Lessons learned using a full-scale glasstop simulator for control room modernization in nuclear power plants

The U.S. Department of Energy's Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program has sponsored a full-scale, full-scope glasstop simulator to support control room modernization in the U.S. nuclear industry. The simulator consists of 15 glasstop panels, each with three touch screen displays that show functional mimics of analog instrumentation and controls. When linked, these panels are capable of displaying the entirety of the hard panels found in current nuclear power plant control rooms. In this paper, we discuss the use of this glasstop simulator for function allocation and analysis and task analysis workshops in support of a nuclear utility currently undertaking control room modernization. This paper highlights the process undertaken as well as lessons learned on this first-of-a-kind use of a virtual control room with reactor operator crews.