Institution news
Tim has been Horizon’s lead for structural integrity since joining the company in 2014, and has worked extensively with Hitachi-GE and the ONR during GDA steps 3 and 4 for the UK-ABWR assessment process.
Tim continues to be involved heavily in structural integrity activities as the licensing and procurement phases of the project progress and will be sharing his expertise at the upcoming IMechE and FESI seminar "Application of Probabilistic Structural Integrity: Methods and Benefits for Nuclear Asset Design, Operation and Decommissioning. His presentation covers the challenges of in-service inspections and how risk-informed approaches can help reduce the duration of plant outages.
We caught up with Tim ahead of the seminar to find out what he is looking forward to at the seminar.
Q: Could you briefly explain your role, involvement and experience with regards to this seminar?
Tim Jelfs (TJ): I am Head of Nuclear Island at Horizon Nuclear Power, who are looking to bring Boiling Water Reactor technology to the UK.
Q: What are the main engineering challenges facing the industry at the moment and what are the most common issues you hear from colleagues?
TJ: The main engineering challenges are tough regulatory requirements, financing and a shortage of skilled people. One of the most common issues I hear from colleagues is that there is not enough time in the day.
Q: What key topics are you excited to speak about?
TJ: I am most excited to speak about in-service inspection.
Q: Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme?
TJ: I am interested in hearing from Andy Holt (Professional Lead for Structural Integrity at the Office for Nuclear Regulation), who will be taking part in the panel discussion “Stakeholder Views on the Proposed Direction of Travel for Probabilistic Methods” with Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator, Wood Plc and Rolls-Royce Submarines.
Q: What are your top tips when tackling a new assessment?
TJ: When embarking on a new assessment it is best to assemble a team with the right mix of skills.
Q: Why is it important for engineers to join this seminar?
TJ: This topic is important for engineers because probabilistics can be applied widely and can give better results than more traditional deterministic approaches
Q: What developments are you most interested in for the future and why?
TJ: I am most interested in new nuclear – it’s the only way to reduce our carbon emissions.
About the seminar
“Application of Probabilistic Structural Integrity: Methods and Benefits for Nuclear Asset Design, Operation and Decommissioning” will take place on 10 October 2018 at the IMechE’s London HQ. The seminar will explore how probabilistic methods are perceived and understand how and where these methods can deliver benefits. Attendees will hear insights from nuclear operators, researchers, structural integrity experts and the industry regulator, including the Office for Nuclear Regulation, Wood Plc, TWI Ltd, UKAEA, Horizon Nuclear Power, ASME, Imperial College London and more.