Curtiss-Wright to replace the existing computer system at Columbia Generating Station

9 June 2021


US-based Curtiss-Wright’s Nuclear announced on 3 June that it had been awarded a contract by Energy Northwest to replace the existing Plant Process Computer (PPC) system at Columbia Generating Station. Under the awarded contract, Curtiss-Wright will provide a complete equipment design and build for the PPC system upgrade, including hardware, software, and installation support services.

Kurt Mitchell, Vice President and General Manager of Curtiss-Wright’s Nuclear Division said: “At the core of our solution lies our R*TIME software - a real-time data acquisition and visualisation platform that will provide Columbia plant operators with rapid, actionable insights to improve operations and performance in support of the plant’s 20-year extension.”

Plant Process Computer (PPC) systems play a vital role in sustaining the safe and reliable operation of NPPs. PPC systems collect data from across the plant’s operations, process the data into vital information, and display the information for plant personnel to continuously monitor and diagnose performance. Curtiss-Wright has over 35 years of experience supplying PPC systems with more than 40 installations worldwide. The Columbia PPC system upgrade began in the first quarter of 2021 and will be completed in four phases over the next five years.

The 1,100MWe Columbia plant began operation in 1984. It is powered by GE boiling water reactors and contains more than 700 fuel assemblies. Energy Northwest recently took the plant offline for its scheduled refuelling and maintenance outage.


Photo: Columbia Generating Station (Source: NRC)



Privacy Policy
We have updated our privacy policy. In the latest update it explains what cookies are and how we use them on our site. To learn more about cookies and their benefits, please view our privacy policy. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies. By continuing to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with our privacy policy unless you have disabled them.