Today, Mr. Dragos Gabor, the first director of the Cernavoda power station, has ceased to life, an emblematic personality of the nuclear energy in Romania.
Mr. Dragos Gabor was from the beginning with the Romanian Atomic Forum, being invited to honor at the association meetings, and his advice has always been very useful to us.We will lack him!
We take an interview below by Mr.Gabor for the Energy Messenger magazine, interview conducted by DNA.Elena Ratcu, CNR-Cme
Eng. Dragoș Gabor, specialist in nuclear energy,
Former Director of CNE Cernavoda
Interview conducted by Prof. Elena Ratcu, CNR-CME counselor, published in volume I "Energy Seniors-Soul Dialogues", AGIR Publishing House, 2015
My life means nuclear energy
Motto: „In order to appreciate the passion of a man, we must know what the price they have for him all the things they sacrifice to his passion ”
Sthendal
I admit, I had some emotions when I decided an interview with one of our best experts in nuclear energy.Nuclearists are very special people who have been educated and trained over time, through a lot of study, but especially through practice, directly at work, in the middle of problems, on the sites of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, people for whom the word "at home" is confused with the power station, and the family with their colleagues, for whom they have become part of their demand.Mr. Dragoș Gabor, with an impressive business card and a continuous activity in one of the most sophisticated, provocative and-newer controversial areas of energy, had the kindness to answer my questions and even met a series of biographical materials that were of great help to me.Passionate about his profession, rigorous, intransigent, disciplined, Mr. Dragos Gabor addresses the problems with a seriousness that imposes and was a model for many of his collaborators, in a period when the Romanian nuclear energy was born, developed and achieved the requirements of international standards.
Succean of origin, Mr. Eng. Dragoș Gabor was born on August 14, 1931 and is a graduate of the Faculty of Energy, the Hydroenergetic Section, the Bucharest Polytechnic Institute, the 1955 promotion.In his activity he held different positions: service engineer and deputy chief engineer at the Paroseni power plant (1955-1957), main engineer at the Energy Service of the Ministry of Chemistry and Oil Industry, Bucharest and chief engineer at the Electric Utilage Repair Company, Câmpina (1957-1963), chief engineer in Energontaj-Bucuresti(1963-1970), technical director at the State Committee for Nuclear Energy, (1970-1971), a decisive moment in his career, when he went from classical energy to nuclear energy, where he remained the rest of his professional life.Between 1971-1989 he was director of the company in charge of making the first nucleoelectric power plant in Romania, spending the period 1979-1989 on the site of the Cernavoda CNE, during which time a 3-month training internship followed at the School of Nuclear Engineering from Technological Institute of Georgia, the USUSA, USSR, Belgium, Italy, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia.Between 1989-1997, Mr. Gabor worked as a specialist engineer, counselor and head of service in the field of nuclearoelectric power stations at Renel and CNN Cernavoda, and after retirement (1997) he continued to work, until 2010, in the private sector, the longest being the director of the Association of Suppliers in Romania of Equipment, Materials and Services for Nucleo-electric power.He is currently an active member of CNR-CME and Aren's associations.For special merits it was decorated with the order of the third grade Labor.
"I chose the hydropower section of romance"
─ Dear Mr. Dragoș Gabor, aAnd the courses of the Faculty of Electrotechnics began in 1950, one year after the elaboration of the country's electrification plan, which, among others, had as a strong development of hydropower. Why did you choose to opt for hydropower, a student being at Electrotechnics?
─ In 1951, we, the graduates of the first year of the Faculty of Electrotechnics, had the opportunity to opt between the newly founded energy faculty: electroenergetics, hydroenergetics and thermo -energy.The 1950 country electrification plan provided for a strong development of hydropower within the national energy system.From romance, I would say, I chose the hydropower section, I had no other decision-making elements.Perhaps not a chance, in the new section most students were good, with inclination towards the study, qualities later confirmed in their production activity.In 1955, however, when I graduated from the faculty, the electrification plan had changed its priorities;The national economy could not yet support the high costs of the hydropower projects and emphasized the construction of thermal power plants.Thus, at the distribution in production, the hydro sector was represented only by the hydrotechnical construction site from Bicaz.Although I had been one of the favorite students of the Hydrotechnical Construction Professor, Alexandru Diaconu, reprofilarea mea ca inginer de construcţii hidrotehnice nu m-a atras şi am ales să mă duc la CTE Paroşeni în echipa care se pregătea pentru exploatare. Ceva din romantismul epocii s-a păstrat, CTE Paroşeni fiind echipată cu două grupuri de 50 MW pe cărbune, cele mai mari grupuri energetice din ţară, la acea dată. Aici am avut ocazia să fiu „elevul” inginerului Constantin Dinulescu said "Lion ”, Great guide from that time of young engineers.He did not give us technical information, but he taught us to think technically.I must admit, leaving aside the political connotations, that in the years 1955-1960, we, the young engineers, could aspire to build a career and to acquire its recognition, in an economy in full development especially in the electricity sector.
─ For 15 years you have been active in the classic energy sector.What more important memories do you have from that period and what personalities of the time have you collaborated?
