EDF chooses Atos Origin for maintenance and upgrade of its nuclear simulators

Atos Origin, a 30-year partner in the French electronuclear programme, has won the contract for the maintenance in operational conditions of EDF’s nuclear simulators. This latest success strengthens Atos Origin’s position as one of the leading companies in smart energy management: Atos Origin is one of the main suppliers of IT systems components for French power stations (900 MW to 1500 MW). The contract held by Atos Origin was won in partnership with Corys TESS (digital models) and Assystem (hardware) and represents more than 20 million Euros over 8 years.

This contract, the largest ever raised for the maintenance of its simulators, is intended to guarantee the reliability and the fidelity of all of the 50 or so systems that EDF has distributed throughout France. The ”full-size” simulators can reproduce the exact environment of the control room and are used to deliver staff licence to control nuclear power plant according to security regulations. EDF has one simulator model for each type of reactor (from 900 MW to 1500 MW). A training centre on each site equipped with a full-size simulator provides training as close as possible to operations.

At a time when demand for energy is growing, this very high added-value contract will also bring more green and energy-saving growth: training on a simulator enables operators to improve their control skills and procedures knowledge. This helps optimize the operation of nuclear power plant, thus controlling effluent waste.

“Atos Origin has been supporting us for these last thirty years in the implementation of digital technologies to optimize the performance and operating safety of our nuclear installations. With this new contract, we are counting on Atos Origin to ensure that, for their entire life span, the simulators will continue to be representative of their actual nuclear plant reference and also to guarantee the best possible availability of simulation tools, improving the instruction of operators in all French nuclear power stations and making it more reliable” explains Yves Manelli, Head of the Industrial IT Department at EDF CIPN (Nuclear Engineering Division).

“We are proud to be continuing our close collaboration with EDF in responding to the development of their nuclear plants. It is many years since Atos Origin first established its relationship of trust with EDF, as a supplier of critical systems for all its nuclear plant unit. Atos Origin has been involved in the development of all of the simulator prototypes up to full scope simulator with real control room. The experience gained to date has enabled us to master the processes and perfect our functional knowledge of the nuclear industry, the maintenance of nuclear power plants and their simulators.” says Jérôme de Parscau, Director the Energy & Utilities Division, Atos Origin France.

Atos Origin is in the process of creating Atos WorldGrid, an international subsidiary dedicated to the intelligent energy management market (Smart Energy). By bringing together all of the technological solutions connected with the intelligent production, transport, distribution and marketing of energy, Atos Worldgrid will be able to deliver turnkey solutions – software, hardware and networks – and will ensure their integration in the clients’ information systems in order to optimize the various operating processes.