Development of Emergency Information System to Support Nuclear Power Plant Management in Severe Accident

Abstract

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. has developed a computer-aided decision-making supporting panel system called DMP to support decision making of management staff in nuclear power plants by presenting associated information (e.g., plant situation and on-site/off-site conditions) in an organized and timely manner during emergency conditions. DMP will be located on-site as well as at an office off-site and will present associated information for staff and managers to share information and promote communications. DMP has been developed considering lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident including situation awareness distraction and workload issues under severe accidents. It was recognized that it is difficult to collect, organize, and analyze plant data and associated information under high-stress conditions and a severely degraded work environment. DMP will collect plant status information using plant chronological data logs and associated information, such as site situations (e.g., various kinds of information showing damaged equipment and hazard area, etc.), verbal/written status reports, and communication logs among staffs who perform corresponding actions at the site. DMP has been developed using a human-centered design approach based on International and Japanese human factors engineering design guidance (i.e., IEC 60964, “Nuclear Power Plants – Control Rooms – Design,” and JEAG 4617, “Guideline for Development and Design of Computerized Human-Machine Interface in the Central Control Room”) and verified with human factors verification (task support verification) to ensure the DMP support decision-making process. DMP will be workable to organize and present the current situations and recommendations to staff with collected data and policies/rules in emergency management plans.