Job Security

[F]

I'm having trouble finding accurate up to date information so im asking the people who know: If i decide not to re-enlist after my six years in the navy and go for a commercial ops job (ill be 24-25 when i start) will i be able to hold this job for the rest of my working life? at the same location?  I know there are many variables and its an impossible question to answer, so to those of you with experience in nuke field what have you observed?

[Broadzilla]

That depends, you need to know when the facility's license expires. MOst are getting 20 year life extensions. If you go to Oyster Creek you'll be employed for roughly 20 years. If you're asking do Operators get laid off? No. Not in today's day and age.

Mike

[tr]

The NRC and industry are starting to talk about what it will take to extend an operating license for a second time, to an 80 year lifetime.  While this sounds like a lot, there are a fair number of fossil/hydro stations that have been running basically forever.  My utility has a hydro plant that started up in 1911 still in service.

A good fraction of the nukes I know have worked at more than one plant, by choice.  It's generally pretty rare for any sort of layoff to hit a nuclear plant given the investment the utility has made in training each worker (not just the operators).  Hiring freezes and not replacing people who leave are more typical actions utilities take when they want to reduce staffing.

[Broadzilla]

It's a far cry between a Hydro Plant and a Nuclear Plant when it comes to extending an Operating License. I'll venture an opinion right now, you'll never see a current generation plant extended to 80 years and if any do get extended none of them will be named Oyster Creek.

Mike

[HydroDave63]

While this sounds like a lot, there are a fair number of fossil/hydro stations that have been running basically forever.  My utility has a hydro plant that started up in 1911 still in service.

FERC's Division of Dam Safety has been stepping up inspections and findings on those older hydro projects, especially in the areas of concrete spall and NDT of penstocks (which has been long ignored in the hydro side of the utility industry). Due to the difficulties in accessing (much less repairing) legacy high-head hydro projects in the world of 21st century OSHA, many historical hydro projects could end up decommissioned by HQ beancounters or greenies http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3310

[mutant]

if any do get extended none of them will be named Oyster Creek.

Some in Exelon may soon view OC as more of a liability and less of an asset.

NRC to take a closer look at Oyster Creek nuclear plant
BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer
 
The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission will step up oversight of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, since the plant "crossed the threshold" for the number of unplanned shutdowns.

The NRC finished its quarterly review of the nuclear plant, which assesses performance indicators and inspection results, on Oct. 26.

"Our review of Oyster Creek performance identified that you cross the threshold from Green to White for the "Unplanned Scrams per 7000 Critical Hours" performance indicator," James W. Clifford, the NRC's acting director of the Division of Reactor Projects for Region 1 wrote in a letter to Charles G. Pardee, president and chief nuclear officer for Exelon Nuclear, the plant's owner. "This threshold was crossed due to the most recent unplanned automatic reactor scram that occurred on July 12, 2009."

[Marssim]

I'm having trouble finding accurate up to date information so im asking the people who know: If i decide not to re-enlist after my six years in the navy and go for a commercial ops job (ill be 24-25 when i start) will i be able to hold this job for the rest of my working life? at the same location?  I know there are many variables and its an impossible question to answer, so to those of you with experience in nuke field what have you observed?

That depends, you need to know when the facility's license expires. MOst are getting 20 year life extensions. If you go to Oyster Creek you'll be employed for roughly 20 years. If you're asking do Operators get laid off? No. Not in today's day and age.

Mike

It's a far cry between a Hydro Plant and a Nuclear Plant when it comes to extending an Operating License. I'll venture an opinion right now, you'll never see a current generation plant extended to 80 years and if any do get extended none of them will be named Oyster Creek.

Mike

If the stability of "job for life" is of paramount importance to you then B'zilla's comments are spot on. License expiration is not the only thing to consider. I have decommissioned perfectly good, older and brand new, licensed, commercial, nuclear power facilities. Business and politics can play a pivotal role.

