Nuclear facilities rely on tooling, equipment, and automation systems to perform safely and reliably for decades.
Over time, aging assets, obsolete technologies, evolving operational requirements, and increasing performance expectations can make it difficult to maintain productivity, reliability, and outage readiness. While full replacement is sometimes necessary, it is often costly, disruptive, and difficult to justify when existing assets still have significant value.
ATS Nuclear Energy Solutions helps nuclear facilities modernize critical assets through targeted retrofits and system upgrades. With decades of experience designing, building, and maintaining advanced automation tooling and systems, our teams apply rigorous engineering, testing, validation, and documentation processes to improve performance, extend asset life, and keep critical equipment operating safely and effectively throughout their lifecycle.
What’s Driving Retrofits and System Upgrades in Nuclear?
Nuclear facilities must maintain aging assets while meeting growing demands for reliability, performance, and operational efficiency.
Keeping Aging Equipment Operational
Many nuclear systems remain in service for decades, but as equipment ages and technologies become obsolete, maintaining reliable performance becomes increasingly difficult.
Avoiding Unplanned Downtime
Unexpected failures can disrupt outage schedules, increase costs, and impact operations. Critical systems must be in peak condition to ensure reliable operation when performance is critical.
Meeting Evolving Performance Requirements
As operational demands increase, legacy systems may struggle to achieve required cycle times, consistency, and efficiency. Existing systems must continuously evolve to support future requirements.
Managing Complex Engineering Changes
Retrofits and upgrades often require extensive updates across multiple systems. Maintaining design history files, revision control, and accurate engineering documentation is essential to maintaining compliance and performance.
Addressing Limited Internal Resources
Many organizations lack the in-house resources to evaluate upgrade opportunities, manage design changes, and validate system modifications. Experienced support helps reduce risk and accelerate decision-making.
Our Approach to Nuclear Retrofits and System Upgrades
ATS provides comprehensive retrofit, modernization, and upgrade services designed to maximize asset performance while reducing lifecycle costs.
System Engineering & Modernization
Upgrade Critical Systems for Future Demands
ATS evaluates existing equipment and develops tailored modernization strategies aligned with operational goals, asset conditions, and future requirements. Our teams upgrade and optimize critical systems to improve performance, reliability, and longevity while avoiding the cost and disruption of full replacement.
Areas of Focus:
- Controls & PLC modernization
- Mechanical and tooling upgrades
- Robotics and automated systems
- Vision, sensor, and quality inspection enhancements
- Software, data, and connectivity improvements
Every retrofit is executed with the same engineering rigor and quality standards applied to new automation systems.
Pre-Automation Planning and Digital Twin Validation
Optimize Performance and Reduce Risk Before Changes Are Deployed
Before modifying critical systems, ATS helps customers assess requirements, identify risks, and evaluate upgrade concepts through our Pre-Automation services. Using Digital Twin technology, we virtually test and validate proposed changes, helping improve decision-making, streamline implementation, and increase confidence that upgrades will deliver the intended results.
Validation, Testing & Documentation Management
Ensure Every Upgrade Performs as Intended
All modifications undergo rigorous testing and validation to confirm functionality and performance. ATS also updates engineering drawings, revision histories, technical documentation, and design records to maintain configuration control across the equipment lifecycle. This disciplined approach supports both compliance and long-term asset management.
Training & Workforce Development
Build Confidence in New Systems and Technologies
Modernized systems deliver the greatest value when teams are equipped to operate and maintain them effectively.
ATS provides tailored training programs that help accelerate adoption, improve knowledge retention, and support safe, efficient operation.
Ongoing Technical Support
Maintain Performance Throughout the Asset Lifecycle
ATS provides ongoing technical expertise to help customers maximize the value of modernization investments. From outage support and troubleshooting to continuous improvement recommendations and upgrade planning, our specialists help ensure equipment continues operating at peak performance long after implementation.
Key Benefits
ATS helps nuclear facilities improve performance while maximizing the value of existing assets.
Greater Operational Efficiency
Increase throughput, equipment utilization, and overall system performance through targeted engineering improvements.
Reduced Downtime Risk
Improve reliability and minimize unexpected failures during critical outage and maintenance activities.
Extended Asset Life
Keep critical tooling and automation systems operating safely, reliably, and efficiently for years through targeted modernization initiatives.
Lower Lifecycle Costs
Maximize the return on existing capital investments by extending equipment life and reducing the need for costly replacements.
Stronger Configuration Control
Maintain compliance and support future maintenance activities with updated drawings, engineering documentation, and revision management.
Future-Ready Automation
Prepare equipment and automation systems to support future technologies, industry requirements, and growing nuclear demand.
Where Retrofits and System Upgrades Deliver Value
Maximize the performance, reliability, and lifespan of critical tooling through strategic modernization initiatives.
Reactor Refurbishment Tooling
Enhance Reliability During Critical Outages
Reactor refurbishment tooling is often expected to perform reliably through multiple outage campaigns and demanding operating environments. ATS helps modernize aging tooling through targeted retrofits and upgrades that improve reliability, reduce maintenance demands, and support efficient outage execution.
Automated Tooling & Systems
Prepare for the Next Generation of Nuclear Operations
As automation becomes increasingly embedded across nuclear operations, facilities must ensure these systems remain reliable and effective for years to come. ATS helps nuclear facilities protect and maximize these investments through targeted modernization programs that improve reliability, maintainability, and adaptability as technologies and operational requirements evolve.
Maximize the Value of Your Existing Nuclear Assets
Replacing critical tooling and automation isn’t always the best path forward. ATS Nuclear Energy Solutions helps nuclear facilities extend asset life, improve reliability, reduce downtime risk, and enhance performance through expertly engineered retrofits and systems upgrades by a team with decades of expert designing, building, and maintaining systems.