The Ignalina NPP belongs to the RBMK-type of reactors as designed and constructed by the former USSR's Ministry of Nuclear Power Industry. A schematic dependence of various institutes responsible for the design and construction of the Ignalina NPP is provided in Fig. 1.8.
Fig. 1.8 Scope of responsibility for the Ignalina NPP project
The development of the Ignalina NPP project was carried out by the Research and Development Institute for Energy Technology (Russian abbreviation - VNIPIET), St. Petersburg, (at that time Leningrad) Russia. This institute originated the design of the reactor internals and other radiation-related structural components. The development of the Accident Confinement System was carried out by the Sverdlovsk branch, Ekaterinenburg, Russia, of the above mentioned institute. Metal structures of the main building were designed by the Main Design Office "Leningrad Steel Design" (translation the Russian - "Leningradstalkonstrukcija"), St. Petersburg, Russia. The turbine hall, the open distributive system and the auxiliary facilities were developed by the Atomic Energy Design Organisation (Russian abbreviation -"Atomenergoproekt"), Kiev, Ukraine.
It was intended, that the Ignalina NPP would be the pilot nuclear power plant for the RBMK-1500 reactor type. The scientific supervisor of the RBMK-1500 project was the Kurchatov Atomic Energy Institute (often referred to as the Russian Research Center "Kurchatov Institute"), Moscow, Russia. The principal designer of the nuclear steam supply system was the Research and Development Institute of Power Engineering (Russian abbreviation - NIKIET), Moscow, Russia. These two institutes prepared and in 1987 published the Technical Safety Report of the RBMK-1500 reactor. In 1988 the mentioned institutes, together with the Research and Development Institute for Energy Technology, prepared the Technical Safety Report of the Ignalina NPP. Last safety report comes closer to the Western standard in comparison with the Technical Safety Report of the RBMK-1500 reactor. Unfortunately, the Technical Safety Report of the Ignalina NPP was not officially approved. In 1996 in-depth safety assessment of the Ignalina NPP was completed and Western style Safety Analysis Report was issued. The results of this study are discussed in Sections 10 and 11.