First phase of I&C Modernization contract implemented at Farley nuclear plant
The Challenge
After experiencing field issues and logic limitations in their original Digital Rod Position Indication (DRPI) display, Southern Nuclear Operating Company identified the need for an upgraded system that enhanced. They engaged Westinghouse to help improve plant safety and reliability to ultimately reduce their schedule impacts and maintenance costs.
Our Solution
Southern signed a contract with Westinghouse for the implementation of our DRPI Advanced Display Systems (DADS). The Westinghouse DRPI system has been the backbone architecture of the plant for more than 40 years. Recent advancements in technology have resulted in advanced diagnostic/maintenance utilities, outage tools, system error detection/logging, and shorter addressing cycles with the data cabinets. DADS provides these features and functional redundancy while keeping with the fit and function of the earlier design, minimizing schedule impact.
The contract includes upgrades to all four of the existing DRPI and plant computer systems – one at each unit – as well as the four main control room simulators. These upgrades will mark a first-of-its-kind implementation of Westinghouse’s DADS system at U.S. nuclear plants.
The installations are to be implemented at both the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant and the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, with the first installation recently completed during Farley’s Unit 1’s spring outage. The product design and installation was performed by Westinghouse experts in the Engineered Systems and Solutions and Outage Maintenance and Services organizations, as well as our Plant Auto and Monitoring Systems team based in Huntsville, Alabama. Leveraging decades of I&C experience with newly acquired capabilities from the purchase of Rolls-Royce’s Civil Nuclear Systems and Services, our teams were able to maximize the benefits of the DADS solution.
The Impact
DADS mitigated the previous indication issues through advanced algorithms that allowed re-flashing, blackout annunciation board and mitigation of tech spec violations. Additionally, because Westinghouse’s DADS solution maintains the fit and function of the previous design, the installation at Farley’s first unit was completed in only 12 hours. Once installed, the Farley system engineer was able to use DADS data logging to identify the field issue in minutes which previously would have taken multiple shifts.
Key Statistics
- Installed in 12 hours, reducing critical path time
- Rapid identification of field issue in minutes
- Minimized dose by eliminating the need for personnel support
