INSPECTION | ROBOTICS & REMOTE TECHNOLOGY
When it comes to embracing innovation, we can lead,
follow or be left behind. Innovation will come. We prefer to lead Tom Ray, McGuire Nuclear Station site vice president
decision to put on a seatbelt: “Now we automatically put it on without thinking about it as a safety device,” he says. The team is optimistic there will be more ways to use
this tool in the future. The great thing about innovation is that it never stops.
Creating a true culture of innovation, as Duke Energy is doing throughout its nuclear fleet, means embracing change. That is easier said than done. What does it look like to embrace innovation in nuclear energy? Ownership and adoption increase when team members
are empowered to help create innovative tools and they provide feedback along the way, instead of being asked to use finished products. It is imperative to innovate, but we have to implement those innovations and embrace them. The Guardian S robot is not the only new tool in
the Duke Energy toolbelt. Duke Energy’s nuclear fleet is home to an innovation and transformation team that researches, develops, tests and launches tools, applications, programs and ideas. Since its creation, the Fleet Innovation and Transformation Team has created and implemented an evolving suite of apps and programs that have improved efficiency and enabled maintenance technicians to prepare for work anytime, anywhere. These digital solutions are effective because they provide users with streamlined systems in a mobile environment. For example, the tool designed specifically for the planning team has reduced the time it takes to create a work order task by an average of 40 minutes. The introduction of the drone programme provided an additional way for nuclear workers to perform tasks more safely. Duke Energy nuclear workers are using indoor drones to
perform inspections in confined spaces. Normally, at least two workers are sent into a confined
space to perform an inspection. By deploying an indoor drone, a trained pilot can use its high-definition infrared camera to capture the necessary footage down to the very last bolt, and send it back to teammates for review. The inspection can be completed without requiring multiple workers to enter difficult to navigate areas, increasing safety and efficiency.
Whether it is utilising digital tools and analytics to help
nuclear plants run more efficiently and safely than ever for customers or using drones, robots, and virtual reality to improve worker safety and plant reliability, the nuclear
www.neimagazine.com | August 2021 | 33
team consistently looks for additional ways to ensure it is available to provide baseload, carbon-free capacity. Duke Energy released aggressive climate goals in 2020 that emphasise innovation. No matter the scale, it is a cultural imperative to continue finding innovative ways to generate clean electricity. Brian Marrow, director of nuclear innovation puts it this way, “Innovation isn’t a one-time thing, it’s constant improvement. Some might say an evolution.” ■
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