CROC IT helped Rosenergoatom launch virtual reality-based training

2020: Completion of virtual simulator prototype testing for electrical personnel training

On June 9, 2020, CROC announced that Concern Rosenergoatom JSC had completed testing a prototype virtual simulator for training electrical personnel. The prototype was developed by CROC Immersive Technologies, a branch of the CROC IT company. Test tests took place at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant and demonstrated the success of the use of virtual reality for personnel training.

In 2021, the Concern plans to start introducing virtual training in production. This will improve the quality of personnel training, as well as reduce the time required to repair equipment and train employees.

Leningrad AES-2 (Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Region) became the pilot platform for implementation of this method of technical personnel training. The model for creating a VR simulator was electrical equipment KRU-10 kV, which is used at nuclear power plants.

At the beginning of June 2020, the electrical personnel of the stations, studying, practice on real equipment as part of the production process. The occupational safety requirements at the stations are very strict. Therefore, employees study for almost a year under the guidance of a workshop specialist and are not allowed to work independently during this time. A virtual simulator that simulates the operation of real equipment allows us to optimize the training system both in terms of time and in terms of the possibilities of working out many different situations, noted Dmitry Gasten, Director for Personnel Management and Social Policy of the Rosenergoatom Concern.

During the training, employees will be able to practice actions on electrical equipment according to given scenarios, with visualization of all the consequences of possible errors, and then independently pass the exam and, after receiving admission, immediately begin to fulfill their duties.

According to Dmitry Gasten, the creation of a full-fledged virtual simulator of electrical equipment is economically profitable. For ten stations, it will cost JSC Concern Rosenergoatom five times cheaper than the development of a physical analogue.

In addition, the virtual simulator is easier to scale. Since the infrastructure and equipment of industrial enterprises are constantly updated, physical simulators quickly become obsolete. The virtual environment allows you to flexibly adapt to changing conditions.

We offered Rosenergoatom an optimal solution in accordance with production needs and developed an experimental prototype simulator based on virtual reality KRU-10 kV. An important advantage of such a VR simulator is the ability to quickly make the necessary changes, as well as add scenarios for working with equipment or practicing actions in emergency situations,

In 2020, within the framework of the project, it is planned to create a prototype of an already fully functional virtual simulator for the training unit of the LAES-2. And after the successful implementation of the project at this pilot site, a decision will be made on the unified functionality of the virtual simulator, which can be changed to meet the needs of each of the Russian nuclear power plants.