Design of a Nuclear Power Plant Supervisory Control System

Nuclear power production is a safety-critical process where ultimate decision execution lies with the operators. Thus it is important to provide the best possible decision support through effective supervisory control interfaces. We observed an existing operational nuclear power plant simulator and noted several deficiencies. An interface redesign prototype was constructed in PowerPoint as an alternative to the current simulator and hardcopy procedure manuals. The design improves upon the graphical layout of system information and provides better integration of procedures, automation, and alarm systems. The design was validated by expert opinion and a scenario-based comparison. Future implementation and testing of the redesign is suggested for further validation