TVEL JSC
Annual Report
2013
Introduction
Annual Report
2013
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Glossary
Glossary| Term | Definition |
| Nuclear power engineering | A sector of power engineering that uses nuclear energy for electrification and heat supply |
| Becquerel (Bq) | A unit of activity of a nuclide in radioactive source that is equal to activity of the nucleus at the rate of one decay per second |
| Business model | According to International Integrated Reporting Standard, a business model means a system that describes activity of a company with conversion of capital for achievement of strategic goals and value creation over a short-, mid-and long-term period |
| Fast neutrons | Neutrons, the kinetic energy of which is higher than a certain definite value. In nuclear reactor physics, neutrons are commonly referrers to fast if their energy is more than 0.1 MeV |
| PWR | Pressurized water reactor where water is used as both decelerator and heat carrier. The most common types of reactors in Russia: VVER-440 and VVER-1000 |
| Radioactivity discharge | Radionuclide emission into the atmosphere resulting from operation of a nuclear facility |
| Decommissioning | Decommissioning of a reactor facility and subsequent operations to ensure its safe dismantling, disposal of equipment and further use of the site |
| Depletion of nuclear fuel | Impoverishment of any nuclide in nuclear fuel due to nuclear transformations of this nuclide during the reactor operation |
| Highly-enriched uranium | Uranium containing uranium-235 isotope with a mass of 20% or more |
| Gas centrifuge | Equipment designed for obtaining enriched uranium necessary for ensuring the operation of nuclear reactors of nuclear power plants |
| Gas diffusion technology | Gas diffusion technology of separation of uranium isotopes based on molecular diffusion through the micropores of membranes (partitions) |
| Gate approach to investment | Planning and investment approach, in which the investment processes are broken down into phases; the achieved results, plans and risks of the further implementation of the project are reviewed in an integrated manner before each phase, and then the decision to move to the next phase of the project is made |
| Uranium hexafluoride | Chemical compound of uranium and fluorine (UF6). It is the only highly volatile uranium-fluorine compound (when heated to 53°C uranium hexafluoride goes over from solid to gas); it is used as a raw material for the separation of isotopes of uranium-238 and uranium-235 by gas diffusion technology or gas centrifuge technology and the production of enriched uranium (chemical combination of uranium and fluorine (UF6) |
| Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) | Internationally accepted system of reporting on economic, environmental and social performance based on Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, technical protocols and industry-specific applications |
| Burnup fraction | Percentage of the initial quantity of number of nuclei of a certain type which have gone through nuclear transformation in the reactor at the neutron influence |
| Division | A business entity with which the ROSATOM State Corporation set the rules for interaction determining this company as a Division, managing business entities covered by the control loop of the Division |
| Radiation dose | A sum of individual radiation doses received or planned during the work on operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, or disassembly of a nuclear facility |
| Background radiation | Ionizing radiation composed of space radiation and ionizing radiation of naturally distributed natural radionuclides (on Earth surface, in the air, foodstuffs, water, human organism, etc.) |
| Closed nuclear fuel cycle | A nuclear fuel cycle in which nuclear fuel, used and discharged from the reactor, is recycled for extraction of uranium and plutonium for reproduction of nuclear fuel |
| Ash-slag | Waste generated by burning of solid fuel. |
| Integrated report | Brief overview of how the strategy, management, performance and prospects of a company in the context of the environment lead to value creation over the short, medium and long-term periods |
| Intellectual capital | The International Integrated Reporting Standard defines intellectual capital as intangible assets of intellectual nature |
| Research reactor | A nuclear reactor used as a research object to obtain data on the physics and technology of reactors required for the design and development of this type of reactors or components thereof |
| Capital | The International Integrated Reporting Standard defines it as resources and relations that serve as the source and the results of value (integrated value) creation processes |
| Uranium conversion | A chemical technology process of converting uranium-bearing materials into uranium hexafluoride |
