive wastes management in Slovakia and many others national and international projects. VUJE has developed and applies technologies for radioactive waste, processing, conditioning, storage and disposal (experimental bituminization facility, cementation facility, and equipment for sorting of sludge and for decontamination). It carries out non-active tests and active laboratory tests for new waste treatment methods. VUJE deals with the evaluation of operability and safety of both surface and deep geological repositories of radioactive waste by modelling the process of distribution and transport of radionuclides in the field of close and remote interactions and in biosphere.
VUJE was the main engineering contractor for commissioning of any nuclear facility in Slovakia. These involve position of general designer of large scale modernization of the Bohunice V2 NPP, several upgrade projects of all Slovak NPPs dedicated to installation of measures to cope with severe accidents, construction and operation of the Liquid Waste Processing complex in the NPP Mochovce and for the modernization of the Radwaste Treatment Centre BSC RAO in Jaslovske Bohunice (operated by JAVYS). VUJE in co-operation with SIEMENS was also intensively involved in the gradual reconstruction of NPP V1 in Bohunice.
Within its operations, VUJE co-operates with reputable European companies such as Framatome, Siemens, EDF, Babcock, CORYS, etc. VUJE have also participated in activities for the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna and various European Union institutions and programmes (HORIZON2020, FP6 and FP7, PHARE etc.).

VUJE offers diverse engineering services, delivery of systems up to EPC contract, mainly for nuclear industry, including (but not limited to):
• Elaboration, review or independent verification of concepts and designs of diverse systems for nuclear island, as e.g.:
o I&C systems (including all relevant subsystems)
o Electric supply systems (including all relevant subsystems)
o Safety systems (including all relevant subsystems)
o Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems (including all relevant subsystems)
• Elaboration of design, cooperation in procurement and supply of safety and monitoring systems, as. e.g.: Post accident monitoring system
o Severe accident mitigative systems
o Water treatment technology systems
o Radiation protection systems
o Fast neutron monitoring system
o Qualification and ageing management of cables
o Neutron flux measurement and control systems
o Hydrogen monitoring systems
• Independent verification/cooperation in development of operation, safety and licensing documentation, as e.g.:
o Operation procedures for NPPs
o Safety analysis reports for individual systems, modifications up to full scope documentation
o Deterministic safety assessment (Operation Events, Design Basis Accidents, both A and B Beyond Design Basis Accidents)
o Probabilistic Safety Assessment of NPPs, level 1 and 2
o Emergency preparedness and emergency planning
o Radiation protection assurance
o NPP environment impact evaluation
• Cooperation in design, procurement, delivery, tests and support in operation of diverse systems, up to EPC contracts, including full scope documentation of the systems of NPP nuclear island (but not limited):
o HVAC systems for both nuclear and conventional islands
o Emergency coolant supply systems to primary circuit and other safety systems
o Decontamination systems of equipment and rooms
o Diesel generator system and associated auxiliary systems for emergency power supply
o Severe accident management systems, as e.g. external coolant source for severe accidents, power supply system for severe accidents, I&C systems for severe accident management
o Monitoring and diagnostic systems
 Radiation monitoring system
 System for monitoring of hydrogen concentration (both for design and severe accidents)
 Post-accident monitoring system (PAMS)
 Special measurement systems for reactor monitoring (temperature, coolant level, ...)
 Centralized diagnostic system
 Humidity monitoring system (LBB system)
 Acoustic emission system (LBB system)
 Radiation monitoring system (LBB system)
 Reactor coolant pump monitoring system
 Vibration monitoring system
 Loose parts monitoring system
• Delivery and lifetime service of remote controlled inspection and maintenance equipment, as e.g.:
o Eddy current inspection system for steam generator headers (inspection of heat exchanging tubes and tube-sheets, visual inspection of surfaces)
o Eddy current inspection system for steam generator flange threaded holes (primary and secondary inspection of the flange)
o Eddy current and ultrasonic inspection of studs (whole surface inspection of steam generator and pressurizer studs)
o Leak detection system in steam generator (visual and helium inspection of heat exchanging tube leakages)
o Plugging system for leaking heat exchanging tubes
• Design of new systems, design of upgrades and erection of systems for electricity transmission and for grid control, operation and maintenance, as e.g.:
o electricity distribution plants, switchyards
o high and extra-high transmission lines
o transmission centers
o transformers and other grid equipment
o control and information systems