Duke Energy One and L3Harris have partnered to offer an unprecedented joint solution to improve nuclear plant operations and maintenance, which will provide complete 3D simulations of operating nuclear facilities. Nuclear energy is imperative for individuals, companies, and communities around the globe. The good news is that the nuclear industry is beginning to accept virtual reality technology to train nuclear operators while optimizing site operations, improving safety, and reducing costs. Duke Energy and L3Harris are offering the industry a suite of tools to lead the way with better planning, safety, and cost efficiency.
Enhancing Nuclear Training with Virtual Reality Simulations
Duke Energy is leveraging cutting-edge Virtual Reality (VR) technology to revolutionize training and planning for nuclear operators. Lon Huber, senior vice president of pricing and customer solutions at Duke Energy, emphasized the impact of these innovations, stating, “This suite of tools can build customized virtual spaces that mimic actual nuclear facilities—giving nuclear operators access to lifelike layouts and making it easier and faster to develop plans for ensuring continued safe, reliable, efficient, and cost-effective operations,” said Lon Huber, senior vice president, pricing and customer solutions at Duke Energy.
Realistic 3D environments can be created through virtual reality, which simulates nuclear power plants from the inside and makes it possible to train operators. In this environment, nuclear operators can practice onsite activities through virtual interaction with control panels, equipment, systems, and fuel. The environments created through virtual reality are incredibly realistic, and trainees get an immersive experience, which aids them in learning to respond accurately as they would be required to do in an actual situation on site.
Collaboration between Duke Energy One and L3Harris
Changing the physical world or reality with an emulation close to reality is known as virtual reality. It is executed by creating a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment that simulates reality as we know it. Virtual reality is used in many fields, some of which are, entertainment, education, training, design, medicine, and engineering.
The 3D Metrology Services program at Duke Energy One designs “as-built” 3D models of nuclear power plants with ultramodern 3D laser scanning technology for each facility. The data is then paired to an immersive and collaborative environment by L3Harris, which provides a whole suite of productive decision-making tools that include scenario authoring, live plant simulation links, radiation simulation, data enhancement, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) integration, allowing access to critical asset information in one place. A unique display environment, without headsets, for teams, known as Orchid® IX, may be coupled with the immersive simulations.
Duke Energy One and L3Harris: Advancing Nuclear Energy Solutions
Duke Energy One is an unregulated, wholly owned subsidiary of Duke Energy, which improves the financial positions of its customers, helps them optimize their energy systems, and achieves sustainability goals. L3Harris has been designing and innovating solutions for nuclear utilities for nearly 50 years. These solutions are for light water reactors, heavy water reactors, gas-cooled reactors, and now small modular reactors, according to Rangesh Kasturi, president of Maritime International, L3Harris. Information about Duke Energy and L3Harris Technologies L3Harris Technologies L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs.
Duke Energy: A Leading Force in Energy and Technology Innovation
Duke Energy provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across space, air, land, sea and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 47,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries. A Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy, is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Duke Energy One and L3Harris marks a transformative step in the nuclear industry, leveraging virtual reality simulations to enhance training, improve safety, and optimize operations. By integrating cutting-edge 3D technology, nuclear operators can gain immersive, hands-on experience in realistic environments, preparing them for complex scenarios that cannot be safely replicated in real life. As the nuclear sector continues to innovate, this partnership sets a new standard for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and operational excellence, reinforcing nuclear energy’s critical role in a sustainable and technologically advanced future.
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Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in the blog do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Certrec. The content of this blog is meant for informational purposes only.