─ Perhaps the most beautiful and fruitful activity of mine in those years was that of chief engineer at Electric Central Mounting Enterprise (INTER), later The enterprise and then the Energomontaj trust. Dealing with the new works that aimed at developing the energy system, I coordinated the openings of the new sites, the design and pursuit of the construction organizations, the elaboration of the mounting technologies and the conclusion of the chief-assembly contracts with the companies supplying.I had the privilege to work together with recognized personalities from the electrical and mechanical equipment, pipeline systems, cable households, fuel households, all that make up a thermo or hydro power plant.That's how Dr. Ing. Gheorghe Miliţescu who led the company for 28 years although its technical and managerial capability recommended it for greater responsibilities, the file file (which at that time had a great power over the people) did not allow them to access them.After December 1989 he was done justice and a short time was the first deputy of the Minister of Electricity.From him I learned the concern for the social problems of the collective who had been entrusted, at one point, to lead him.I also remember ing. Niculaie Decusara, The first technical director of the company, a phenomenon of physical, mental and technical strength put into service.It had an organizational capacity and perseverance in pursuing the stream of tasks that flowed unstoppable, which we called "diabolical", expressing us in this plastic, admiration for its ability to work, effort and technical competence.I learned from him how to dedicate yourself to your profession.I can't omit Dr.ing. Anatolie Măcriş, who was for a while technical director.Epicurian character, much different from Eng.From him I should have learned that humor is an instrument within the reach of the manager with whom people can lead to carrying out heavy or anostic tasks.But I didn't catch his grace.The activity from Energomontaj allowed me to meet with my profile as a hydropower engineer, being involved in the preparation of the works from the hydroelectric plants on Bistrita de Bicaz, on Argeş, from the Iron Gates and the arrangement of the Lotru River.
"From here my history begins in nuclear energy"
─ How beautiful did you notice this miraculous instrument in the driving act: humor.How did the nuclear field be so fascinated that you have never left it again?
─ In the nuclear energy I have arrived in 1970 and for 40 years I am in charge of this field.I didn't leave him even when I retired.Nuclear energy was born in 1955 at International United Nations Conference in Geneva, dedicated to peaceful use of nuclear energy.The most important use was then the production of electricity in nuclearoelectric power stations.Romania reacted promptly to this opening by setting up The Committee for Nuclear Energy (Cen), meant to coordinate the research in the nuclear field and the elaboration of the state policy in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.Internationally, between 1956-1957 the first demonstrative commercial nuclear power plants were put into operation: Obninsk-URSS, Shippingport-SUA, Calder Hall-Anglia, Marcoule-Franța, and in 1968 Douglas Point-Canada (based on the nuclear reactor of demonstrative power with a capacity of 22 MW put into operation in 1962).
Internally, between 1960-1969, the option of our country was held on the National Nuclear Reactors and Structure of the National Nuclear Program (PNN).Through the activity of the specialists of the Institute of Atomic Physics, coordinated by CEN, it is based on the adoption of the reactors with natural uranium, cooled and moderate with heavy water (PhWR), a chain that prevented our energy dependence on the great powers, the only ones that made enriched nuclear fuel.I do not know how many specialists still live in those who had the competence and courage to decide what was good for the country about the nuclear chain to be adopted, but with one of them I often meet and I enjoy listening to their memories.Is the engineer Dumitru Stoian from the Mărginimea Sibiului.I met him as head of the turbine section at the power plant Sângorgiu de Forest, Then he was sent back to the USSR to specialize in the nuclear field.He worked as the head of the exploitation at the VVR-S research reactor imported from the USSR, but it was deeply convinced that our country fits the reactors with natural uranium that ensures its energy independence and has militated its entire professional life for implementing this chain is one of the great personalities of the Romanian nuclear energy.PNN, approved in 1968, provided for the realization of a 300 MW nuclearoelectric power plant (CNE), with PHWR reactor and location in the vicinity of Hârşova.For this purpose, negotiations have gone with companies Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) si Kraft Werk Union (KWU-RF Germania) for the delivery of a boiler with reactor with pressure tubes (AECL) or pressure vessel (KWU).At the same time, it was foreseen the creation of a nucleoelectric power plant with a reactor with cooled and moderately rich uranium with light water under pressure of 440 MW (Vver), the type of USSR reactor for the CAER countries, in the site You stress Olt, Near the hydroelectric power station provided to be built in the vicinity, near Slatina.This nuclearoelectric power plant was not part of the national chain, its construction with political reasons.Since 1968, together with other colleagues from Energomontaj and under the "wand" of Mr..Director Anatolie Macriş, I had syllable acronyms of nuclear brains (PWR, PHWR, BWR, LWGR, AGR, HTGR and others).It was remarkable the concern of permanent preservation of the opening for everything the new in technology meant, in an enterprise that was just a link in the chain of factors that contributed to the creation of Romanian energy.The following year I drove the negotiations for the chief-assembly contracts with the two competitors for the delivery of the 300 MW Phwr nuclear power plant.With this "remarkable background" in the nuclear field I was appointed in April 1970 as a technical director of the General Directorate of Nuclear Corlelectric power plants in the newly established State Committee for Nuclear Energy (CSEN).From here my history begins in nuclear energy.
"I know no more harmful decision than the construction of the anina power plant"
─ How heavy were the beginnings of nuclear energy in our country?