| Radiation control | Acquisition of information on the radiation situation in the organization and environment and on the levels of radiation of humans (including dosimetric control and radiometric surveillance) |
| Indirect energy use | Use of energy produced outside the organizational limits of the organization preparing the report |
| Production localization | Organization of production outside the Russian Federation |
| Neutron | An elementary particle that has no electrical charge and is present in the nucleus of each atom except hydrogen. Single mobile neutrons moving at different speeds arise because of the fission reaction. Slow (heat) neutrons, in their turn, can easily cause fission of nuclei of “fissionable” isotopes, e.g., U-235, Pu-239, U-233; fast neutrons can cause fission of nuclei of A “fertile” isotope, e.g. U-238. Sometimes atomic nuclei just capture neutrons |
| Low-enriched uranium | Uranium containing U-235 isotope with a mass of fewer than 20% |
| Nuclide | Type of atom with a definite number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus characterized by an atomic mass and atomic (order) number |
| Depleted uranium | Uranium in which the content of U-235 isotope is lower than in natural uranium |
| Enrichment (by isotope) | a) particular isotope atom content in the mixture of isotopes of the same element, if it exceeds the proportion of the isotope in a mixture of naturally occurring (in %); b) a process resulting in increased content of a particular isotope in a mixture of isotopes |
| Uranium ore enrichment | Totality of processes of treatment of mineral uranium-containing raw material for the purpose of separation of uranium from other minerals contained in the ore. Meanwhile, there is no change in the composition of minerals, just a mechanical separation of ore concentrate |
| Enriched nuclear fuel | Nuclear fuel in which the content of fissionable nuclides is higher than in natural raw material |
| Enriched uranium | Uranium in which the content of U-235 isotope is higher than in natural uranium |
| Fuel element cans | Reactor quality uranium is usually enriched approximately to 3.5% U-235, and the content of U-235 in weapon-grade uranium is over 90% Metal tubes in the active zone of the reactor containing oxide fuel pellets |
| Circulating water | Water that has been used in the processing cycle and that is to be used for the same purposes after cooling or purification |
| Radioactive waste treatment | General term that covers all activities related to the processing, conditioning, transportation, storage and burial of radioactive waste |
| Ozone-depleting substances | Any substance with an ozone-depleting potential higher than 0, able to deplete the stratospheric ozone layer. Most of ozone-depleting substances, including CFC, halons and methylbromide, fall under the Montreal protocol as amended |
| Trial performance | Stage of PP commissioning from the beginning of the power launch till the PP acceptance for industrial operation |
| Depleted uranium | Uranium depleted through extraction of U-235, which is economically unfeasible to use; stored at a disposal site (dump) |
| Primary energy sources | Source energy form used for satisfying the energy needs of the organization preparing the report. Examples of primary sources include irreplaceable energy sources, e.g. coal, natural gas, oil and nuclear energy. They also include such replaceable sources as biomass, sun and wind energy, geothermal and hydraulic energy |
| First nuclear project | The USSR's nuclear project aimed at creating weapons of mass destruction with the use of nuclear energy |
| Fuel recharging | Operation performed by material-handling machines for replacement of the used fuel; the fuel radiation degree at which the recharging is done depends on the fuel composition after radiation, on the allowable work duration and on the reactivity change |
| Fuel reprocessing | A complex of chemical processes designed to remove fission products from spent nuclear fuel and fissile material recovery for reuse |
| Radioactive waste processing | Technological operations aimed at altering the aggregative state and/or physic-chemical properties of radioactive waste and transforming them into forms suitable for transportation, storage and/or disposal |
| Maximum permissible dose | The maximum value of the individual equivalent radiation dose per year, which does not cause unfavorable changes in the personnel's health after 50 years of uniform exposure |
| Manufactured capital | The International Integrated Reporting Standard defines it as man-made physical facilities (as opposed to natural objects) which the Company uses to manufacture products and services: - buildings and structures; - equipment; - infrastructure objects |
| Natural capital | The International Integrated Reporting Standard defines it as renewable and non-renewable natural resources and processes, including air, water, soil, mineral resources and forests; - biological diversity and environmental balance |
