Equipment Reliability Industry Working Group (ER I‑WG) Meets in Spain Read more about Equipment Reliability Industry Working Group (ER I‑WG) Meets in Spain

Equipment Reliability Industry Working Group (ER I-WG) Meets in Spain

Around 50 equipment reliability experts from across the WANO community met from 12-14 May 2026 for the Equipment Reliability Industry Working Group (ER I-WG) meeting, hosted by ANAV in Tarragona, Spain.

The hybrid meeting brought together engineering leaders, reliability specialists, and industry partners to share operating experience, examine emerging equipment reliability risks, and advance practical guidance to support safer, more reliable nuclear plant operation.

Focus Areas and Industry Trends

Discussions were strongly aligned with WANO's Action for Excellence (AfE) 2030 goals and the industry's ongoing challenge in reducing significant events driven by equipment reliability and industrial safety.

Global trending and 2025 event analysis highlighted recurring contributors to events and scrams, including equipment lifecycle management weaknesses, maintenance fundamentals, configuration control, and human performance. Participants reinforced the need for stronger prevention, better learning from experience, and sustained leadership focus on equipment reliability fundamentals.

Progress on ER I-WG Sub-Group Activities

Members received updates on several active ER I-WG sub-groups, including:

• Preventive Maintenance, progressing completion of long-standing draft guidance with a target for publication towards the end of 2026
• Long-Term Operation (LTO), advancing revision of ageing management guidance to support extended plant operation
• Transformer Management, integrating recent operating experience and event analysis to strengthen risk-informed guidance
• ER Metrics, reviewing and aligning equipment reliability metrics to support clearer interpretation and consistent use across the industry

These activities aim to strengthen practical application of equipment reliability principles across the global fleet.

Operating Experience and Technical Case Studies

The meeting featured several operating experience and technical case studies, including complex repair of a safety-critical core spray pipe, transformer reliability challenges, and turbine rotor damage identification and recovery.

Across these examples, presenters highlighted the value of robust governance, early defect detection, rigorous analysis, and willingness to challenge assumptions (including OEM recommendations) using operating experience, analytical tools, and industry collaboration.

Innovation, Digitalisation, and the Supply Chain

The group also explored emerging approaches to strengthen equipment reliability, including:

• EPRI research into digital I&C operational data analysis to turn operating data into actionable insight
• Innovative manufacturing and additive manufacturing techniques to reduce lead times, address obsolescence, and strengthen supply-chain resilience

These sessions reinforced the growing role of technology, data, and innovation in supporting long-term fleet reliability.

Next Steps

The ER I-WG will continue to support WANO through guidance development, experience sharing, and industry collaboration. The next ER I-WG meeting is planned for 03-05 November 2026 and will be virtual.

Members interested in contributing to sub-group activities or future sessions are encouraged to engage with the ER I-WG leadership team through Milly Stone ([email protected]).