At this meeting, the prevailing topic of discussions was the further proceeding regarding the project on update of the nuclear rules and regulations of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) after its follow-up (module Version B) on the basis of the workshop series. The RSK agreed on a proceeding with five working groups which primarily review different module topics by means of an assessment catalogue. Their results shall be compiled for the RSK.

At this meeting, the prevailing topic of discussions was the further proceeding regarding the project on update of the nuclear rules and regulations of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) after its follow-up (module Version B) on the basis of the workshop series. The RSK agreed on a proceeding with five working groups which primarily review different module topics by means of an assessment catalogue. Their results shall be compiled for the RSK.

At its 366th meeting, the discussions of the RSK concentrated on the following topics:

Damages at the control assemblies in boiling water reactors,
seismic safety for longer-term interim storage of low and intermediate level wastes,
alerting of the civil protection authority by the operators of nuclear installations,
draft standards of the Nuclear Safety Standards Commission (KTA), and
further development of the nuclear rules and regulations.

The discussion of the RSK extended to the following subject maters:

Corrosion at the reactor pressure vessel of the Davis Besse nuclear power plant (USA),
non-availability of valves at the Unterweser nuclear power plant (KKU), and
criticality safety for the final disposal of plutonium.

DThe RSK discussed and assessed the improper handling during the transport of a fuel element at the Neckarwestheim I nuclear power plant (GKN-I) and a primary neutron source at GKN II (in German). The events occurred in June 2002. The RSK based its discussion on the examination of its Committee on REACTOR OPERATION (RB) which started to discuss the causes of the events in January 2003 and assessed the corrective measures of the plant operator.

This meeting concentrated on the ageing management at nuclear power plants and probabilistic methods and procedures regarding safety-related questions. The RSK discussed instructions prepared by its committees, how, in particular, it can be avoided for mechanical components, electrical components, I&C components, structural components, integrated operation management systems, and for the personnel competence that the safety level is reduced due to ageing processes by respective measures.

At this meeting, the RSK concluded its previous discussions on the applicability of corrosion indications at the American 'Davis Besse' nuclear power plant to nuclear power plants in Germany.

At this meeting, the RSK dealt with the need for revision of KTA 2201.1 "Design of Nuclear. Power Plants against Seismic Events; Part 1: Principles". In the view of the RSK, not all parts of this standard comply with the state of the art in science and technology. It therefore regards it as necessary to perform a revision of the standard dating back to the year 1990. One and half year ago, the RSK established the working group seismology of the RSK Committee on PLANT AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING (AST) which investigated the need for revision as preparatory work for the RSK.

At this meeting, the RSK discussed first of all internal issues. This was followed by an in-depth discussion of further chapters of the RSK recommendation on ageing management at nuclear power plants, which is at issue. The discussions on this recommendation shall be concluded at the 374th meeting. Regarding the requirements on the verification of the effective emergency core cooling during loss-of-coolant accidents involving the release of insulation material, the RSK discussed the currently available results of its Committee on PLANT AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING (AST).

The RSK continued its discussions on the need for revision of KTA 2201.1 "Design of Nuclear. Power Plants against Seismic Events; Part 1: Principles" and concluded it with the adoption of a statement on the revision of this standard.

The BMU plans a first discussion as of autumn 2004 of the results of a BMU project on the revision of the nuclear rules and regulations that will be available until then. At the meeting, the RSK prepared its proceeding for this discussion.