EPRI training to support digital upgrades in nuclear plants
- Electric Power Research Inst., 3420 Hillview Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304 (United States)
In response to the growing challenges of obsolescence and rising maintenance costs, utilities are increasingly upgrading or replacing their existing instrumentation and control (I and C) systems and components. In most cases, this involves analog-to-digital or digital-to-newer-digital replacements. However, the use of digital technology often raises new technical and licensing issues, particularly for safety-related applications. Examples include: new failure modes and the potential for common-mode failure of redundant components; electromagnetic compatibility (EMC); potential human-system interface problems; and software verification, validation, and configuration management. Successful implementation, operation and maintenance of digital systems depend to a great extent on having processes in place that are tailored for digital technology. Nuclear plants are therefore updating their processes as they start the migration to digital I and C. For several years, EPRI has been developing guidelines to address the key technical issues and interfacing with the U.S. NRC to ensure the acceptability of the approaches developed. A framework for implementing digital upgrades now exists, but practical experience under the current regulatory environment is sparse. Significant uncertainty exists in regard to both technical and licensing issues. Many utilities still need to prepare their staff and processes to properly handle the new technology. In recent years, this need has been exacerbated by staff reductions, changing job assignments, and declining training budgets. EPRI has responded by developing a training program to help utilities efficiently bring design and licensing engineers up to speed on the latest issues and guidance affecting the implementation of digital upgrades in nuclear plants. This paper describes the key technical issues in the context of the EPRI training program. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22030170
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: NPIC and HMIT 2006: 5. International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation Controls, and Human Machine Interface Technology, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 12-16 Nov 2006; Other Information: Country of input: France; 11 refs.; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 5. International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation Controls, and Human Machine Interface Technology| 1430 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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