Joint Project & Services

Members of the C6 fleet gathered
 
The COG JP&S program creates a collaboration forum where members can fund solutions to common issues and, together, innovate new approaches to design, operation, maintenance and refurbishment. As well, JP&S tackles materials-related issues such as acquisition of obsolete parts, sharing of spare parts and obsolescence management. 

Where there is an opportunity or issue that is relevant for two or more COG members, a joint project (JP) can be developed for pooling of funding, resources and technical expertise. COG manages the joint project on behalf of its members with oversight from a committee comprised of the joint project partners.

JOINT PROJECTS

Typically, COG has 30 to 50 active projects at any given time. Our members invest approximately $30 million, annually into JPs. This is a substantial investment in the safe, clean, effective operation of CANDU stations, worldwide. The results of this investment are exponential, sometimes resulting in far greater cost savings or large revenue increases, well beyond the overall investment and certainly far exceeding the individual cost to any one contributor.

A joint project success

Our members have had many successful projects completed through COG's joint project process. The fuel channel life management program is one example:
Fuel Channel Life Management (FCLM)

The FCLM project has allowed utilities to develop a solid technical basis to regain operating safety margin in aging reactors and to extend the number of years of continued operation.

  • The program has resulted in several years of life extension to Bruce Power's Units 3,4 and 5-8 and Pickering's B-side units, which has generated substantial increases in revenue while allowing the needed flexibility to refurbish and conduct major component replacements at the Darlington and Bruce Power plants in a manner that best supports the Ontario electricity grid.
  • Buy-in discussions are in progress with C6 utilities
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis: Billions of additional revenue in continued operations. ​​

Joint Project Logistics

Getting involved in Joint Projects is easy – projects can be: 

  • ​Initiated at any time of the year; 
  • Have any combinations of two or more COG members as participants;
  • Be set up to accommodate budget constraints of participating members where possible; and
  • Address a wide range of common issues.
A successful project step-by-step

Initiation

  • Go to COGonline.org and complete a project initiation form 
  • COG creates an Expression of Interest for all members and notifies suppliers ​

​​Active stage

  • COG manages the program working with a decision-making steering committee
  • COG PM acts as an advisor to ​the Committee 
  • Any changes to cost, scope or schedule are put through a transparent review process and approved by the Committee 
  • Customized reports are provided for budget planning and schedule reporting internally within member organizations 

​Successful completion

  • All deliverables are accepted by the SC; COG maintains IP rights on behalf of participants 
  • Buy-ins to complete projects require approval by all of the original participants 
  • Buy-in funds typically flow back to the original funding members per the funding share formula 
  • Any unspent funds are returned to the participating members​

SERVICES


CANDU Procurement Audit Committee (CANPAC)

COG facilitates joint quality assurance audits/assessments of direct (Tier 1) suppliers to COG’s utility members (all CANDU utilities except NASA, NPCIL and PAEC).

CANDU Industry Assessment Committee (CANIAC)

Similar to the CANPAC program, COG facilitates joint quality assurance audits/assessments of sub-suppliers (Tier 2 and 3 suppliers) to nuclear power plants for enhanced quality and consistency of supplier audits. This also results in reduced supply chain related costs through pooled resources for the joint audits. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CANIAC, CLICK HERE.​

CANDU Inspection Qualification Bureau (CIQB)

CIQB provides service to review and certify inspection procedures used by ISPs. Reviews are performed by qualified SMEs .

​Inter-Station Assistance Program​

The Inter-station Assistance Program enables better exchange of knowledge, experience and issue identification through COG joint projects. It also helps connect operators with spare parts across the fleet.