─ The beginnings of nuclear energy in us in the country were not easy.After completing the negotiations for the 300 MW Nuclear Corlelectric power plant, Common note Subject to the approval on July 13, 1970, which recommends the purchase of the reactor with natural and moderate water uranium, in the AECl solution with pressure tubes, it was not approved, for two reasons: 1) The big floods of June 1970 had generated great losses in the country's economy and it was decided to postpone the foreign exchange involved by this import.2) Delay allowed better checking the reliability of the proposed solution, because at that time there were only 22 MW demonstrative power reactor in operation Chalck River (1962) and the 200 MW demonstrative nuclear -electric power plant from Douglas Point (1968).First group of 600 MW from CNE Pickering it would be put into operation in 1972. The common note did not enjoy the support of the car construction industry that did not yet have the ability to participate significantly in equipment deliveries.At the same time, it was decided that for the replacement in the energy balance of the nuclear power plant, the resources of bituminous shale from Banat should be used by the construction of the Anina thermoelectric power station.I know no other decision as harmful to the national economy as this.As part of the natural uranium branch, research was continued for the production of heavy water in the country, by constructing the pilot installation from Govora-Vâlcea, o Successful action that led to construction The heavy water combination from Halânga and in the country insurance of the heavy water necessary for the program of nuclear reactors with natural uranium.Regarding energy production, in September 1970 I received the task of starting the negotiations for contracting the technical project of CNE StReject with Vver 440 MW reactor.The contract was concluded in January 1971. At the same time the decision was made to establish the beneficiary enterprise of the respective investment, Strejeşti nuclearoelectric power station, And, at my request, I was entrusted with the task of director of the new enterprises.Maybe it appeared as a voluntary relegation of mine, from the position of technical director of general direction, but I felt young, I wanted to carry out a concrete activity in the nuclear energy and this was a good opportunity.I do not hide the fact that I was promised that with the resumption of the program of power plant with natural uranium, I will be able to opt on the new chain.The technical project of CNE Strejești, taught by the Soviet side in March 1972, provided for the realization of a central designed for a basic accident accident less significant than the one provided by the international norms and, consequently, without the reactor protection tire provided by the same norms.The project was not approved by the CSEN's Technical-Scientific Council and was not accepted by the analysis commission, consisting of 50 specialists and constituted by the state management of those times.It was seen in the quite difficult site to refuse a large -scale Soviet project in CAER (Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, German Democratic Republic).
─ I assume, however
─ The opinion of the community of scientists in the country was accepted by the state leadership and began a whole correspondence at the level of the governments in which we explained our position and asked the Soviet party to adopt the international security norms for our project and to agree with the application to the Strejești CNE of the solution adopted for CNE Loviisa (Finlanda). This meant that the USSR will deliver the nuclear part and the classic part of the nucleoelectric power plant and to collaborate with the Romanian side that was to equip the boiler with the protective systems necessary to bring it to the level of international nuclear security norms.Mainly, the boiler was to be equipped with ice capacitors to reduce pressure in the nuclear enclosure at the basic accident stipulated by international norms (Westingouse license), with a protective tire for environmental protection in case of accident and with other reactor cooling pumps, as the Soviet part does not guarantee its pumps for the environmental conditions.
During the negotiations the Romanian part also refused a more evolved nuclear security solution for the Vver 440 power plant than the one offered, namely with the "Barbotage Installation".This reduced the pressure of the steam released to an accident, but the environmental protection was not provided for by the reactor building tire.Finally, on December 30, 1974, the supplement to the 1970 agreement was signed in Moscow for the realization of the Nuclear power plant with Reactor Vver 440 MW, which was suitable to make a protective tire power, the Romanian part taking responsibility for the tiding system.To the above mentioned negotiations, coordinated by Adrian Georgescu, Deputy Minister of Electric Nelgia, I participated in all phases, along with the directors Dumitru Stoian from the ministry and Cornel Burducea of the ISPE, the head of the project Tudorel Mocanu and the head of service from Romenergo Ioan Stroie.
"The knowledge in the nuclear field I have learned through the activity in the field and by the individual study"
After the reorganization of July 1972, the responsibility of investment holder for nuclearoelectric power stations was transferred from Csen to the Ministry of Electricity (MEE).Also in 1972 we attended the autumn courses from Georgia Technological Institute – Nuclear High Scool (SUA, this being the only organized form that I have benefited for my preparation in the nuclear field.The rest of the knowledge I learned, as much as I succeeded, through the activity in the field and through the individual study.In the first quarter, 1973, the General Directorate of Nuclearoelectric power plants was abolished which had been transferred from Csen to Mee, the beneficiary enterprise was reorganized as The NuclearoElectric Olt (Ino) enterprise, and The number of management positions was reduced from eight to four, of which the physicist director was unique in the economy.I was reconfirmed as director of this enterprise.
[Photo: Racor's 1 -Ractelii Tire 1]
─ As the director of Ino, I suppose you have further impulsed the negotiations for making the nuclear power plant in Romania Vver 440 MW, as you mentioned, didn't you?
─ In 1975 and the first semester of 1976, Romenergo, Ino and ISPE took the commercial negotiations for the purchase of the services and equipment necessary to carry out the VVER 440 MW reactor building systems from CNE Strejești, using the Finnish model for CNE Luysa.In June 1976, he presented himself to the state leadership Synthesis of the common note by which the import approval is requested.The document was not approved, motivating that the Romanian organizations assume too much responsibilities in achieving the nuclear objective.I understood later that, before examining our import request, Ceausescu had a meeting with the Electrical Minister of the USSR, who came to Bucharest for a CAER meeting, who advised him to give up the tire project promising him that, in a short time, the USSR will be able to present to us for a nucleo-electric power plant, 500 MW.They were working for Cuba.This is how the activity for the construction in Romania of a nucleoelectric power plant with Reactor Vver was completed.The 500 MW Vver reactor has not been built in Cuba or offered nine. Romania had made a firm option for the Candu chain and the insistence of the USSR to align us with our own Vver branch, widespread in the CAER countries, was doomed to failure.
"Romania has made a firm option for the Candu"
─ Let's return a little in 1973, when, issued by the task of carrying out a nuclearoelectric power station in collaboration with the USSR, Csen-Romania has maintained its concern for the Candu.What happened afterwards?
