NEI Strategic Project Management Lessons Learned and Best Practices Update of Meridian/High Bridge Research and Historical Data Base and Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) April 2020 Report Prepared by Meridian/High Bridge

Meridian/High Bridge is a planning and project management company that serves utility owners, EPC firms, and original equipment manufacturers.  It has extensive experience supporting new nuclear power (NNP) and other large first of a kind (FOAK) projects.  It has studied project management lessons learned and best practices for over 25 years and has compiled over 100 industry public domain publications regarding lessons learned, best practices, and keys to success. 

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) retained Meridian in 2019 to research public domain information and prepare a Lessons-Learned and Best Practices report for New Nuclear Construction. Meridian/High Bridge assembled a team of project management experts to update its lessons learned and best practices database.  This was done based on:

  • Review of 32 public domain documents spanning over 40 years from 1978 to the present and
  • Preparation of 10 case studies for successful large FOAK projects spanning commercial nuclear power, government science, and civilian infrastructure projects.

This NEI detailed report 20-08 was released in April 2020 for NEI members only.  An Executive Summary is available to the public by going to www.nei.org.

NEI has prepared several follow up Implementation Guides to NEI 20-08 to provide tactical “How To” outlines and steps to assist NEI member planning. Meridian authored NEI Implementation Guide IG-04 issued by NEI to members in April 2024. It outlines planning steps to assist members address FOAK Parameters and Blind Spots, Construction Labor Shiftwork Approach and Inefficiencies, and Modularization Challenges. NEI members should go to www.nei.org for more information.

Our Meridian/High Bridge website provides links to each of the NEI Report 32 public domain reference documents and to a single document that compiles the 10 case studies for successful large FOAK projects.  Each document title begins with the reference report sequence number and year issued, followed by the document subject matter description. Lists of the 32 industry reference documents and the 10 Case Study Projects are provided (Click on the Link).  To download a document PDF file, simply click on the document file name. Meridian/High Bridge is committed to helping the NEI and our industry to learn from the past and apply these lessons and best practices.  We look forward to assisting stakeholders with planning, organizing, and executing large complex projects and are eager to share insights regarding “Keys to Success and What Went Right” to support positive performance and results.

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