Moving Clean Energy
FORWARD
Welcome to Ruffolo Nuclear Consulting
Where expertise meets innovation
At the heart of our operation lies a dedication to working hand in hand with energy companies and their service providers delivering tailored strategies, streamlining processes, and designing plans that propel them forward in today’s dynamic energy landscape.
About Mike Ruffolo
Ruffolo Nuclear Consulting is led by our President and Principal Consultant Mike Ruffolo. Mike has over 30 years in the nuclear energy and fire protection industries. He specializes in guiding companies through complex projects and initiatives efficiently. He excels in leading diverse cross-functional teams and large investment projects, striking the right balance of safety, regulatory compliance, and productivity to ensure clients achieve their business objectives.
Join us as we shape the future of energy together.
Our Services
At Ruffolo Nuclear Consulting we provide solutions that ensure regulatory compliance while achieving client goals and objectives.
Licensing Services
We assist clients in the development, maintenance, and changes to the licensing basis of nuclear facilities throughout their full lifecycle. We do this through:
- Licensing Application Strategy Development and Support
- Management System Consulting (including graded approach)
- Safety Assessment Support (periodic safety review, safety analysis reports)
- Laws, Regulations, Codes, and Standards (LRCS) Management
Design Services
We support our clients with the development, maintenance, and changes to the design of nuclear facilities throughout their full lifecycle. We do this through:
- Development of Design Management Processes (including Engineering Change Control)
- Design Basis Management Support including requirements management
- Safety Analysis Support (probabilistic safety analysis, hazards analysis)
- Structures, Systems, and Component (SSC) Classification
- Asset Management Support (aging and investment management)
Fire Protection Services
We carefully evaluate our clients needs and deliver solutions that safeguard the public, their people and their assets from fire risks associated with nuclear facilities. We do this through:
- Fire Protection Program Development
- Fire Protection Assessments
- Code Compliance Reviews (CCR)
- Third Party Review and Audit Services
- Fire Protection System Design Services
Clients and Partners
We are proud to be partnering with some of the world’s leading nuclear energy companies.
Projects
Global First Power
GFP and RNC are both startup businesses that share a common goal and belief in the critical role that small modular reactors (SMRs) will play in helping Canada meet its energy demands, while also supporting environment and climate change goals.
Global First Power
RNC has been supporting GFP since early in 2021 with the development of their corporate nuclear management system and project specific implementation plans.
The GFP Management System is the first in Canada to be developed from scratch, apply to the full lifecycle of nuclear facilities, and apply a documented “Graded Approach” principal.
RNC’s ingenuity was, and continues to be, instrumental in the groundbreaking development of the GFP Management System and its application and continuous improvement. The following are some examples of the GFP management system built by RNC:
Design Management Process (including the following governance):
- Design Requirements Procedure
- Engineering Change Control Procedure
- Design Analysis Standard
- Codes and Standards Standard
- Human Factors Standards
- Engineering Documents Guide
- SSC Classification Guide
- Internal Hazards Screening Guide
- External Hazards Screening Guide
- Laws, Regulations, Codes, and Standards (LRCS) Applicable to GFP’s Business
Fire Protection Process
- Fire Protection Assessment Standard
- Code Compliance Review (CCR) Methodology
- Fire Hazards Assessment (FHA) Methodology
- Fire Safe Shutdown (FSSA) Methodology
Chemistry Management Process
Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) Project
RNC’s strategic mindset and innovative spirit is often leveraged by GFP at its MMR Project at Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario, a site owned by Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) and managed by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). This project will build GFP’s first nuclear facility (i.e., GFP01) that will deploy Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation’s (USNC) Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) technology providing proof of concept and demonstrating its viability for the rapid deployment throughout Canada in the future. USNC, a U.S. corporation headquartered in Seattle, is a global leader and vertical integrator of nuclear technologies and services, on Earth and in Space. Its major initiatives include the Micro Modular Reactor (MMR®), Fully Ceramic Micro-encapsulated (FCM®) nuclear fuel, and nuclear power and propulsion technologies for space exploration.
The following are examples of how RNC is ensuring GFP’s and USNC’s success with the MMR Project:
- Licensing Strategy
- Owner’s Requirements Oversight
- GFP01 LRCS Management
- Implementation Plan
- Implementation Plan
- Applicable LRCS Report
- LRCS Data Management
Kinectrics
Kinectrics is multi-national company and a world leader in developing innovative solutions for the global electricity and medical industries, empowering a sustainable future.
Kinectrics
The strategic and innovative nature of Kinectrics makes it a perfect RNC partner. RNC and Kinectrics have been collaborating and delivering successful projects since RNC’s establishment in 2020.
The following are some Kinectrics initiatives that utilized RNC leadership to improve the nuclear industry:
- SSC Classification and QA Categorization for CANDU Owners Group (COG) and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP)
- Graded Approach for X-energy LLC
- Licensing strategy to help OPG meet its dynamic regulatory landscape including current plant relicensing, refurbishment, and decommissioning and Ontario’s ambitious nuclear growth plan.
Through Kinectrics, RNC has supported GEH’s DNNP endeavour in the following ways:
- DNNP Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) Chapter 1, Introduction and General Considerations
- DNNP Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) Chapter 17, Management of Safety.
- Management System and Graded Approach Consulting
The following highlights other work performed by RNC to support Kinectrics:
- Reviewers of X-energy Xe-100 Design Description for OPG’s DNNP Vendor Selection.
- Preparers of X-energy Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) Chapter 17, Management of Safety.
- Subject Matter Experts (SME) for X-energy Vendor Design Review (VDR) process for the Management System, Fire Protection, and Human Factors subject areas.
- Independent Reviewers of the PSA Safety Goal Methodology for New Brunswick Power’s Point Lepreau nuclear site.
- Preparers of the Pickering Periodic Safety Review (PSR) 3 LRCS Reviews of CSA N293, NFPA 20, NFPA 24, National Building Code of Canada, and the National Fire Code of Canada.
Ontario Power Generation
OPG is one of North America’s largest, most diverse generators of safe, clean, and reliable electricity meeting over 50% of Ontario’s demand.
Ontario Power Generation
As a former OPG employee, RNC’s founder played key leadership roles in numerous critical initiatives that ensured OPG’s successful response to the 2003 blackout, response to the 2011 Fukushima disaster and life extension and licensing of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (PNGS).
It is only natural that OPG continues to leverage RNC’s leadership in meeting the challenges of the current dynamic energy sector. Examples of some important strategic OPG initiatives that RNC has supported, or is currently supporting, include:
- Prioritization of Pickering Refurbishment scope for the feasibility assessment.
- Strategy for the Periodic Safety Review (PSR) 3 that will enable the Pickering Refurbishment.
- Independent Review of the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) Graded Approach.
- Independent Review of the OPG New Nuclear Program.
- Assessment and recommendations of Pickering gap to modern fire protection codes and standards (i.e., CSA N293, National Building Code of Canada, and National Fire Code of Canada).
- Expert Review of the Pickering Refurbishment PSR3 results.
- Development of the aging management strategy for the Pickering Refurbishment.
Future Projects
Explore key examples of RNC’s collaborative efforts to bolster the energy sector by supporting other enterprises.
Future Projects
Nuclear Waste Management Organization
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is a not-for-profit organization tasked with the safe, long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel, in a manner that protects people and the environment for generations to come.
RNC is currently establishing a long-term relationship to support the NWMO in readying their Management System that will ensure their success in developing Canada’s deep geological repository.
Head Office
970 Lawrence Ave W
Suite 204
North York, ON M6A 3B6
Telephone:
(289) 388-4699
Email: