10-year nuclear power plant automation agreement

The Emerson Ovation expert system will provide information and control for daily operation of Westinghouse-designed nuclear power plants over the next 10 years

Westinghouse Electric and Emerson Process Management have announced a 10-year extension to an existing agreement in which Emerson will provide key technology for automation of nuclear power plants that utilise the important Westinghouse AP1000 design.

The AP1000 is the only Generation III+ design for nuclear power plants to have received design certification from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Westinghouse will use the Emerson Ovation expert control and information system designed specifically to automate power generation.

The Ovation system, a key component of Emerson PlantWeb digital plant architecture, will control power generation processes, provide operations and maintenance interface, and collect and distribute plant-wide information for process and power generation management.

"This agreement, which is timely in light of the resurgence of nuclear power, ensures that existing and future Westinghouse customers can rely on Emerson Ovation technology for efficient and reliable control of the daily operations of these nuclear facilities," said John Berra, president of Emerson Process Management, whose Power and Water Solutions division reached the agreement.

Four Westinghouse AP1000 design plants have been contracted for construction in China.

The AP1000 design has been selected as the basis for 12 advanced nuclear plants that could be built in the United States over the next 10 to 12 years.

Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants, including 60 percent of those in the United States.

The agreement also selects Emerson for the modernisation of the existing facilities.

Emerson and Westinghouse share a strong history, having worked together in addressing the needs of the nuclear market since the Emerson acquisition of the Westinghouse non-nuclear I+C business in 1998.

"This agreement continues the partnership Westinghouse and Emerson established in 1998," said Michele M DeWitt, vice president of the Westinghouse Electric Company Repair, Replacement and Automation Services, who points out that Emerson Ovation or WDPF control systems - or Westinghouse previous-generation systems such as the 7300 analogue control system - already exist in virtually all Westinghouse-built Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs).

"We look forward to continuing this relationship - a relationship that in addition to being mutually beneficial to our respective institutions and stakeholders, also offers tremendous value to our customers," she concluded.

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