Hitachi platform aims to enhance nuclear plant operations

In the installation of new equipment or modification in nuclear power plants, precise planning and reliable execution are essential to complete on-site work within the shortest possible timeframe, Hitachi says. However, access to nuclear power plants is often restricted by regulations, limiting the frequency and duration of site surveys. In some cases, controlled zones are not accessible during operation, restricting on-site surveys. These constraints require extensive coordination among stakeholders, with electric utilities playing a central role in sharing information and revising work plans.

In response, Hitachi has developed the Metaverse Platform for Nuclear Power Plants to further enhance productivity by enabling accurate understanding and seamless sharing of site conditions among stakeholders, real-time schedule coordination, and reduction of rework.

The platform recreates nuclear power plants in a metaverse using high-precision point cloud data and 3D CAD data, and aims to enhance productivity in information sharing, schedule coordination, and asset management among stakeholders by utilising it with partners such as electric utilities and contractors.

It is also designed to serve as the foundation of a Data-Driven Power Plant, which Hitachi aims to establish to address the diverse needs and challenges faced by electric utilities –such as improving equipment reliability, enhancing work management, and increasing operational efficiency – through data-driven value creation and problem-solving. 

This new platform embodies Lumada 3.0, which uses Hitachi's domain knowledge and AI to convert data into value to solve challenges faced by customers and society, and was developed together with GlobalLogic as One Hitachi, integrating Hitachi's decades-long expertise in the nuclear energy business with its group-wide advanced digital technologies. 

Hitachi says the platform facilitates the collection, aggregation, and analysis of on-site data, thereby supporting optimal investment planning and plant maintenance through data-driven insights.