Improvements to the Control Room Operator Workspace at Point Lepreau

Abstract

The Point Lepreau control room operator workspace was designed in the mid-seventies. Through the eighties and nineties, station staff have introduced new operational practices, added new control room resources, and modified or replaced some existing control room equipment to improve the overall effectiveness of control room operations. By 1994, it was recognized that the existing operator console and workspace equipment was limited in supporting certain operating functions and would restrict further incremental expansion and workspace improvements. Subsequently, station Operations staff undertook a design study to systematically characterize operator control room workspace needs and design a workspace that would integrate new and old facilities to better support efficient operation into the next century. This paper describes the findings and lessons learned from the initial workspace reassessment study, console redesign and implementation, and early operational experience with the new workspace implementation.