Integrated control center concepts for CANDU power plants

The size and complexity of nuclear power plants has increased significantly in the last 20 years. There is general agreement that plant safety and power production can be enhanced if more operational support can be provided without overloading the operator with unnecessary information. Recent advances in computer technology provide opportunities for implementing operator support systems that are significantly different from the ones based on the more conventional technologies used in plant control rooms. In particular, artificial intelligence and related technologies will play a major role in the development of innovative methods for information processing and presentation. These technologies must be integrated into the overall management and control philosophy of the plant and not be treated as vehicles to implement point solutions. The underlying philosophy behind the authors' approach is discussed in this paper