─ Permanently pursuing Canada's success by putting four groups of 600 MW at the Nuclearoelectrica Power Pickering (1971-1973), which worked with the highest factors of availability of the installed power registered worldwide for nucleoelectric power stations and periodically informing the state leadership about these successes, Csen obtained the approval of resuming the negotiations for the Candu chain.At the proposal of AECl, in the autumn of 1976, the common study "was conducted in Canada"The technical and economic feasibility of a 4 × 600 Mwe Candu PHW in Romania ”. I also participated in the elaboration of the study, as a representative of the investment mee-titular for nuclearoelectric power stations, along with Nelu Vasilescu and Constantin Mingiuc (ISPE), Alexandru Olaru (Csen), Ștefan Bârsănescu (Romenergo), representatives of the Ministry of Machine Construction and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Economic Cooperation.On this occasion, the Canadian part refused the offer of a fixed price contract, as it had offered in 1970 for the 300 MW group, because it had registered high losses at a fixed price in Argentina, where it could not control the local costs due to a high monetary inflation.We were offered the alternative to a contract with reimbursement costs: the beneficiary is paid what is spent by the supplier.The variant offered was not accepted by the Romanian authorities, because it does not ensure a predictability of costs and their control.The study we told about contributed to the updating of the national nuclear plan that provided for the construction in our country of 10-12 Candu type nuclearoelectric power stations, to which the research, design and industry in our country would be actively involved.The program was based on a license contract through which we bought, with fixed prices, Candu technology and the right to use it.
The transfer of technology and know-how was to take place during the realization of the first Cernavoda CNE wave for which AEcl had the status of general designer.For this purpose, an engineering contract for the design and construction of CNE Cernavoda was concluded, which provided a fixed price for the unit 1 project and tariffs for the technical assistance services whose volume was decided by the beneficiary.There was also a contract for the purchase of imported equipment for the first two units, which stipulated clauses through which AEcl also provides the technical assistance for purchasing from the suppliers of licenses, technologies and know-how for manufacturing the equipment related to the other units in the program.The contract provided for a commission that was paid to the AECL for the procurement services.The supply contracts were concluded directly between the supplier and the Romanian Foreign Trade Company, both for equipment and materials, for which the internal beneficiary was the investment beneficiary, as well as for the transfer of licenses, technologies and know-how for which the internal beneficiary was the factory that had the task of assimilating the manufacture of the equipment or materials. Based on the transfers of licenses, technologies and know-how and some investments of about 5 billion, the Romanian industry was prepared for the realization of the construction program of nuclearoelectric power stations. The error of 1970 was not repeated when the industry was not involved from the beginning in achieving the investment objective. I participated in the negotiation of these contracts that we have initiated as a representative of the holder and the beneficiary of investment.The contracts were signed in December 1978. I also participated in the negotiation of the contract for the classic part of the boiler, with General Electric and Ansaldo, which was signed in 1981. In September 1976, the president of Csen, the teacher Ioan Ursu has been replaced with Cornel Mihulecea, Which, even if he did not have a preparation in the field of nuclear physics, like his predecessor, brought with him the experience of a period of development of the electrotechnical and industrial electronics he had responded for 10 years, as deputy of the Minister of Car Construction.It was strongly attached to this new field that it has drove with great energy and involvement.
[Photo: CET Borzesti yard, 1964]
„On April 17, 1979, the first excavator cup was dug for the landscaping of CNN Cernavoda„
─ I know that for a whole decade you spent it on the site of the Cernavoda's Nucelectric power plant.Talk to me, please a little bit about those years
─ The year 1979 was the beginning of the decade I spent in Cernavoda, on the site of the nuclearoelectric power station, as director of inc.In January 1979, the task of investment holder for the nucleo -electric central program had been passed from Mee to Csen.Ino became INC and was also transferred to Csen, keeping his management and staff.The derogatory start of the works (ie before the approval of the technical-economic documentation of the investment) was approved and at April 17, 1979 was dug the first excavator cup for land arrangement for the new investment in the old "Llie Barza" limestone career of the White Cement Factory in the city on the Danube. On May 9, the headquarters were moved from Bucharest to Cernavoda, and on September 15, I moved the whole family to Cernavoda (I had 3 children now), because I did not conceive to run such an investment project from the position of commute.Thus, I wanted to give a signal to those we recruited for the management of the investment, but especially for exploitation, pushing them to bring their families to their future job.A lot would be to tell about what happened in the ten years spent on this site, but I will mention only a few aspects.
In February 1985, the position of investment holder for nucleoelectric power plants was transferred from Csen to Mee;It was the third transfer.The movement was rational, as Csen had to be a regulatory, authorization and control authority and could not be responsible for achieving the nuclear objective.For the investment it was not a profit, because Mee was tracked by the problems of the exploitation of the energy system that worked at damages due to lack of power and, often, his management had no time or credibility to promote and solve all the problems of investment from Cernavoda.
(Photo: 1981, on the site with designers)
─ The pace of work to make an investment of such proportions was hell, and the effort of the people was huge, right?Why did CNN Cernavoda require such a long time interval?
─ The investment works for unit 1 from Cernavoda CNE required great efforts under all aspects.Between 1979-1989, 45% of the volume of works related to unit 1, the management of the works belonging to the Romanian organizations, was realized.Between 1991-1995, the remaining 55% of the volume of works was realized, the management of the works belonging to the Aecl- Ansaldo consortium.In 1990, marked by the social disturbances on the site after the events of December 1989, more works to remedy some non-conformities were carried out.The year 1996 was the year of the commissioning tests, and the commercial commissioning was done in December 1996. The main causes of the long duration of the investment would be the following: the works of spatial planning for the basic works and the site organization until the first concrete (the sub-Radier of the reactor building) lasted a year and a half (April 1979)concrete.Between 1981-1982 Romania was unable to pay, and AEcl interrupted the deliveries of documentation;For this reason, and due to the lack of foreign exchange funds for the purchase of pre -compressing equipment, the reactor building was poured two years after the sub -Redier pour (third quarter 1982).
