The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) believes that digital transformation is the future of their asset management. It aims to generate savings of up to £ 150 million per year through efficient data and information management. Posted by Sean Butler
As part of a four-year framework agreement, Jacobs is supporting the British Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and its operating companies with asset management, including new digital ways of working.
Jacobs and its subcontractor PA Consulting provide this support by reviewing the current situation and developing a comprehensive strategy to achieve best practices for continuous asset management improvement across the NDA group.
Digital performance across the entire plant lifecycle can be improved through the use of integrated systems supported by technical standards and processes that connect people to data and information across the NDA group.
Sustainable management of the Group’s assets involves a balance between cost, risk and performance and aligning asset management activities with the Group’s vision and values. The NDA wants to ensure that it delivers “holistic” value through efficient plant performance and improved process productivity, and it wants to bring its plant information management up to modern standards.
The NDA is responsible for the decommissioning of 17 nuclear plants in England, Wales and Scotland, some of which date back to the 1940s. These include Sellafield (Europe’s most complex nuclear facility), the first (Magnox) generation of nuclear power plants, the UK repository for low-level waste in West Cumbria, the Dounreay rapid reactor research facility in Scotland and other research and fuel facilities.
Jacobs and PA Consulting are already working with Sellafield Ltd to introduce digital decision aids to optimize the reliability and availability of critical assets such as utilities, cranes and batteries. To do this, sensors must be installed on the devices in order to record data. A digital twin is then created that generates information to improve decision making. The devices can then be managed more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Working digitally is a key factor for effective asset management. It requires asset information and data that are high quality, consistent, and reliable. How this information is used is key to improving decision making and asset optimization.
The implementation of the strategy also requires close cooperation, commitment, support and input from the operating companies and their employees – including subject matter experts as well as maintenance and engineering teams. We have brought in wealth management specialists with a proven track record in other regulated industries to assist.
The geographical distribution of the NDA estate, the age and diversity of the locations and the demographic profile of the workforce pose some challenges for the creation of a standardized asset management process based on digital skills. However, the NDA is very enthusiastic about the possibilities of using digital asset management, which enable better use of data and information management.
The main goals identified by Jacobs are:
- Reduce total cost of ownership through better asset maintenance and capital intervention decisions;
- Reduce operational expenses by improving operational efficiency and effectiveness;
- Improve safety during critical inspection and maintenance activities;
- Reduce the time it takes to get those results to life with better documented prioritization of effort and budget, and an agile, innovative approach to change implementation.
Jacobs and PA Consulting worked with the NDA team of experts to create guides for the Engineering Manual and Strategic Asset Management Plan. It also peer-reviewed the NDA’s key performance indicators for maintenance and a review that highlighted the tremendous opportunity to realize benefits from delivering technology and innovation.
A best practice model for the future management, maintenance and operation of a particular class of crane has also been developed, using digital twin technology for condition-based monitoring. This has been geared towards a test case to provide proven O&M functionality that can be used for all similar crane systems throughout the NDA property.
These are examples of the first steps in a year-long transformation program. Reshaping the NDA inventory is more challenging, however, as it spans multiple organizations, each with their own internal governance, processes and standards, often with marked differences between and within each operating company. Jacobs and PA are working with the NDA to improve the consistency and efficiency of asset management within the NDA group without affecting the NDA’s decommissioning mission.
About the author
Sean Butler is an operational business manager at Jacobs. He manages the NDA Asset Management Framework
Sean Butler is the operational business manager at Jacobs. He manages the NDA Asset Management Framework
Digital-based asset management systems have been introduced at Sellafield (Photo credit: NDA)
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