Positivenergy issue 001

Page 1

positivenergy T H E Q U A R T E R LY N E W S L E T T E R F R O M C A P U L A N U C L E A R

www.capulanuclear.co.uk www.capula.co.uk

April 2012 Issue 01

Capula celebrates a successful 2011

Capula is increasing its SQEP staff with proven nuclear skills

Year ends with c£32m in new contracts won across markets

Capula is celebrating another excellent year for the company. We enjoyed booking success across all our markets and ended the year with c£32million in new contracts won in 2011. Combined with the previous year’s recordbreaking orders volume, this provides a substantial overall order book from which to continue to drive our growth. "Capula’s success this year has been the result of our unique positioning in our energyrelated markets together with the tremendous efforts of our staff," said Chief Executive Roger Turner. “Whilst the overall marketplace remains a very challenging one, our company has grown by some 80 people this year, and we look forward to continued growth in 2012." The Nuclear sector had key success with a number of high-value, large scale contracts won. In response to this and the continued investment we expect to see in this industry over the next

decade, we expanded our Nuclear Services operation to include a new dedicated, secure facility in Stone (Beacon House) and set about increasing our number of SQEP staff with proven nuclear skills. We saw continued success in the Utilities sector of our business, where we followed up the landmark contracts won in 2010 with additional key projects won with these clients. Our work with advanced technology continued through the provision of support for some of the UK’s first smart grid initiatives. Furthermore, Capula built on its fine reputation in the Generation sector through continuing to win renewable energy and biomass projects.

Winning these projects alongside our excellent delivery record is underpinning our position as the leading specialist in delivering integrated automation and real-time IT solutions in the UK.

Beacon House opens for business

Capula has announced the opening of a new office in Stone, Staffordshire, which will serve as a dedicated facility for our nuclear-related projects. The move reflects the company's commitment to the Nuclear industry, and intention to develop its increasing involvement in the UK's energy strategy. "We expect to see significant growth in the Nuclear industry over the next decade or so," explains Chief Executive Roger Turner, "Nuclear power is set to be an integral part of the UK's energy mix and with that comes obvious opportunities in fuel reprocessing, waste management, life extension and decommissioning.

"Our expertise in safety systems, health monitoring, radiological surveillance and materials tracking has led to us playing an important role in the Nuclear industry over the past twenty years and more. By expanding our operation in this area we will have the necessary resource to successfully deliver more mission critical solutions for our clients."

inside protection system for edf energy • risley exhibition success • NuclearCONNECT article


contract news

Heysham power station Photographer: Rwendland (Wikipedia)

Protection system for EDF Energy Capula has been awarded a contract by EDF Energy Nuclear Generation for a

support using compliant components with emphasis approval and proven

their PLEX (plant life extension) programme.

Commissioning is scheduled for March 2012.

protection system at both Heysham and Hartlepool power stations as part of The Hybrid Electronic Analogue Temperature Sensing (HEATS) system is

designed to meet a safety integrity target of SIL 1. The system is key to continued

station operation and it will protect equipment from rises in temperature and

humidity in the plant basement.

Capula’s scope includes the design, build, commission and safety case

Risley exhibition a‘useful’ exercise

Capula was present at the recent Technology & Innovation exhibition at

Hinton House, Risley, which hosts the engineering design capability supporting major development projects for Sellafield Ltd.

Phil Monks (Business Development Manager) and Steve Braund (Marketing

Manager) were on hand to assist with any visitor enquiries in what was viewed

operational experience, adhering to EDF’s CTS standards throughout.

“Capula has over 30 years’ experience in working on projects throughout the

nuclear lifecycle, with safety system capability up to a SIL 2 rating,” said Nuclear

Services Director Alex Moore, “We enjoy an excellent working relationship with EDF Energy, our technical proposal at tender, coupled with our successful delivery record, was instrumental in securing this contract.”

Hinkley Point B control upgrade

Capula has successfully delivered a control system upgrade for EDF Energy

Nuclear Generation at their Hinkley Point B power station in Somerset.

The nuclear power station, an Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) features

a Condensate & Polishing Plant (CPP) that cleans and maintains feed water quality for the boilers by removing contaminates built up over time.

Capula’s control solution, based on Rockwell Automation’s CompactLogix

PLC and Parker Hanifin/CTC HPX15T Touch screen HMIs, replaced the now-

obsolete Texas 5Ti sequencer, and will provide plant control and monitoring of the transfer and regeneration sequence of resins within the CPP. The system is

efficient, robust and modern in order to support Hinkley Point B’s business operations moving forward.