The assimilation by the Romanian industry of the stainless steel for the pieces embedded in the reactor buildings floors delayed by almost a year the execution of the internal concrete structures of this building.Thus, the duration of the 45% of the volume of works was five and a half years, not too far from the five years used by the Canadians to finish the other 55% of the work.The conditions in which this work was carried out must also be emphasized: the autarchic economy climate, ideologically supported and the lack of currency resources have determined unrealistic programs of product assimilations and especially uncontrollable on the terms of achievement, which led to delays and the lack of control over the execution graphs.There were also difficulties in recruiting and stabilizing the qualified workforce of people, due to lack of material incentives and because of the poor living conditions, which actually reflected the low level of living of Romania from that period, which led to the disastrous policy of the qualified workers for the time.Also, it was an error that the execution of the construction and assembly works were not entrusted to large enterprises, such as the Energoconstruction and Energomontage trusts, which had a highly qualified workforce.For reasons and political decisions of the time, new units were set up, from nothing: the construction and installations for nuclearoelectric power stations (TCI-CNE) and the nuclearmontage company that faced the lack of labor.There were also deficiencies of the work management, due to the lack of experience in such large projects and especially from the excessive politicization of the objective.
"We were asked to work at the same time at five units Candu"
The deadlines set out in successive periods of the communist management at that time did not allow a realistic planning of the works.I must point out that we were asked to work at five Candu units at the same time, which produced a dispersion of management and execution activities.I remember, for example, a visit on the site of the country's management when I was asked to present the work front from unit 5 and it was found that a conscientious team was preparing to cast the equalization concrete of the reactor Foundation.To my astonishment, I found that, in the stroke that the high -level visit, there were people who were quietly seeing their anonymous work on the site.
─ The responsibility was huge, the period in which the works were done was difficult.You are a perfectionist and I don't think you would have something to reproach yourself
─ Yes, yes, I reproach myself, however, not to be insisted on the implementation of the principles of head of the supply contracts concluded, which I had treated personally and who gave the right and even forced the foreign specialists on the site to be involved in the effective technical management of the works and not to be placed in the position of only the Romanian consultant.In order to be able to implement a similar way of working, however, it should have been fought with the opposition of the execution organizations and with the irritation of the local party bodies that felt embarrassed by the foreign specialists of the lack of materials (in assimilation) and the labor force.
─ Certainly this first decade of the project has revolutionized the entire area and had many beneficial effects on all levels.
─ Yes, there were many positive aspects in the history of the first 10 years of this project.The complex activity of agabaritic transports, for which within the ME there was no direct experience at the required level, was executed for the investment beneficiary, inc.The transport plans were drawn up on time and professional, the company was equipped with special means of transport (trailer, gauge) designed on the basis of the design themes and river discharge ramps were built at our request.A special contribution to the success of this activity had ING. Ionel Bucur which, later, proved its full capacity to lead the exploitation of the two groups from Cernavoda.The CNE project offered from the beginning opportunities for jobs and a professional perspective for the youth in the city of Cernavoda: even from 1981, at the request of the beneficiary, the creation of a class of matematica within the Agricultural High School in Cernavoda, both for the children of the central office and for the children of the locals, raised the ex-education, and the ex-education, whichThe establishment of an energy high school was a permanent objective, but achieved only immediately after 1989. Between 1982-1985, I personally asked the Prime Minister and the head of state to approve a social program for the construction in Cernavoda of edilitarian, social and cultural objectives, to create living conditions corresponding to the personnel for the exploitation of the Nuclear Central.Their promises have not been fulfilled.The required, social and cultural and cultural objectives were achieved after 1989.
The Cernavoda project has ensured from its first years a permanent concern for attracting and training personnel for the investment process and for the future exploitation of the nucleoelectric power station..Between 1982-1983 a number of about 20 engineers were prepared in Canada, generally for operating activities.Also, the Cernavoda project has formed a valuable body of nuclear systems and components by complete involvement of the Institute of Energy Nuclear Reactors - Design Sector (IRNE) in taking and adapting the Canadian project to the methodologies on the site and from the industry.Even if the Romanian state did not use the contractual clause that allowed him to send designers to the design offices in Canada, so-called “Romanianization of the project", The individual documentation work and the technical assistance provided by the foreign specialists on the site and by the quality assurance group ensured the transfer of technology for designing the systems and components of the nuclear power plant. As an investment beneficiary I had a very good collaboration with the entire body of designers from which I will only mention by only by Nelu Vasilescu the director of the Systems Department and Constantin Mingiuc, The Complex Project Director, In order not to unjust many of the ones I worked with.After 1989, many designers passed in leadership positions in Renel and then in the National Nuclearelectrica Society.The Cernavoda project also imposed the formation of the National Regulatory and Control Authority for Nuclear Activities, initially as a department (ISCAN) within CSEN, the one that was not normal, CSEN being at that time a state body responsible for promoting and achieving nuclear objectives.However, he has carried out a meritorious activity of implementing the rules of nuclear security and of assurance of quality and international regulations in the field, due to the strong personality of its leader, Dr.ing. Ștefan Olariu.
─ Why and under what conditions did you leave Cernavoda?
