COOPERATION WITH THE FORMER COMMUNIST COUNTRIES IN NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY - THE NEED FOR STANDARDIZATION AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Nuclear power plants in the former communist countries have been designed and built, and in some cases operated, to standards which are generally felt as unsatisfactory by comparison with modern standards pertaining in the world's major industrial countries. This paper presents a discussion of the problem of raising the quality of the nuclear industry in these countries, particularly with a view to their intended expansion of nuclear generating capacity. The clear solution is an industrial collaboration with the industries of Western Europe, but this raises the question of the harmonisation of our own methodologies, rules, codes and safety standards. The current situation and outlook is described.