New control room training simulator ready for next phase of Life-Extension Program at Bruce Power

Bruce Power is celebrating the completion of a new, innovative reactor training simulator which will be used to train and test certified operators for the important work they will do to extend the life of the site to 2064. This simulator complements the existing simulators at site and uses state-of-the-art software modelling and analytical-based computer codes.

Bruce Power staff:(L) Byron House, Division Manager, Training; Simulator Support team members Brent Williams, Robert McCourt, Tim Church, Ryan Eagen, Katrina Wilken and Farhad Farhadi; President and CEO Mike Rencheck; Simulator Support team members Matt Leyden, Rob Brunato and Liam Clubbe, and Cynthia Mercanti, Section Manager, Simulator Support, Training. Missing from the photo are Simulator Support team members Jeremy Nowack, Cuong Nguyen, Lysander Judd, Tony Arbour, Dan Madill, Graham Veitch, Kal Rizk and John Gee (for larger view, Click on Image)

Visually, the facility is an exact replica of the Units 7 and 0 control rooms, with the project being completed nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. Work got underway in 2016 and included the construction of a new building, computational and analytical software packages and models, and control room replication. The project was carried out by the Bruce Power Simulator Support team, with support from a number of vendor companies.

The new simulator applies modern technology and innovations, many of which were developed by Bruce Power teams for infrastructure and modeling, that is reliable, and easy to use and maintain.

β€œThis is another tremendous example of the innovation our people bring to work each and every day,” said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power President and CEO. β€œIt’s this sort of ingenuity and creativity that will ensure we continue to be successful, and ensure our staff receive the best training to prepare them for the roles.”

The simulator is housed in a 7,000-square-foot addition to the existing Bruce Learning Centre and the construction was completed in less than a year. Training on the Unit 7/0 simulator began on January 6, and has since been running daily.

β€œWe are going to be here until 2064 training generations of new operators,” said Rencheck. β€œWe are going to get a lot of use out of this over the years.”

About Bruce Power

Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.