─ On August 27, 1989, I was dismissed from the management of INC because I had not ensured the commissioning of unit 1 on August 23, 1989, as established by the state management, on the occasion of the site visit from March of the same year.My change was implemented by the first viceprim minister Ion Dincă. In March 1990 I had the opportunity to read the statement Ion Dincă gave to the General Prosecutor's Office, from his new position to be arrested and accused for the disaster produced by the national economy, and stating that my change was an injustice for which he is guilty, but the minister Constantin Dăscălescu and proposed to repair it.In September 1989 I was given the transfer in the interest of the service at the Energomontaj trust.It was somehow a tradition in the energy system for those who were removed from operating positions to fall to the assembly organization, and in addition I had worked in this organization.I was assigned a counselor at the Nuclearmontaj enterprise that was part of this trust and so I kept in touch with the work in Cernavoda.In March 1990, I presented myself at the Mee, and after an internship as the chief of investment service in the General Directorate of Nuclearoelectric power plants, I was appointed as general director of CNN Cernavoda.Naturally, in Cernavoda the management was subsequently taken over by a valuable young generation: Viorel Mărculescu, Mihai Boboș, Cristian Talmazan, Ionel Bucur, Silviu Popa, Marian Șerban.
─ What happened on the Cernavoda site after 1990?
─ In 1990 and in the first semester of 1991 the site relaxed by all the constraints he had subjected.The soldiers brought for unqualified work were withdrawn, the detached people left the site and many of the young trainees.The remaining staff began to exercise with passion and interest the trade union rights that had been deprived until then: strikes, demonstrations, salary negotiations, other rights, work schedule.An unleashed passion was also that of changing the management cadres, especially those who had drove.But, as is the case in all social movements, not only the cadres that deserved to be replaced and not all the frames proposed by the masses were replaced.The forced rhythm of activity that was to put into operation within a non-real time and a major concern became the remediation of the non-execution that had been recorded during the accomplishment of the works, but whose remediation had been postponed in the chase of the objective graph.Also, the lethargy in which the site was pleased was an opportunity to carry out new detailed inspections on the works executed.A OSART mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna (AIEA) confirmed the viability of the project, but recommended the management of the concept supplier.
The negotiations with AECl for the management contract entered the deadlock when AEcl refused to assume a fixed budget for the work and asked to dispose of the project resources of the project.Non -acceptance by ing. Ioan Bărbulescu, Vice President of Renel, and me of this abusive clause, led to our dismissal, and the contract was concluded in August 1991 under the conditions imposed by AECC.I remained in the nuclear energy (gen) group of the newly established the National Electricity King (Renel) as the main specialist, and since 1993 as a head of contract at Cernavoda CNE, where I was a pensioner. The management contract was carried out with a full technical success, even though with a year's delay.The management of the CNE fought with perseverance to prevent, insofar as possible, the financial abuse of the management team.Of those that could not be prevented entirely, they can indicate the exceeding of Canadian $ 10 million expenses with the technical assistance of Canadian personnel as a result of bringing in the site of persons whose activity could be performed, sometimes even better, by Romanian staff.From this kneading, in which I actively participated and I think that I also chose the dislike from Project Manager Roland Boucher, With which I had collaborated very well from 1989-1990, but who did not invite me to the reception offered by AECL to put into operation unit I. I could later find out that I had kept my sympathy and I would also say the appreciation of the AECl specialists on the site and from the company of the company that seems to have understood that my position was defended by the beneficiary and was not the interest of the beneficiary.
„My life never broke up from nuclear energies„
─ It is strange to pronounce the word retirement in your case, especially since you have never moved away from your nuclearists.
─ My life of a pensioner, started in the autumn of 1997, did not break away from the nuclear energy.In May 1998, I fell, as a counselor, at Nuclearmontaj SA, who made, as a general entrepreneur for construction-assembly and prosecutor works for the materials and equipment in Romania, in the ECL subcontracting, the first two modules of the dry intermediate warehouse for the used fuel of Cernavoda CNI.Dr. ing. Gheorghe Lucaciu He was the project manager from the Romanian part and I was his deputy.The work was a technical success.Between 2003-2004 I coordinated the evaluation of the capability of the nuclear industry in Romania within the working group for the national nuclear program constituted by Romatom, a non-guisamental organization (the Romanian Atomic Forum) and we developed the work "The ability of the Romanian industry to participate in the realization of the unit 3 of Cernavoda CNE with supplies of equipment, materials and services". Ioan Avram He was appointed the president of the Board of Directors, and I was appointed the executive director.In January 2010, the affection had 15 active members and 6 collaborating members and participated in all events in the country to promote nuclear energy. All actions aimed to ensure the conditions that the Romanian profile industry could participate from an advantageous position in the realization of the nuclear project in the country, but also in nuclear projects abroad. I worked with passion within the AFN because my firm belief is that the Romanian industry must have the chance to participate in the realization of the nuclear project so that a significant part of the funds allocated to this objective will directly contribute to the growth of our national economy. At the same time, this participation would be a good opportunity for the Romanian industry to raise its level of technicality, facing the special demands that are required to a nuclear industry.
─ Although in January 2010 you really retired, you are still involved in many activities, obviously related to the nuclear field ...
─ On January 1, 2010 I retired from any normal activity, passing into the true retirement.After January 2010 I continued to participate in the activities organized CNR-CME, Romatom and Aren.As my skill, I participate in the debate of the problems of nuclear energy on the occasion of the actions organized by the entities mentioned above and within the Corler Romania's discussion group on the Social network LinkedIn.Between November 2012-April 2013, I participated in the activities of the ad-hoc work group organized by Romatom to investigate the ability of the Romanian nuclear industry regarding the participation in the project "Completion of units 3 and 4 - Cernavoda CNE ”.The study prepared by this group concluded that the Romanian nuclear industry has the ability to participate with equipment and services representing 40-45% of the total value of the project, identifying in this sense a number of 47 interested economic agents and capable of such participation;Some of them are currently collaborating with world notoriety companies in the manufacture of nuclear components for objectives abroad.Also, I follow with interest to carry out the actions to promote the project "Completion of units 3 & 4 from Cernavoda CNE"
─ in the entire career ofAnd coordinated collaborators of various preparations and ages, and people felt you close and valued you.I think it is diffusion to gain the confidence of people in difficult working and stress conditions, when many unforeseen events appear ...
