SBIR-STTR Award

Prototype combining realism and operator actions with security to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs for nuclear power plants and facilities.
Award last edited on: 12/29/2020

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOE
Total Award Amount
$1,299,985
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
37h
Principal Investigator
John Halsema

Company Information

Ares Security Corporation

1934 Old Gallows Road
Vienna, VA 22182
   (571) 351-1260
   contactus@aressecuritycorp.com
   www.aressecuritycorp.com
Location: Multiple
Congr. District: 11
County: San Mateo

Phase I

Contract Number: DESC0020873
Start Date: 6/29/2020    Completed: 4/30/2021
Phase I year
2020
Phase I Amount
$200,000
Current state of the art modeling and simulation for nuclear power plant physical security is based upon a physic- based geospatial model that models the physical plant and then simulates an attack on that facility and the security forces response to that attack. The most advanced of these tools use a repathing engine to determine the most vulnerable access points, the attacker’s probable path and the most advantageous response by the security forces. This repathing engine then adjusts the attackers’ and responders’ actions as the events occur. One issue with the current state of the art is that the modeling and simulation does not account for changes in plant status during a security event. These changes could impact the effectiveness of the response and incorporation of these changes will alter the proposed response during the event to improve overall response during the event. A physical security modeling and simulation tool that utilizes a repathing engine to automate dynamic path finding for planning and combat modeling will be reviewed to determine the feasibility of extending the tool to include changes in plant conditions, such as the thermal status of the plant or changes to controls that could impact margin to failure. Negative outcomes can be reduced by including the responses needed to prevent damage to the physical plant. A dynamic repathing engine can ensure that the response most likely to ensure a successful response to an event is selected. The feasibility of incorporating a plant condition modeling and simulation tool from a national laboratory that models and simulates the physical plant of a nuclear facility through dynamic probabilistic risk assessment will be reviewed to determine the most efficient means of integration with the physical security tool. This will allow the physical security tool to evaluate outcomes and response plans that incorporates plant changes to determine most the effective response to the event from plant status as well as a security perspective. In phase 1 discussions will be held with a national laboratory and industry experts to determine data requirements for the integration of the two modeling and simulation tools, as well as the best method of presenting the results of the integrated simulation to the user for optimum response planning. Based on this a design will be developed for the Phase II prototype. By extending the modeling and simulation of a physical security modeling and simulation tool to include changes in plant status a plant operator could improve the response effectiveness to security events at their facilities. This feature will most likely be incorporated as a module of the existing physical security commercial product for distribution. This would allow plant operators to determine if integrated plant condition and security modeling and simulation are required for their installation, or if individual tools that perform these tasks are best suited to their facility. The new software module for the commercial product will allow plant operators the ability to improve their response plans via this integrated modeling and simulation approach.

Phase II

Contract Number: DE-SC0020873
Start Date: 8/23/2021    Completed: 8/22/2023
Phase II year
2021
Phase II Amount
$1,099,985
Currently, nuclear power plant security risk assessment SRA is separate from plant safety probabilistic risk assessment PRA in most respects. Safety and Security systems are evaluated, monitored, exercised and measured using very different methods for both, yet both are interrelated. Until recently, analytical, quantitative methods were not available for the integrated security systems, unlike safety which has used PRAs for many years. A much better quantitative assessment should include security risk’s impact to overall plant safety and operations. As part of the Phase 1 SBIR effort, ARES Security Corporation‘s AVERT® Physical Security AVERTPS Modeling and Simulation software, a Security Risk Assessment SRA tool, has started integration with the EMRALD Dynamic Probabilistic Risk Assessment PRA software. This has resulted in a coupling of Safety and Security systems. This holistic SRA/PRA evaluation incorporates operator actions and realism during a security event. By performing a holistic evaluation that incorporates realism, the improved AVERTPS product can result in improved overall safety and security at a reduced cost. In the Phase 1 project, ARES provided a beta integration version of the AVERTPS SRA tool with the EMRALD dynamic PRA tool through design and prototyping of an interface of these two products. The integration of these two products linked the dynamic adaptive agent capability red and blue force of AVERTPS with the dynamic PRA calculation capability of EMRALD. A simplified test case was evaluated in the Phase 1 effort which provided good insights into the benefit of coupling PRA to SRA. There are two principal objectives of this project: Define Operational Process Identify requirements needed to support protective strategies. Identify requirements needed to support operational procedures for operators to mitigate damage Detail Technical Requirements Identify how to design operational procedures in the model Identify how to support protective strategies Define enhanced coupling of PRA to SRA Design a methodology to identify importance measures i.e., FussellVesely Importance The nuclear power electrical generation market is key to a safe, clean, green energy source. Assuring the current and future generation of nuclear power plants remain safe and economically viable will assure their inclusion in the current and future energy mix. The end result of this development project will provide a commercial product that the nuclear power industry and other mission critical infrastructures can use to assure safety and security are harmonized. This has the potential to generate operational cost savings.