Tony Birks, Delivery Manager for Capula, said: “The success of the project

was due in no small part to the close working relationship of the EDF Energy and

as a very positive exercise for Capula following a similar event at the same venue

Capula delivery teams, which enabled us to have a full understanding of the

“Exhibitions such as this one are a very useful way of reinforcing the Capula

communication from the early design specification stage and throughout the

in November last year.

brand with influential project and procurement people,” said Phil, “helping to

increase understanding of our capabilities in the nuclear market in the process.”

client’s requirements from the actual end user’s point of view. The quality of process was key to the delivery of this solution.”

>>> For further news, visit www.capulanuclear.co.uk

new fuel waste processing safety systems health monitoring radiological surveillance materials trackin


Controlling the future Capula provided the following article for the Spring 2012 issue of NuclearCONNECT magazine.

The key to good business is to deliver high

nuclear power.

within the constraints of maintaining service, safety

from within other highly regulated markets such as the

times, this comes sharply into focus as businesses

in the nuclear area.

performance levels whilst controlling expenditure

and the environment. In challenging economic strive to get more from less.

The drive to improve efficiencies and provide return

on plant and equipment is a challenge facing all

companies throughout the nuclear industry, from

We have drawn on experience of smart operations

energy, utilities, and oil & gas sectors and applied this

At Heysham, Dungeness and Hartlepool power

stations, EDF Energy are using real time data to more

effectively manage maintenance and operations processes.

production and new build. Replacing legacy

help, but isn’t always viable for a number

of reasons, be they financial or otherwise. So how can companies

operations.

Imp rov em

As well as

reducing costs, these can

assets.

Companies involved in the new build programme

will be mindful of such factors too. Not only should plant control technology be chosen in terms of quality,

ts en

The future of control is not just

about smart technology: having the

right people and behaviours is

Ins

also key. The nuclear industry

t igh

smarter, more sophisticated

resource management to safety and productivity of

driving up costs.

Initiate change through incentives & buy-in

realising that the answer lies in

within the nuclear arena are numerous, from better

compromising safety or performance, or indeed

ACT

Many of our clients are

The applications for real-time business intelligence

optimised to ensure best utilisation of assets without

systems with new, upgraded equipment can

harder?

compliance, customer service and financial success.

safety and suitability, but control processes should be

decommissioning and waste management to fuel

make existing assets work

balanced with the objectives of environmental

has identified the need for SQEP (suitably

CONTROL SYSTEMS

MANAGEMENT DASHBOARDS

Control & monitor operational processes

Valuable operational data to improve performance

key

to

smarter

operations has been to integrate

solutions or so-called real-time business

REAL-TIME DATA HISTORIAN

intelligence. Combining this better information

with the right people incentives and governance is

Analysis & modelling of operational information

making a step-change in operations.

around the world. At Capula, we

They have recognised the benefits of real-

cycle for over 30 years. This includes control and IT

frequency of information from operational plant, thus

solutions for key plant and equipment used in

progressing a recruitment and

training programme that is expected to

see the number of SQEP control and IT

engineers with nuclear experience double by the

end of this year and continue to grow to more than

250 by the end of 2013. We are investing in our

Capula have been providing solutions that are

mission critical to our clients across the nuclear fuel

fuel

have recognised this and are

s Vi

traditional automation with real-time IT

in

production and new build

ua lis e

The

ta Da

increasing output.

activity

decommissioning,

while maintaining or even

and

requirement is growing with

increased

improve energy consumption

qualified

experienced personnel); this

time business intelligence in improving the quality and

enabling management to make more informed

people, supported by institutions like the National Skills Academy, and have recently opened a new, dedicated

and secure nuclear facility in Staffordshire to

complement our existing nuclear offices in Westlakes Science Park near Sellafield and at Calleva Park near

decommissioning and the processing of legacy waste

decisions. In essence, turning data from operational

Encapsulated Product Store 3 and Evaporator D); at

action on the strength of it. Having installed and

Nuclear industry performance will continue to be

understand the capabilities this technology brings and

real-time technologies and people in smarter

at

Sellafield

(including

current

projects

on

Capenhurst we are integrating a turnkey solution for

Urenco; in fuel production, provided an integrated

control solution for a key process at Springfields; projects in the nuclear defence sector; and supporting

assets into meaningful information and taking positive

operated real time technology, EDF Energy now better

the link between plant operations and enterprise

performance – how their operational activities can be

Aldermaston.

key for the UK in coming years. By combining processes, it will have a bright future.

ng life extension power generation defence EC&I design and manufacture IT solutions support services


BAE SYSTEMS EXHIBITION Capula will be present at the Technology & Innovation exhibition at BAE Systems (Barrow) in June. Steve Braund (Marketing Manager) & Ian Meredith (Business Development Manager) will be discussing how we can apply Capula’s expertise to BAE Systems’ ongoing submarine programme.