─ First of all, I sought to be receptive to the personal problems of the collaborators: appropriate home, to the standards of site (!), Services for spouses, school solutions. When you build a group, especially in an insufficiently developed and socially developed environment, you must take into account all aspects of life. Then I sought to participate in the social life of the group.I was working hard, so I could ask a lot to the collaborators.I may have often been wrong, not understanding the tasks to sufficient extent, but I was constantly seeking to highlight the achievements of the collaborators.I was not harsh with those who were wrong, which was not always a quality.
(photo, 2010- Glodeni-R.Moldova, Glodeni, Primary School, Cls.I)
─ You have had many pioneering projects, the nuclear sector itself being a pioneering area in our country.Which of the projects gave you the most fork, which was the most exciting, which you loved the most and why?
─ The basic project of my professional life was the construction of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant where I had from the beginning the responsibility of director of the beneficiary enterprise. He gave me the most fork, it was the most exciting, I loved him the most, because I could not dedicate him 10 years in my life and my family.Why?Because it was a large, complex project that demanded my professional competence to the maximum.To what extent I won the fight between my competence and the complexity of the project is the place of others to evaluate, but also realizing the conditions under which this fight took place.
─ You had a beautiful, heavy, provocative job, with many responsibilities, but with exceptional results in a period of effervescent development of the Romanian economy.How did you manage to form and stimulate young people around you?What should today's managers do for the motivation and loyalty of young employees?
─ The effervescent development of the economy, as you characterize it, was also accompanied by a large hunger for technical and economic frames.As a result, young engineers were immediately entrusted with professional tasks, so that their training was done in the production process.In the first years on the site of Cernavoda I also used the method of delegation for one year, at the thermoelectric power stations, of the young people who are in us, to gain a minimum of experience in the operation of some energy installations. Stimulating young people consisted of confronting them with increasingly complex professional problems and recognizing the results they obtained. Today's managers would tell them to leave the simple idea that young people enter the company represent the future companiesi. If you are concerned about this future, you must also concern the formation of these young people.The method of training and loyalty of young people remains the same from the past: the courageous entrustment of the tasks and responsibilities and the recognition of the performances they demonstrate.Between these two landmarks, the other activities take place: the pursuit of their work, support by counseling and granting training opportunities, rewards.
─ Have you ever felt, in any way the danger of nuclear energy? Where were you, how did you react and what did you feel about producing the Nucler accident at the Chernobyl atomoelectic power station on April 26, 1986, followed by the contamination of the surrounding areas?Was this a real danger to the population but carefully hidden from the communist leadership since then?
─ The first time I lived the feeling of nuclear risk was in 1972. It was during the period when the fight on the technical and political realm of rejection of the Soviet project for the vver-440 reactor, offered for a nuclearo-electric power plant was to be built in Romania.We, those in the management of the beneficiary enterprise of the nuclear power plant had been sent to documentaries to CNE Novovoronej from the USSR.One night, during our visit, we were raised by a terrible noise.Knowing that the nuclear reactors of this power plant were unanswered, in the buzz of waking up I lived the fear of exposure to a nuclear accident to which I was not protected. I told myself then that I would always be with those who were asking for either the Soviet reactor in the solution adopted for Finland, or the renunciation of the respective nuclear power plant as it actually happened.The noise had been due to a strong steam staging following the loss of electrical load, without being accompanied by any problem on the nuclear part of the boiler.When the Cernobâl accident took place, I was on the Cernavoda CNN yard.I found out about the accident two days after its production, when we were contacted by the first secretary of the party county who asked us for the consequences for Constanța county.At that time I did not have the necessary equipment for radioactivity measurements, so we could not answer the question.We also complied with the late protection measures ordered by the authorities (limiting the outdoor exposure especially of the children, the ingestion of potassium iodide pills).No doubt there was a real danger to the population of our country, given the proximity.Our chance consisted of the fact that the cloud of radioactive substances initially took the direction to Belorus and Northero-European countries.AI was in a position to explain for a long time that the reactor who was built in Cernavoda is of a different type than the reactor who had set fire to Chernobyl, that our power station has a protective tire that was missing in Chernobyl.
─ After the Fukushima nuclear reactor's explosion in March 2011, Nuclear energy has lost popularity worldwide.CDo you think it is the future of nuclear energy in the world and in the country?
─ The accident in Fukushima was not caused by an intrinsic phenomenon of nuclear processes or installations, but by an inadequate response to an extreme natural phenomenon (earthquake/tsunami) that exceeded the expectations of those who managed this project.Some weaknesses in the concept of the chain (BWR) which belong to the reactors of this power station have favored the development of the accident, with unexpected social and economic effects (evacuations of populations, leaving extended areas).After overcoming the psychological shock caused by the accident and establishing, with immediate application, the measures that conceptually strengthen nuclear security, nuclear energy resumed its development.The great energy needs in the development of the global economy are huge and humanity resort to all the technologies that can contribute to the correct resolution of the challenges that the "energy trilema" puts.Nuclear energy is one of these technologies.All sources of energy involve a certain level of risk;Important is careful and honest analysis of risks for their reduction as practical as possible.In nuclear energy, these analyzes are practiced not only at the level of technical discipline, but at the science level.Regarding the situation in our country, the post-fukushima analyzes have shown that the adopted reactors chain is safer than the one from the damaged power plant and adaptation to the characteristics of the site through the initial design requirements of the power plant (the seismic degree of calculation, the level of flood risk) correspond to the current requirements.
─ If, hypothetically speaking, a nuclear incident in our country would take place, which should be the first measures taken for the protection of employees and the population from the proximity of CNN Cernavoda?
