Aiimi deploys workplace AI for CANDU nuclear reactors

British artificial intelligence specialist Aiimi has agreed a three-year deal with Candu Energy in Canada to deploy a workplace AI platform for nuclear reactor design and maintenance.

The platform gives Candu Energy staff instant access to historic design records. It brings together design documents and blueprints from multiple internal systems.

The platform connects with Candu Energy's existing systems through a secure integration. The system then searches, enriches and summarises stored information.

Candu Energy holds design and operations data that spans several decades. The AI platform extracts relevant sections from these records and surfaces them in response to staff queries.

Engineers, designers and quality specialists use this information when they plan maintenance or propose design changes. They do not need to search through large document archives manually.

Candu Energy is the original equipment manufacturer for CANDU nuclear reactors, which provide about 15 per cent of Canada's electricity.

The agreement follows a two-month pilot earlier this year where Aiimi implemented the workplace AI system on Candu Energy's private cloud during that trial. Candu Energy has now rolled out the platform across its engineering and quality teams. Staff can use the tool as an assist system when they search for project and asset information.

The contract comes as governments and utilities look for low-carbon power sources. Global electricity demand is rising, and renewable energy has overtaken coal as the world's largest source of electricity.

Aiimi said the platform now supports around 2,000 Candu Energy employees. These staff work across engineering, design, quality control and quality assurance.

Aiimi's chief executive said the project highlights the role of AI in the energy sector.

"There's huge potential for production AI within the energy sector and our collaboration with Candu Energy is a great example of this. An AI solution takes on the task of combing through data, so engineers and operatives can spend their valuable time and skills elsewhere," said Steve Salvin, CEO & Founder, Aiimi. "As a solution provider to Candu Energy, Aiimi will help them make faster, informed decisions as they shape the future of energy. The information we've brought to the surface will be used for years, even decades to come."

Aiimi has operated since 2007 under founder Steve Salvin. The business has grown to eight-figure annual revenues and supplies technology to public and private sector customers in the UK and overseas.

Candu Energy is a subsidiary of engineering group AtkinsRéalis. The company designs, services, and upgrades CANDU reactors operating in Canada and other countries like South Korea, China and India.

Nuclear operators handle extensive records on plant design, safety, maintenance and regulation. Many of these records sit in legacy systems and large document stores.

Candu Energy's deployment focuses on design and maintenance activities for its reactors. The company aims to use the platform when it assesses design changes, life extension work and long-term maintenance.