Ultra provides solutions to the ageing and obsolescence issues faced in a mature nuclear plant with a complete range of services to review, sustain and extend the I&C systems of the plant.

Ultra’s solutions enable its customers to implement a strategy which has nuclear plant safety considerations at its heart, whilst still supporting the operator’s key business drivers and addressing the risks arising from I&C obsolescence. Customers are provided with the capability to optimise and implement a range of approaches, including maintenance, refurbishment and replacement atmsystem and component levels.

Ultra has developed innovative design and manufacturing techniques to manage the threat of obsolescence and the long operational lifetimes within the nuclear industry. Ultra continually monitor and assess the status of operating plants and implement multiple strategies to extend their operational life for a further 20+ years.

Ultra has been a pioneer within the nuclear industry in utilising field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology as a cyber-secure, “logic engine” for reactor protection systems and designs much of the analogue and digital circuitry in hybrids to achieve high reliability and provide obsolescence proofing. The use of hybrid technology removes the threat of tin whiskers.

IEC 61508 represents best practice for safety-related electrical, electronic and programmable electronic systems. It requires the use of independent safety assessments.

Through its knowledge and experience, Ultra is able to provide confidential, independent safety assessment services. The Group has suitably qualified and experienced personnel and domain experts, centred on instrumentation and control, – both hardware and software.

Ultra provides impartial safety assessments of processes, systems or organisations, to establish if the safety requirements for the system are appropriate and adequate for the planned application and that the system satisfies those safety requirements.

Ultra provides a systems integration service to customers, through a dedicated and highly specialised team of programme managers, engineers, on-site manufacturing services and partnering across an established supply chain in the nuclear sector. Ultra’s extensive experience in the specification, design and supply of mission and plant-critical systems provides a pedigree for the Group’s worldwide services.

The systems integration services and capabilities cover the complete system life cycle, comprising the full spectrum of system engineering disciplines, including requirements capture, architecture design, cyber security, design and development (including safety-critical software), qualified through independent verification and validation.