L-3 MAPPS has received authorization from AREVA NP to proceed with the development of an engineering simulator based on the Flamanville 3 (FA3) EPR™ design. This is part of the continuing services L-3 MAPPS provides to AREVA’s real-time simulation centre in Paris and closely follows the Olkiluoto 3 EPR engineering simulator, which was put into service by L-3 MAPPS at AREVA’s Erlangen, Germany test facility in October 2008. The FA3 engineering simulator is expected to be delivered at the end of 2010.

“We appreciate AREVA’s confidence,” said Michael Chatlani, vice president of marketing and sales for L-3 MAPPS Power Systems and Simulation. “In addition to our cooperation with AREVA on full scope simulators in China and Finland, engineering simulators in France and Germany, we are delighted to make another contribution with the FA3 engineering simulator project.”

Key technical highlights for the FA3 engineering simulator are the instrumentation and control (I&C) and human-machine interface (HMI) for the distributed control systems (DCS) – AREVA’s Teleperm XS for the safety systems and the Siemens T2000 for the operational I&C – will be simulated using L-3 MAPPS technology, as well as a second phase to incorporate CATHARE, a thermal-hydraulic computer engineering code for nuclear power plant safety analysis.

The FA3 engineering simulator configuration will operate on the same L-3 MAPPS technology and platform used by three other simulator configurations for French-designed reactors (CP2 (900MWe, three-loop), DPY (1,300MWe, four-loop) and N4 (1,450MWe, four-loop)) at AREVA’s real-time simulation centre.

As part of the French electricity group EDF’s fleet development, AREVA is supplying the nuclear steam supply system for the 1,650MW EPR reactor at Flamanville in Manche, France. AREVA’s EPR is a pressurized water reactor based on an evolutionary design, which draws upon 40 years of technological development.

AREVA, a world leader in nuclear power and the only company to cover all industrial activities in this field, has manufacturing facilities in 43 countries and a sales network in more than 100. AREVA offers technological solutions for CO2-free power generation and electricity transmission and distribution.