GREAT CAPULA BAKE-OFF We recently hosted a baking competition at our Stone HQ to raise money for charity. Staff entered their own home-made cakes to be independently judged, with slices then sold around the company. In a close-run competition, Stuart Dane (Site Manager) earned a narrow victory for his carrot cake with orange & lemon zest, while a total of £267 was raised for Sports Relief. NEW ADDITIONS We are delighted to welcome a number of new starters to our ranks: Paul Derrington rejoins the company as Project Manager, having previously worked for us between 1990 and 1998. Robin Kenyon also joins us as Project Manager and brings many years’ experience to the role. Phil Monks joined the company just prior to Christmas from NIS as Business Development Manager. Simon Barton and Jonathan Best join the company as a Systems Engineer and Quality Assurance Engineer respectively. Sam Riddell, John Fradley and Pawel Merta are all recent engineering graduates who will join the Nuclear delivery team at Beacon House, while Rachel Cotton has moved across from the Thames Water project team to become a Project Administrator for Nuclear contracts.

Nuclear industry news source: www.world-nuclear-news.org

OLDBURY PLANT ENTERS

and Areva.

plant - the world's oldest

CO-ORDINATION KEY FOR UK R&D

Unit 1 at the UK's Oldbury © Magnox Limited

operating nuclear power

reactor - has been closed after 44 years of power generation.

term nuclear energy and industrial strategy if it wants to make the

29 February 2012, marking the end of 44 years' of electricity

released high-level report.

FIRST OF SELLAFIELD'S SUPER-CONTRACTS

strategic direction for the country's nuclear industry and identify the

Power generation at the 217 MWe unit was stopped at 11am on

production at the Magnox plant.

The first of some £9 billion in long-term contracts has been awarded

to support decommissioning at the UK's Sellafield site. It covers design services and could be worth some £1.5 billion ($2.3 billion) over 15 years.

most of the opportunities coming its way, according to a newly

Various UK bodies including the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology have called for a roadmap to inform the R&D needed to support it.

COMMERCIAL DEALS ACCOMPANY FRENCH-UK ACCORD

Deals potentially worth more than £500 million were signed on the

The award has gone to two joint ventures: Axiom (which

sidelines of the Franco-British Summit in Paris in mid-February as

MacDonald) and Progressive Alliance (comprising Babcock & URS

between the two countries. Many of these deals relate to EDF

comprises Amec, Assystem, Jacobs Engineering Group & Mott

Corp).

Between them, Axiom and Progressive Alliance will supply

design support services to Sellafield Ltd as it goes about

decommissioning a wide range of facilities at the site. The 'true alliance-style framework contract' represents a new approach to

a co-operation agreement on civil nuclear energy was signed

Energy's plans to construct two Areva EPR reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

Areva and Rolls-Royce have now agreed on how the British firm

will support the construction of EPR reactors, both in the UK and internationally.

Getting to know you... contracting brought in by Sellafield Ltd's parent body, Nuclear

A light-hearted Q&A feature. This issue:Alex Moore,Nuclear Services Director What was the last film you saw?

Motorcycle News and The Economist.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?

Remove brain, enjoy film!

were Prime Minister?

What are you like at the dentists?

My car radio.

What’s your biggest claim to fame?

Coldplay.

New York once.

The second Sherlock Holmes movie – Do you play any musical instruments? Who was the last band you saw live?

Where do you go to relax?

What’s the first thing you would do if you

I’d drop fuel tax and remove university fees.

I was interviewed for the Judge Judy show in to you in your life?

in their small theatre with a pie and a pint

Are you a good dancer?

What reading material do you go for when

suit on occasion!

promotion going where you can watch a play

“Always forgive never forget”. Similar to what I’d be like

before facing a firing squad!

What has been the scariest thing to happen

Òran Mór in Glasgow - they’ve got a great

you get a few minutes?

The Hulk rollercoaster at Universal Studios!

I’ve been known to dig out the 1970s white

Next issue -

James Bennett

What do you miss most about being a kid? My chopper bike.

What was your favourite TV show as a child?

positivenergy is published by Capula Nuclear.

Steve Braund (01785) 827106 steve.braund@capula.co.uk

The UK must set up a central body to coordinate nuclear research

and development (R&D) as well as developing a clearly defined long

Construction of a new plant is planned at the site.

thrown in. I love the surroundings there.

If you have any stories or information you feel should be included in a future issue of positivenergy, or have any comments to make about the newsletter, then contact:

Management Partners - itself a joint venture of Amec, URS Corp

RETIREMENT

Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.

Who was your celebrity crush when you were younger?

Òran Mór (courtesy of www.oran-mor.co.uk)

Debbie Harry and Jaclyn Smith (Charlie’s

Angels).

Alex Moore

Capula Nuclear • Beacon House • Stone Business Park • Stone • Staffordshire • ST15 0NN • T: 01785 827000 • W: www.capulanuclear.co.uk

All images & content © Capula Limited 2012 unless otherwise stated. Not to be reproduced without written consent.

IN BRIEF


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