Gafcon Digital Serves as a Principal Investigator for EPRI Technical Report on Digital Twin Applications for Advanced Reactors
Groundbreaking research investigates how digital twins can improve the lifecycle of the next generation of nuclear power plants
San Diego, CA – October 20, 2022 – Gafcon Digital today announced that its groundbreaking research with EPRI, has resulted in a Technical Report titled “Program on Technology Innovation: Digital Twin Applications for Advanced Reactors.” This report investigates how digital twin technologies can help reduce the cost of capital and operations and maintenance (O&M) costs while focusing specifically on applications pertinent to the next generation of advanced reactors (ARs). It also explores potential benefits, challenges, capabilities, and use cases of digital twins across the nuclear power plant lifecycle.
“To ensure successful deployment and operation of new nuclear power plants (NPPs), the U.S. nuclear industry must develop solutions to reduce the cost of capital and O&M costs. Digital twin technology has been identified as a key opportunity for significant savings and this report further explores the applications and sets the stage for the next generation of advanced reactors,” said EPRI Project Manager Hasan Chakras. “This report is the joint effort of a team of industry experts who contributed to this important research.”
“Advanced reactors present a unique opportunity to reap the potential benefits of digital twins because they are still under development and can incorporate digital twins early in the design phase. Early adoption could maximize cost savings over the course of a plant’s life,” said Gafcon Digital Vice President Brett Moushon and one of the principal investigators for this report. “Moreover, regulatory frameworks for advanced reactors are still under development and could evolve to facilitate the adoption of digital twin technologies in advanced reactor designs.”
The report explores potential benefits, challenges, capabilities, and use cases of digital twins across the advanced reactor lifecycle and aims to make progress on the following key issues related to digital twin adoption:
Lack of a common conceptual framework and standardized procedures for digital twin development
Scarcity of successful, nuclear-specific DT demonstrations and business cases
Uncertainties in regulatory impacts and readiness of enabling technologies
Inertia in conventional business practices and workflows that might inhibit key features of digital twins, such as integration across technical disciplines, data-sharing among various stakeholders, and digitalization of workflows
EPRI’s Digital Twin (DT) research is managed through the Advanced Nuclear Technology program, whose mission is to reduce the risk and uncertainty of constructing and operating new nuclear power plants. The project that is the subject of this report aims to make progress, offer insights into each of the preceding issues, and propose opportunities and priorities for future research.
Founded in 1972, EPRI is the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, collaborating with more than 450 companies in 45 countries to drive innovation to ensure the public has clean, safe, reliable, affordable, and equitable access to electricity across the globe.
Gafcon Digital is the world’s leading software-agnostic systems integrator for building owners. It works exclusively with change agents looking to transform their real estate portfolios through digital transformation. With foundational leadership in design, construction, and digital twin technology, and hands-on project management and construction management experience, Gafcon Digital has the knowledge to successfully integrate the many disciplinary components required to deliver the benefits of digitalization from planning through construction and operation.