Vienna, VA, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARES Security Corporation (ARES) is innovating nuclear power plant security and operations through the use of robotic technology to safely and cost-effectively support/replace humans to perform physical security, operational, and maintenance tasks at existing and planned Advanced and Small Nuclear Reactors (A/SNRs). To support these efforts, ARES is pleased to announce winning a Department of Energy (DOE) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 Grant in the amount of $200K.
Advanced and Small Nuclear Reactors are well-positioned to fulfill the need for substantial local power, especially for areas with no or limited grid access and challenges with fuel transportation. For A/SNR applications to be economically viable, they must be safe and cost-effective to compete with other energy generation sources. This project will focus on the physical security challenges of the A/SNR size, design, physical layout, operations, and the potential for being sited in isolated locations with potentially limited staff compared to large nuclear power or other large-scale electricity producers. For existing light-water reactor (LWR) nuclear plants, physical security is one of the dominant operating expenses. For A/SNRs to be cost-effective, they must leverage technology and reduce onsite personnel to a minimum. For the first A/SNRs deployed, onsite physical security staff may be required but this research could reduce, or potentially eliminate, full-time in site staff requirements.
This project will:
- Identify the challenges of A/SNR physical security and automation requirements
- Define and quantitatively evaluate security systems and protective strategies using robotic systems
- Conduct a cost analysis for the use of robotic technology to perform/support physical security tasks
- Demonstrate the feasibility of having robots perform physical security tasks that traditionally have been performed by humans
For this project, ARES has partnered with X-energy, Xcel Energy (Xcel), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and Ghost Robotics. The ARES AVERT Physical Security (AVERT-PS) software will be used to analyze A/SNR security posture and the AVERT Mission Planning & Operations (AVERT-MPO) software will be used as the demonstration software system controlling and automating the robots. The Ghost Robotics Q-UGV robotic system will be the robotics system leveraged and demonstrated for this project.
About ARES Security: ARES Security Corporation is a Vienna, Virginia-based company founded in 2012. ARES Security developed the AVERT® suite of solutions that cover the entire physical security lifecycle and have been accredited by the DoD and DoE as well as received DHS SAFETY Act designations. AVERT includes software for security Design, Assessment, Tabletop, Virtual Training, Command and Control, Robotic Operations, and real-time Decision Support. AVERT is used by various government and commercial clients in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Asia Pacific to protect the World’s most critical assets, including numerous critical infrastructure facilities, various strategic and tactical government assets, including the vast majority of commercial nuclear reactors, and other critical assets of government entities, transit agencies, and corporate facilities. In December of 2020, ARES Security acquired certain assets and contracts of Vidsys, Inc. Vidsys, now an ARES Security company, provides mission-critical Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) software to government agencies, corporate enterprises, transportation agencies, and other iconic properties in North America, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific. To learn more about ARES Security visit our website at www.aressecuritycorp.com. To learn more about Vidsys, please visit: www.vidsys.com
