BULGARIAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY

Bulgarian Nuclear Society held its annual conference entitled: Nuclear power for people at Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria, from 11 - 14 November 2009.

Veliko Turnovo is a city in the north-central region of Bulgaria and the administrative centre of the Veliko Turnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Turnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It attracts many tourists with its unique architecture. The old city is situated on three hills, Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora, rising up from amidst the meanders of the Yantra. Tsarevets housed the palaces of the Bulgarian Emperors and the Patriarchate, as well as a number of administrative and residential edifices surrounded by thick walls. In the Middle Ages it was one of Europe’s main centres of culture and gave its name to the Turnovo Artistic School of architecture, painting and literature.

Reports and discussions during the conference focused on the applications of nuclear science for the public’s benefit, the key role of the human factor in nuclear medicine and training specialists for the nuclear industry.

The conference was attended by prominent Bulgarian and foreign scientists, as well as experts and young professionals in various fields, e.g. physicists; engineers; chemists, physicians from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; the Nuclear Regulatory Agency ; NPP Kozloduy; the universities of Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna; the National Center for Radiobiology; the Medical University of Sofia; companies in the field of nuclear energy; nuclear research centers from Belgium, France, Russia, Japan and India; the European Commission; the European Joint Research Center and the European Nuclear Society.

The list of guest speakers included: Akira Matsumura (University of Tsukuba), Andreiy Gagarinski (KI Russia), Ion-Christian Kiricuta (Institute of Radiation Oncology), George Van Goethem (EC), Haileyesus Tsige-Tamirat (JRC), Gerard Cognet and Bernard Bonin (CEA), Marion Brünglinghaus (ENS), Ioana Patrascu (Institute for Physics and NE), Barun Chatterjee (BARC), Borislav Dimitrov (IRSN), Boyka Nenkova (Risk Engineering), Neli Yankova (BNRA), Tihomir Apostolov (INRNE).

There was also a young authors' competition and prizes were awarded to the winners as follows:

1. First prize -  G. Gerganov,fromSofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", Bulgaria, for the paper entitled : Recent developments in the "EGS PET" Monte Carlopet simulation code

2. Second prize- Svetlin Philipov, of Risk Engineering, Bulgaria, for the study called: Benchmark analyses and special features of integral codes and alternatives applicable in an NPP.

3. Third prize - Yordan Madzhunkov, from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", Bulgaria, for the report entitled: New image reconstruction related developments in the"EGS PET" MONTE CARLO PET simulation code.

There was also a best poster award, which went to the young author Alexander Yordanov, of EnproConsult, Bulgaria, for the poster entitled: Evaluation of uncertainties in best estimate accident analysis :Preparation of input deck for psb vver and steady state qualification.

The safe operation of NPPs and the successful construction of new nuclear plants are imperative to ensure a competent, highly-qualified and motivated staff. We have considerable expertise in the nuclear field, have mastered the best international practices and have valuable experience to help develop well-trained specialists with good theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

This was a very interesting conference. A number of relevant issues were also raised from a scientific management point of view.

The Bulgarian Nuclear Society expresses its committed to preserving and ensuring the necessary availability of human resources for nuclear energy today and in the future.

Ms. Boryana Atanasova, M.Sc.
Bulgarian Nuclear Society
Executive Secretary
Phone: (+359 2) 979 55 83
Cell:-(+359 87) 7 382 384
Fax:-(+359 2) 975 3619
E-mail: batanasova@inrne.bas.bg