Framatome said it has been awarded a contract to upgrade several digital control systems at Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station. The scope of the project includes system design, engineering, manufacturing, testing and installation for new digital feedwater level control and feedwater heater vents and drains systems. The upgrades announced December 4 are part of Energy Northwest’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the supply of affordable, reliable and responsible energy for their customers.
“This project reflects a growing partnership with Energy Northwest and our shared commitment to advancing safe, reliable nuclear energy for the Pacific Northwest region,” said Tony Robinson, president and CEO of Framatome in North America. “By integrating Framatome’s advanced digital controls, the Columbia Generating Station will be modernizing essential systems that help ensure long-term plant performance and deliver the clean, dependable power that communities across the Northwest rely on every day.”
Framatome’s solution is based on the commercial digital control Tricon platform, part of the plant’s instrumentation and control (I&C) system. The I&C system acts like the plant’s central nervous system, providing operators with critical information on plant operation, allowing them to control various plant safety systems during routine operations, and automatically protecting the reactor if needed.
The upgraded systems provide a robust and reliable digital control platform, enabling improved operator insight and situational awareness, while reducing lifecycle maintenance costs and supporting the long-term operation of the plant.
System development, manufacturing and assembly will take place at the company’s Centers for Operational Excellence in Mansfield, Massachusetts, and Lynchburg, Virginia.
Columbia Generating Station, located 10 miles north of Richland, Washington, is the Northwest’s only nuclear power plant and plays a vital role in providing clean and reliable energy to the region.
—Framatome contributed this content.
