102
Product & Service Directory–2014
applications will be explored, and a
section of dew-point cooling tower fill
engineered to provide 0.1 MWof cooling
will undergo testingat an industry-certified
laboratory in St-Petersburg, Russia.
Continuingpower plant integrationstudies
will quantify water savings and compare
cost and performance with conventional
cooling systems across a range of ambient
conditions. Also, several new projects
are expected to begin through the joint
EPRI-NSF solicitation, engaging some
of the world’s leading researchers in the
development of hybrid and dry cooling
innovations for power plant applications.
Contact: JessicaShi, telephone: (650)
855-8516, email:
.
Cyber Security
By applying the EPRI methodology
on cyber security procurement for I&C
systems, nuclear plants can reduce the
number of cyber controls, improve system
dependability, and free up resources to
address other technical issues.
A variety of cyber security experts,
procurement organizations, and instru-
mentation and control (I&C) engineers
must work hand-in-hand with vendors to
specify, implement and maintain cyber
security controls for new I&C systems.
Improper or incomplete requirements,
along with vague division of responsi-
bilities between the utility and vendor,
can result in unnecessary cyber security
controls or incomplete vendor responses
that lead to costly backfits.
To address this issue, EPRI has
developed a cross-sector cyber security
procurementmethodology,
CyberSecurity
Procurement Methodology
, 1025824.
While the research determined that
a generic procurement specification
was not feasible for the multitude of
existing equipment types, vendors, and
applications, EPRI was able to develop a
methodology todetermine the appropriate
cyber securityrequirements for aparticular
piece of equipment and application.
EPRI is now applying the methodol-
ogy to several utility examples. The first
example involves a single-loop control-
ler (SLC) installed in a nuclear power
plant control room, along with the tool
software used to configure the controller
(
Cyber Security Procurement—Applica-
tion of the Methodology. First Example:
SingleLoopController
, 3002001735).The
methodology helped focus efforts related
to the specification development: of the
145 regulator-mandated cyber security
controls that an engineer could apply,
only 35 were applicable to the controller,
and only 65 to the tool software. Reduc-
ing the number of cyber controls frees up
resources to address other technical issues
and improve system dependability.
In addition, themethodology enabled
the specifications for the applicable
cyber security controls to be tailored to
the specific use case and data flow for
the procurement, allowing the vendor
to provide a more meaningful and
complete response. Exampleprocurement
specification language is included in the
example. The example also provided
simulated vendor responses, including
several responses where the vendor
was unable to comply with parts of the
specification, and how a utility might
address these concerns.
The next two examples will be a
feedpum
control and a
digital feedwater control system.All three
examples, plus an updated version of the
cyber securityprocurementmethodology,
will be published by December 2013. A
computer based training module will be
available in early 2014. In 2014, EPRI
also will work with utilities and vendors
to apply the methodology to commonly
procured items.
Contact: Robert Austin, telephone:
Electronic Work
Packages
EPRI is workingwith several nuclear
plant owners to define the technical and
implementation details that would enable
effective use of electronic work packages
to streamline work management and
reduce human errors.
Competitive pressures are driving
nuclear plant owners to evaluate new
technologies and techniques that can
optimize operations andmaintenance and
help keep electricity production costs as
low as possible. One viable solution that
is gaining momentum is the replacement
of paper-based work packages with
electronic work packages (eWP). EPRI is
supporting industry efforts to assess the
viability of such tools and the technical
barriers that might constrain their use.
Electronic work packages offer
two distinct advantages: (1) increased
productivity by streamlining the work
management process, and (2) reduced
human error via incorporation of
technology into work execution. Mobile
deviceuseinthefieldwouldenableworkers
to have standard work package contents
available at the push of a button; and if
wi-fi is available, additional reference
materials could be accessed on demand to
ensure successful task completion while
providing real-time status updates.
EPRI is working with several
utilities – including Exelon, FirstEnergy,
and Southern Company – that have
either committed to eWPs or are in
initial investigation stages. Monthly
teleconferences facilitated by EPRI
enable participants to share information
and address common concerns. EPRI has
compiled information from these forums,
alongwith information fromplannedpilot
eWP applications, into a technical update,
Improving theExecutionandProductivity
of Maintenance with Electronic Work
Packages
, 3002000597. The report serves
as a guideline for eWP implementation,
and a revision in 2014 is likely as more
plants gain experience with eWP.
Exelon is furthest along in the move
to eWPs, having completed Phase 1, and
recently initiated Phase 2. In Phase 2,
Exelonwill beworkingon the eWPdesign
interface to assist craft workers in the field
and to facilitate interactions with plant
information systems. Exelon has selected
the Clinton Station as the host for its pilot
eWP implementation in 2014.
FirstEnergy and Southern Company
are closely following Exelon’s efforts.
They are both in Phase 1, which
includes project scoping, requirements
development, and formation of a core
project team to begin discussions with
vendors for a potential solution.
Contact: Nick Camilli, telephone:
Source: Electric Power Research
Institute’s (EPRI) Nuclear Executive
Update, November, 2013.
Research &
Development..
