SAINT-LAURENT, Quebec, Canada, September 8, 2006 - L-3 Communications MAPPS, a wholly owned subsidiary of L-3 Communications, today signed an accord with the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) declaring that the Fort Calhoun Simulator Refurbishment (FCSR) project has resulted in the revamped simulator being ready for training (RFT). The new simulator has been in service since March 2006.
The FCSR project is the largest nuclear power plant simulator replacement effort ordered and completed in the last ten years. With the exception of the Fort Calhoun simulator’s main control room operator panels, the FCSR project involved replacing all parts of the original simulator. In addition to replacing the simulator’s input/output system, cabling and computer systems, the refurbished simulator includes L-3 MAPPS’ advanced thermal-hydraulic, reactor, balance of plant, electrical systems and instrumentation and control models.
The majority of the new models were developed using L-3 MAPPS’ ROSE® simulation software environment, widely recognized as the industry’s most advanced. The reactor model was generated with L-3 MAPPS’ ChorusTM reactor model generation and update facility. The simulator is controlled and operated with L-3 MAPPS’ Isis™ instructor station, incorporating numerous advances in instructor station design, including some of the new advanced functions specified by OPPD on the FCSR project.
To celebrate the key RFT milestone, the two companies met at L-3 MAPPS’ Saint-Laurent (Montreal) headquarters on September 8, 2006, with OPPD’s delegation headed by Ross Ridenoure, Chief Nuclear Officer & Vice President-Nuclear and L-3 MAPPS’ project team members led by Shankar Udupa, Vice President, Engineering & Operations.
"As Fort Calhoun undergoes several major projects to extend the useful life of the plant, it is gratifying to witness the strong results achieved by L-3 MAPPS together with OPPD’s team on the simulator refurbishment project," said Ross Ridenoure. "Despite the numerous challenges and technical firsts involved in the project, the two teams remained steadfast and got the job done."
"The Fort Calhoun Simulator Refurbishment project is the most recent full nuclear plant simulator replacement effort delivered, involving a multitude of modern simulation technologies," said Shankar Udupa. "L-3 MAPPS considers it a flagship simulator and appreciates OPPD’s diligence and cooperation in working with us to deliver the most advanced simulator on the market today."
The Omaha Public Power District is one of the largest publicly owned electric utilities in the United States, serving more than 310,000 customers in 13 southeast Nebraska counties. OPPD has an efficient generation mix of 46.4 percent coal, 18.8 percent nuclear power and 34.7 percent oil and natural gas, with 0.1 percent landfill-gas and wind. Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Station is made up of a single Combustion Engineering pressurized water reactor unit rated at 476 MWe, which has been on-line since August 9, 1973. Fort Calhoun’s operating license has been renewed for 20 years - until 2033.
L-3 MAPPS has over 20 years of experience in pioneering technological advances in the marine automation field and over 30 years of experience in delivering high-fidelity power plant simulation to leading utilities worldwide. In addition, the company has more than three decades of expertise in supplying plant computer systems for Canadian heavy water reactors. L-3 MAPPS also provides targeted controls and simulation solutions to the space sector.