Human factors experience in designing a modern control room for a VVER-1000 nuclear plant

The original I&C system at the Temelin nuclear plant (Czech Republic) consisted of a number of near-stand-alone systems, each designed to perform a single function (i.e., reactor protection, turbine control, etc.). While such systems were coordinated to the degree necessary to perform their intended functions, the information describing the status or behavior characteristics of the systems was often presented in an uncoordinated or unintegrated manner. This method of information presentation placed an excessive burden on the operator to gather the information required from multiple sources and to integrate it to the extent necessary to support his needs. The new automated electronic systems currently being implemented at Temelin have resulted in an upgraded state of the art I&C system which meets both domestic and international safety and design standards. These upgrades, however, also presented unique HMI interface operator. This paper describes automated systems and how the operator utilizes these systems in both the main and the emergency control rooms.