China General Nuclear (CGN) and Ultra Electronics Nuclear Control Systems, agreed to enhance their cooperation in the development of high-integrity instrumentation and control (I&C) systems and sensors for nuclear power plants worldwide.
The companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 28 February during the Civil Nuclear Showcase, hosted by the UK’s Department for International Trade, in London. The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from the UK government and senior management from both companies.
Ultra Electronics representatives indicated the MOU covers collaboration on next generation I&C systems including reactor protection and control. The agreement lets collaboration in areas such as engineering support, localized manufacture and testing, through-life support, safety systems and sensors, and lifetime plant performance monitoring.
Last July, CGN announced that the FirmSys digital I&C system developed by its Beijing CTEC System Engineering Co Ltd subsidiary passed an independent review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The IAEA team concluded that FirmSys meets the agency’s safety standard requirements.
CGN describes the FirmSys system as the “nerve centre” of a nuclear power plant, capable of controlling more than 260 plant systems running nearly 10,000 pieces of equipment and process conditions.
