RodPilot: Control Rod Control Arriving in the 21st Century - Higher Operational Safety and Availability, More Information, Greater Ease of Operation

C. Baron

Areva has successfully launched RodPilot®, its new digital control rod control system. After several years of development and qualification as well as testing in experimental facilities, the system was ready for worldwide installation and use in nuclear power plants equipped with pressurized water reactors. It is for this reason that the South African operator, Eskom, decided in favor of Areva and RodPilot when upgrading the reactor control system of its Koeberg nuclear power station. After implementation of RodPilot, the first of two units resumed operation smoothly in early April 2009. RodPilot offers clear increases in operational safety, availability, information, and ease of operation in reactor control especially to the operators of older reactors.