The nuclear power plants designed and constructed under the regime of the former Soviet Union are an essential source of power within both the Russian Federation and the emergent democratic countries of central and eastern Europe. The beginning of ＇glasnost＇ opened up pathways to allow practical measures to be ta ken to enhance the safety standards of Soviet designed reactors. Ensuring that these reactors are operated or dismantled to meet accepted safety sta nda rds for nuclear technology is both a challenging task for these countries and for the expert assistance being made available from western countries.