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Bruce Power selects SmartSignal to monitor nuclear plant

06/30/2009

LISLE, Ill. —SmartSignal Corporation has announced that it has been selected by Bruce Power to install its predictive-analytic software at the Bruce facility in Ontario, Canada.
 
The software will be used at the Bruce A and B generating stations, which each house four CANDU reactors and constitute approximately 6200 MW total generation capacity. The project scope includes licensing with full implementation, in addition to long-term maintenance and monitoring services through SmartSignal’s Availability and Performance Center.
 
The project will be implemented in three phases.  In phase one, to be delivered by mid- 2009, Bruce Power will deploy a SmartSignal solution through a pilot of six key systems in six of the operating units – this will allow the Performance Engineering group to view trending information of how these six key systems are performing. In phase two, by fall of 2009, Bruce Power will implement the SmartSignal predictive-analytic solution in all the key systems and components of the six operating units – a solution that will automatically collect and analyze process data for their Performance Engineering Group to provide early warning trending information of potential equipment failure. Finally, in phase three, the SmartSignal EPI Center solution will be implemented across Bruce’s two remaining nuclear units, currently being refurbished and projected to restart in 2010.
 
According to SmartSignal CEO Jim Gagnard, “Bruce Power did an exhaustive search of the market and a comprehensive review of capabilities before choosing SmartSignal to provide predictive analytics for all their nuclear plants. We’re pleased to be working with Bruce Power, and we look forward to a long and productive relationship of keeping their nuclear facilities safe and productive.”

According to Bruce Power’s project director, Mel Poy, the objective of the selected predictive-analytic solution from SmartSignal is to optimize performance and improve equipment health through Bruce Power’s ECPM (equipment condition and performance monitoring) project. This project is part of a company strategy sponsored by the executive team and key engineering and operations senior managers to ensure that Bruce Power has world-class processes and systems in place to support the effective operations of the eight units on site. SmartSignal was selected as one of the key foundation elements of the company’s equipment reliability strategy.
 
Bruce Power is Canada’s first private nuclear generating company and a partnership among Cameco Corporation, TransCanada Corporation, BPC Generating Infrastructure Trust, a trust established by the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, the Power Workers’ Union and the Society of Energy Professionals. With eight reactor units, its current Ontario facility is the largest nuclear generating facility in North America and the second largest in the world.