An Evaluation of Nuclear Power Plant Operator Performance Using a Safety Parameter Display System

Abstract

An applied experimental project is presently underway to evaluate the Analog Safety Parameter Display System (ASPOS) and the Engineered Safety Features (ESF) developed by Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO). These systems and displays were designed in response to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission guidelines to aid reactor operators in the efficient performance of their duties. Advanced Resource Development (ARD) Corporation, in conjunction with VEPCO, compared human performance during real-time control room operations with and without the ASPDS-ESF configuration to test the efficacy of the system. During the testing, varied simulated emergency conditions were given to shifts of trained operators in a high-fidelity computer-controlled simulator at the VEPCO Training Center in Surry, Virginia. A multi-channel audio recorder and a video camera system were used to record operator responses during the simulation. Seven scenarios containing realistic multi-event plant abnormalities were used. Included in the evaluation are operator briefings and debriefings, pilot runs, and before and after (ASPDS - ESF) installation emergency scenario trials. The data for all events is presently undergoing analysis; a final report will be available upon completion of this analysis project.