February 1, 2012

Comprehensive Asset Management for Nuclear Plant

By Jason Makansi, Pearl Street Inc. and Timothy Hurst, Hurst Technologies Inc.

Relevant Industry Models

Because the next generation of U.S. nuclear unit projects are only now moving forward into the design and project management stage (from generic design and NRC approval stages), the concept of designing a suitable asset management system is only now being considered. Here are some important industry standards that staff should factor into the asset management strategy.

INPO AP 913, Equipment Reliability Standard. This standard is undoubtedly familiar to U.S. nuclear owner/operators. Although it certainly could be considered the foundation for a nuclear asset management program, today it is likely only a piece of a more sophisticated approach. Of critical note, though, is AP913, Appendix G, “Considerations for Building Equipment Reliability.” At a minimum, the design of the asset management system—the hardware, software, and digital elements—should be shaped to meet these requirements, to automate those aspects that are repetitive (such as acceptance checks), and to include new technologies for condition monitoring and other functions.

Standard Nuclear Performance Model. The Standard Nuclear Performance Model latest revision 2007 (developed by the INPO, NEI, and EUCG), identifies core processes, such as plant operation, work management, supply chain, equipment reliability, and configuration management, and then enabling processes, information technology, information management, human resources, business services/asset management, training, loss prevention, and support services.

PAS 55 Asset Management Standard. This relatively recent standard has been developed and promoted by UK companies (with compliance by utility companies mandatory). It appears to be gaining some traction in Europe, but there’s less awareness of it in the U.S. Asset management is defined in this standard as “systematic and coordinated activities and practices through which an organization optimally manages its assets and its asset systems, their associated performance, risks and expenditures over their life cycles, for the purposes of achieving its organizational strategic plan.” Interestingly, this standard recommends creating a chief asset officer in the company executive suite (see sidebar).

IAEA-TECDOC-1305, Life Cycle Management. Though this document addresses many of the issues embodied by asset management systems, it appears to be too general and too old (issued in 2002, although there may be revisions) to be of use for today’s nuclear plants.

Putting It All Together

Although at the plant level, a condition-monitoring system might be considered “asset management,” a comprehensive strategy has to go further and deeper. An asset management strategy should also go beyond the plant boundaries. Owner/operators with large fleets of power plant assets have moved to a centralized fleet monitoring facility, where engineering and technical expertise is shared among many assets. The asset management strategy needs to consider which functions will be distributed at the plants and which will be handled centrally.

This article is based on a technical paper presented at the 2011 ISA Power Industry Symposium and is available at the POWID website.

—Jason Makansi (jmakansi@pearlstreetinc.com) is president of Pearl Street Inc. Timothy Hurst (timh@hursttech.com) is president of Hurst Technologies Inc.