| Fuel production | Nuclear fuel production, generally in the form of ceramic pellets enclosed in metal tubes (fuel elements), which are subsequently assembled in fuel assemblies (TVS) |
| Radioactive isotopes | Isotopes with unstable nuclei undergoing radioactive decay |
| Radioactive waste | Nuclear materials and radioactive substances that no longer can be used |
| Radiation safety | System of measures aimed at limiting the exposure of employees and public to the lowest values of the radiation dose achieved by means acceptable to the society, and preventing the occurrence of early radiation effects and limiting manifestations of the long-term effects of radiation to an acceptable level |
| Radionuclides | General name for radioactive atoms that pose a great danger to environment |
| Regenerated uranium | Uranium separated from used nuclear fuel in the process of chemical processing for reuse in nuclear fuel (regenerated fuel) |
| Rehabilitation of contaminated areas | Reduction of the extent of radioactive contamination to the level ensuring the maximum protection of population and recovery of all elements of the ecosystem (water, soil, air) to the current normative level |
| Discharge of radioactive substances | Controlled discharge of radionuclides into the water with liquid effluents of a nuclear facility |
| Social capital | The International Integrated Reporting Standard defines it as a system of relationship established within the Company and between the Company, various groups of stakeholders and other communities that serves to enhance prosperity of all stakeholders |
| Social partnership | A system of institutes and mechanisms of coordination of the interests of the production process participants (workers, employers, state authorities, local self-government) based on equal cooperation |
| International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE 3000) | International Standard that regulates audit of non-financial reports |
| Sublimation production | Uranium hexafluoride production |
| Fuel pellet | A pellet made of compacted uranium dioxide that serves as the base of nuclear fuel and is placed inside fuel elements |
| Fuel assembly | Assembly of fuel elements (rods, bars, plates, etc.), held together by support plates and other structural components all-in-one during transportation and exposure in the reactor. Assemblies are loaded into the core of a nuclear reactor |
| Heat carrier | Liquid or gas used for heat transfer from the active zone of the reactor to steam generators or directly to the turbines |
| Production placement topology | Plan of territorial location of production facilities |
| Uranium-233 | Artificial uranium isotope with half-life period of 1.6 х 105 years obtained by transmutation of thorium-232 after neutron capturing; a fissionable nuclide |
| Uranium-235 | Natural uranium isotope with atomic mass 235 and half-life of 7.1 х 108 years; the only fissionable material existing in nature |
| Uranium-238 | Natural uranium isotope with atomic mass 238 and half-life of 4.5 х 109 years; can be used as fertile material to obtain plutonium-239 |
| Financial capital | The International Integrated Reporting Standard defines it as financial resources that are: — available to the Company in the course of products manufacturing and provision of services; — received by way of loans, investment made by owners and uncompensated receipts from operating activities and in the form of investments |
| Backend | An element (part) of fuel assembly |
| Tail storage | Complex of special structures and equipment designed for storage or burial of radioactive, toxic and other non-utilizable wastes of minerals enrichment called tails |
| Human capital | The International Integrated Reporting Standard defines it as competencies, abilities, expertise and motivation of the people, including: — involvement in corporate management technologies, risk management methods and ethics; — understanding and support of corporate strategy; — loyalty to and motivation for reforms, including the ability to control, manage and cooperate |
| Power unit | One of the NPP reactors with necessary additional equipment |
| Nuclear facility | Any installation that generates, processes or handles radioactive or fissionable materials |
| Nuclear energy | Internal energy of atomic nuclei released by nuclear fission or nuclear reactions |
| Nuclear fuel | Material containing fissile nuclides capable of starting chain reaction when placed in a nuclear reactor |
| Nuclear waste | Radioactive materials generated on various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, including development of uranium deposits, enrichment, fuel production, reactor operation, fuel processing, etc. |
| Nuclear reactor | A unit wherein a controlled chain nuclear reaction with energy release takes place. Reactors are classified by purpose, carrier type, design and other characteristics |
| Nuclear fuel cycle | Sequence of manufacturing processes for nuclear reactor functioning, from uranium mining to the disposal of radioactive waste |