Lancaster University has officially unveiled a first-of-its-kind nuclear facility control room simulator, featuring a highly adaptable design that can mimic several distinct reactor types. 

“The pioneering simulator will support the nation’s clean energy goals and help enhance the country’s future nuclear safety,” said the university in a press release.

The facility functions as a training platform to prepare personnel for the domestic clean energy sector and to test safety protocols. Because the layout and internal computing architecture can be altered, operators can model multiple power generation technologies rather than relying on a single static layout.

Multi-reactor simulations

The physical setup features a three-sided wrap-around visual display and audio-visual recording tools. Instructors use these cameras and microphones to review how students handle complex scenarios and provide performance feedback. The physical desks and chairs can be moved into different positions to replicate the unique control room spaces found at real power utilities.

“It has also been designed so that furniture can be reconfigured to represent different control room layouts,” noted the researchers.

The system runs industrial software codes produced by specialized companies, including Westinghouse, GSE Solutions, Tokamak Energy, and Norway’s Institute for Energy Technology. These configurations allow the machinery to mimic the operation of Pressurized Water Reactors, which currently make up the majority of international nuclear plants.

The software can also be used to simulate Small Modular Reactors, smaller units designed for flexible grid deployment, and tokamak fusion systems, which use magnetic fields to contain high-temperature plasma.

“This high-fidelity simulator will enable us to create simulations of scenarios where nuclear facilities are cyber attacked, providing valuable in-depth learning experiences for our cyber security students, some of which may become future cyber security professionals protecting our critical national infrastructure,” concluded Professor Paul Smith, Principal Investigator of the initiative

Practical training for safety behavior

The facility supports several academic areas simultaneously to address shortages in technical workforces. Although Lancaster University offers the only single-honors undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering in the United Kingdom, this project also relies heavily on the institution’s existing cybersecurity infrastructure. 

The university holds official accreditation as an Academic Center of Excellence in Cyber Security Research and Education from the National Cyber Security Center.

During practical exercises, instructors can inject simulated malware or network intrusions into the control software. Students must identify these digital anomalies, establish defenses, and maintain regular plant operations under active threat conditions. This training aims to prepare graduates to protect real national infrastructure from network breaches.

Beyond engineering and computer science, the university’s Psychology Department uses the simulator to study human performance. Researchers examine how teams analyze data, communicate, and make decisions during unexpected technical failures or emergency alarms. 

This behavioral data is used to improve safety guidelines for industrial settings where human error carries high risks. The new facility, built on the university campus next to the existing Data Immersion Suite, consolidates the institution’s digital modeling assets.

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