Press
Release

L-3 MAPPS Participates in Opening of Upgraded Heysham 1 Simulator

"EDF Energy and L-3 MAPPS have collaborated on numerous simulator renovation projects for 14 years at four of our UK stations, and in every case, we achieved extraordinary success," said Mark Gorry. "These renovation projects are key to ensuring that our training simulators are best-in-class. The relationship between our two companies is a model for what good customer-supplier relationships and the resulting successes should look like."

"The upgrade to simulate both reactors helps my operators train on all different types of plant operation in a very representative and realistic environment," said Ian Stewart. "I’d like to thank everyone involved in delivering this project, which has been a positive and significant investment in our training facilities."

"This latest Heysham 1 simulator upgrade was rolled out in three phases, each of which was delivered ahead of schedule and on budget," said Michael Chatlani. "The success of this project was largely a result of the open communications between the two project teams and their ability to quickly resolve issues as they arose."

L-3 MAPPS had previously ported the legacy simulator to a Windows platform and replaced the thermal-hydraulic and core neutronics models with L-3’s ANTHEM™ and Comet Plus™. In the first phase of this latest upgrade, L-3’s previous generation of simulation software development and maintenance tools was replaced with a subset of L-3’s Orchid® products, including the Orchid Simulator Executive, Orchid Configuration Manager, Orchid Instructor Station, Orchid Network Loader, Orchid Modeling Environment and Orchid Graphic Editor. This phase was declared ‘Ready For Training’ (RFT) in January 2013.

In the second phase, the simulator’s legacy balance of plant and electrical system models were replaced with higher-fidelity models developed with Orchid Modeling Environment. Phase 2 was RFT in February 2014.

The third phase involved expanding the legacy simulator to incorporate both Reactor 1 and Reactor 2 control desks, resulting in a fully integrated dual-unit control room simulation environment. The plant models were modified to support both operator desks and related common services. Phase 3 was RFT in October 2014.

EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies and its largest producer of low-carbon electricity. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest energy groups. EDF Energy generates approximately one-fifth of the UK’s electricity and employs around 15,000 people. The Heysham 1 Power Station started generation in July 1983 and is made up of two Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs) with electrical output of 1,160 megawatts. The Heysham 1 plant and simulator are located on the northwest coast of England. AGRs are unique to the UK.

L-3 MAPPS has over 30 years of experience in pioneering technological advances in the marine automation field and over 40 years of experience in delivering high-fidelity power plant simulation to leading utilities worldwide. In addition, the company has more than four 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. To learn more about L-3 MAPPS, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3com.com/MAPPS.

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately 48,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in aerospace systems and national security solutions. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of communication and electronic systems and products used on military and commercial platforms. The company reported 2013 (revised) sales of $12.6 billion. To learn more about L-3, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3com.com.