Framatome and BHI Energy selected to provide critical safety instrumentation and control system at US nuclear plant

January 18, 2021 – Framatome and BHI Energy have been selected to provide a 1E safety instrumentation and control (I&C) upgrade solution for a nuclear plant in the U.S. This project is an essential step nuclear power plants take to safely extend their operational lifetime. Long-term operations of U.S. nuclear plants play a significant role in reaching carbon emission reduction goals for the energy sector.

Framatome will lead the project with installation support from partner, BHI Energy. The upgrade is an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract that includes Framatome’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission-qualified 1E Tricon system, overall project management, design engineering, procurement, assembly, design change packages, system configuration, construction and testing. It also includes cybersecurity solutions provided by Framatome subsidiary, FoxGuard Solutions. Work is expected to begin in 2021 and take approximately two years to complete.

“This I&C modernization demonstrates our customer’s confidence in their plant’s long-term operations, and Framatome’s ability to help them achieve it,” said Frédéric Lelièvre, senior executive vice president of Sales, Regional Platforms and the I&C Business Unit at Framatome. “Working with our partners at BHI Energy, we’re delivering a completely integrated project that encompasses our latest I&C products, engineering and cybersecurity expertise with their industry-leading maintenance, modification and specialty service solutions.”

“BHI Energy is excited to team with Framatome to provide this digital upgrade and be part of a project that will increase our customer’s plant reliability and support site life extension of carbon free generation,” said Mark Chokran, Vice President of Operations at BHI Energy.

The I&C system is part of the plant’s central nervous system. It provides operators with critical information on plant operation, allows them to control various plant safety systems during routine operations, and automatically protects the reactor if needed. The 1E safety classification references the specific systems that are essential to critical reactor response and performance. Engineering and operator training is performed on simulators that model plant conditions and scenarios resulting in enhanced overall safety and increased reliable operations.