The Mission
A nuclear operator was preparing a major nuclear life extension CAPEX program across five units, the first initiative of this scale in several years. While the board expected significant improvements in cost and schedule performance from one unit to the next, the program faced constantly shifting cost and schedule baselines.
The objective was to improve the execution of the multi-year program and identify ways to capture and replicate benefits across multiple units.
The Approach
We focused on three complementary workstreams: strengthening project baselines, identifying optimization levers, and embedding improvements into the program’s execution model. Together, these activities provided both immediate performance opportunities and a foundation for long-term, repeatable benefits.
1 | Strengthening Cost and Schedule Baselines
The project began with a review and reinforcement of the program’s cost and schedule baselines. Due to the program’s continuous evolution, establishing stronger, more reliable reference points was essential for measuring performance and identifying improvement opportunities.
2 | Identifying High-Impact Optimization Levers
Building on these strengthened baselines, we identified and assessed optimization levers across work design, operations and execution, and supply chain activities. The analysis covered multiple dimensions of project delivery, including design, the operating model, planning, scheduling, the supply chain, people management, process optimization, and material movement.
The objective was to develop a focused portfolio of high-impact opportunities capable of generating meaningful cost and schedule benefits, moving beyond incremental improvements. We validated these opportunities with internal and external stakeholders to ensure their practicality and applicability in the program environment.
3 | Capturing Multi-Unit Benefits
To ensure that the identified improvements would translate into sustainable results, the final phase focused on integrating new ways of working into project plans and procedures. Rather than treating each unit as an independent project, the approach emphasized capturing and replicating benefits across the entire program.
The Result
The project achieved a $140 million cost reduction and shortened the critical path by 77 days by embedding optimization opportunities in project plans and execution practices, as well as by transferring improvements from one unit to the next.