─ For the incidents in which the emergence of radioactive emissions takes place inside the boiler and, therefore does not affect the population, the protective measures for the employees of the boiler are applied: intervention in special costumes, shelter, evacuation, administration of potassium iodide pills, decontamination.For the incidents in which the emergence of radioactive emissions affects the population, Nuclearelectrica SN together with the Cernavoda City Hall and ISU Constanta have established an emergency plan that very clearly describes how the population should be involved in the different degrees of accident: increased attention, closed enclosure, evacuation, administration of potassium pills.The plan was distributed to all families in the city.At the appearance of an incident in this category, at the nuclear power plant, the assembly of the organizational structure for emergency situations is initiated, during which the Emergency Control Center on the site (CCU) operates, located on the site site but outside the enclosure of the operating units, equipped with highly qualified and trained personnel and the local authoritiesradioactive and atmospheric phenomena (wind direction, rain, snow, etc.) establishes what areas of the city or surroundings are affected the protective measures that are required according to the provisions of the Emergency Plan.
“In order to achieve the reactors 3 and 4, the political will of the state must be ””
─ What are the prospects of realizing the reactors 3 and 4 of the Cernavoda nuclelectric power plant?
─ Such an energy infrastructure project, complex, with a great value and with a significant duration of achievement, can only be initiated if there is the political will of the state.The government must be aware of the necessity of the project and be involved in defining the financing scheme, especially since the partner chosen for this project is a state-owned company with half of the national economy in the public sector.The negotiations seem to enter the deadlock and SNN representatives report in the press that the partner requires too many guarantees. Another aspect that should be considered by the Government, during the negotiations, is to promote the involvement of the national economy in the deliveries of equipment, materials and services for this project, so that its realization has the maximum favorable impact for the internal economic growth, including the creation of jobs..I would suggest that the Government analyze the situation in the UK where the state efficiently supports the application of a large nuclear energy program, has accepted a financing scheme based on the state (taxpayers) participation in the financial risk and monitors the share of the internal economy for each initiated project.
─ If you were to relive one of the most pleasant moments of your life so far, what would that be?
─ From a professional point of view, it was the moment when the Csen management approved my passage from the position of technical director in the General Directorate of Nuclearoelectric Central as director of the beneficiary enterprise for the first nucleoelectric power station in our country (called central I), granting me a policy in white.I considered it then that I obtained a program for my professional activity.I did not suspect that I was going to go, together with the six colleagues with whom I started on the road, a winding route that was to last 18 years, at the end of which I left an enterprise with about 1500 employees and a yard in which 5 Candu units were made between 45% for unit 1 and 10% for the unit.
─ The job and the place where you practiced it, CNN Cernavoda, determined to make major changes in your family life. For 10 years, you brought your wife and three children to Cernavoda, and they had to adapt to the new conditions.In 1989 you returned to Bucharest again.Have you ever regretted these, say "sacrifices" on a personal level?
─ The departure from Bucharest on the site from Cernavoda I did not consider it as a sacrifice made to the profession.It was in the project adopted with the decision to take over the management of the beneficiary enterprise.Both I and my wife had lived our childhood and the beginnings of professions in the province, we were not linked to Bucharest.The three children were young, between 3 and 6 years old and I had all the confidence that we could ensure a normal development in the province.I admit that the stay on the site extended more than I had initially appreciated, lasting 10 years.Personally I assume the activity carried out in Cernavoda, with good and bad as it is said, without connotations of "sacrifices". The children have done all higher education and are at their homes.My son chose to return to Cernavoda and is currently working as a tour of a tour 1. What I regret, is that because I did not receive the approval of my wife's classification at the company I was director, she had to give up the specialization in the design of nuclear installations previously started as an automatic engineer at IRNE and, for a period of time, to work in the field of quality assurance of civil construction and mechanical, electric and automation.But also at her, the passion for "well -done thing" finally faded the idea of "sacrifice".She remained the most related to the places and people with whom we lived in Cernavoda.
"I was an ambitious man and I liked to be on stage"
─ Beyond the exceptional professional who is Dragos Gabor, what is the man Dragos Gabor?What does you like and what do you detest most, how do you overcome hard times, how do you relax?
─ I admit that I was an ambitious man and I liked to be on stage.I detected inactivity, chip, non -serious approach to obligations or tasks.The difficult moments overcome them ... hard, but with the hope that they will pass.It has relaxed and always relaxes my reading, especially in the field of history, as a discipline not as a romantic history and in the field of physics, especially at its contact with cosmogony, but also the reading of quality beletristic.It also relaxes contact with nature, which in youth was translated into the caroling of the mountains.
─ You have been and are still very active, and collaborators, colleagues and friends greatly admire your young spirit and integral carrier and always turn to you for an opinion or specialized advice.What do you love most about people?
─ The ability to give a sincere and strong friendship.Last year I celebrated 70 years of friendship with a colleague with whom we started class III high school, both of whom came to that class, brought by the waves of the war that approached the end.
─ What do you want most in the present?
─ Mostly I want health, so that I can be present in my family widened by three children and four grandchildren and to attend the fascinating show of the world including the development of nuclear energy to which I have dedicated 40 years of my life.
─ Mr. Dragoș Gabor, I thank you for the patience with which you participated in this interview and for the beautiful collaboration we had together for its completion.All your events and stories were so interesting that I seemed to watch a movie of science fiction. There are unrepeatable events, events that must be known, from which each energy, regardless of age, can learn something and even has the duty to learn something.It is said that aamenities are appreciated not by what they started but by what they finished.You have had the satisfaction of starting a great project of strategic national importance and to have seen it completed.What soul gratitude can be greater?To give you God health And many years to be able to attend the fascinating show of our world.
March 9, 2015
