L-3 MAPPS announced today that it has secured multiple contracts from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) in relation to the St. Lucie Plant simulator. L-3 MAPPS will rehost the existing full scope simulator, simulate new digital controllers to support a plant modification, replace the simulator’s input/output (I/O) gateway computer and provide a new classroom simulator. Work on all four projects is underway and the updated simulator is expected to enter service at St. Lucie by the end of 2013.
The vice-president of marketing and sales for L-3 MAPPS, Michael Chatlani, said: "L-3 MAPPS has provided simulator services to the St. Lucie plant for 29 years. We are proud of our long-standing relationship with this flagship customer and are committed to ensuring continued success at St. Lucie."
L-3 MAPPS will rehost the St. Lucie Plant’s simulation software using its industry-leading Orchid simulation environment. In the plant, legacy analog controllers will be replaced with new Yokogawa YS1700 digital controllers. In order for the simulator to accurately replicate the plant’s response and train plant operators on the new equipment, the controllers will be simulated with L-3 MAPPS’ software. L-3 MAPPS will also replace the current Linux I/O gateway computer with a Windows I/O computer, interfacing the simulation server with the original I/O system delivered with the simulator in the mid-1980s. In addition, using touch-screen technology from its Orchid Touch Interface solution, L-3 MAPPS is developing a classroom simulator to provide an accurate representation of the control room environment by emulating the plant’s physical hard panels. The classroom simulator will comprise three Orchid Touch Interface bays.
Florida Power & Light Company, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the US. FPL serves approximately 4.6 million customers in Florida. The St. Lucie Plant is located on Hutchinson Island, midway between Fort Pierce and Stuart. The plant is made up of two Combustion Engineering pressurised water reactors with a net electrical output of approximately 2,000MWe.