If you have an idea of where you want to go let us know, one thing we can do pretty well amongst our collective experience is read the tea leaves of long term viability. Unlike the HR department, we will not give you the rose colored glasses version.

It has been a wonderful challenge to step into a plant where so many good people had the politicians, bean counters, or both, destroy their collective dreams of hearth, heart and comfortable retirement; and then I have to ask these same people for their help and cooperation in drawing up FTP's, LTP's and SSC STP's for the decommissioning about to occur all around them.

Fun times,...fun times,....

Typically;

All Northeastern and California plants operate in a distrusting to downright hostile political environment.

Southeastern plants are viewed as welcome job makers.

Midwesterners are pragmatic.

Texas plants are symbols of pride and sticking it to anyone, anywhere who doesn't like nuke plants.

Southwesterners had the good sense to put 'em far away and out of sight.

Of course I could be wrong, and if I am, somebody here will tell me about it,....

welcome to nukeworker and keep us posted,....

OBTW - thank you for your service,...

[F]

Thanks for the help. I'd love to stay in New England because thats where family is.  Im worried that as the plant licenses start to expire i might work 5-20 years at a plant and then lose my job, forcing me to relocate or get a different job.  I guess i just need to wait and watch if more plants are being closed than built I'll need to look for something esle

[B.PRESGROVE]

COME ON DOWN!!  Thats right you could be the next new hire down here in the good ol' south!!  All kidding aside, look into the southeast, cheap cost of living for the most part, great food, great folks, some of the best looking girls (save Texas) you will ever get your arms around (if your not married of course), and did I mention pretty cheap to live?  I know most of the major utilities (southern, duke, tva, scana) down here are looking for folks asap so you may have some pretty good luck.  Not sure bout the whole license thing though, but Im sure you'll be able to retire with no problems.

[HouseDad]

Thanks for the help. I'd love to stay in New England because thats where family is.  Im worried that as the plant licenses start to expire i might work 5-20 years at a plant and then lose my job, forcing me to relocate or get a different job.  I guess i just need to wait and watch if more plants are being closed than built I'll need to look for something esle

Nothing new will ever be built in New England. The NIMBYs even fight against wind power....
Find a nice southern plant / utility and have the family come visit during the winter...

[F]

it just seems to me that the whole nuclear industry isn't stable.  looking throught the plant index it seems that most of the plants were built in the late 70's or early 80's, i also noticed some of the plants have closed after 30-35 years of operation, are new plants being built or are nuclear power plants dying off?

[Marssim]

.........are new plants being built or are nuclear power plants dying off?

The vast majority of nuclear steam plants built and brought on line in the United States during the last 30 years were built and brought on line by the US Navy. So, you're living in "job for life" 'ville right now.

I sense lots of talk and some furtive movement, but I do not believe spades have been put in the ground or foundations poured in the last ten years (somebody correct me if I'm wrong).

But there are 40 or so plants with enough life left in them to provide you with the job for life you're looking for.

I believe the only one in the Northeast that is really worth considering would be Seabrook.

Search the forums some more, it reads as if there's a lot you're not seeing yet.,....

(sic)

[x633ro]

it just seems to me that the whole nuclear industry isn't stable.  looking throught the plant index it seems that most of the plants were built in the late 70's or early 80's, i also noticed some of the plants have closed after 30-35 years of operation, are new plants being built or are nuclear power plants dying off?

Dying off, just look at WB-2, the new holes dug in GA and SC and the license extensions. The nuclear navy is a much better career and much longer(do people not retire after 20 yrs anymore?) Keep drinking the Obama kool-aid. BTW do stay out of the NE if you reach a moment of clarity

[Broadzilla]

it just seems to me that the whole nuclear industry isn't stable.  looking throught the plant index it seems that most of the plants were built in the late 70's or early 80's, i also noticed some of the plants have closed after 30-35 years of operation, are new plants being built or are nuclear power plants dying off?

Most of the current plants are getting 20 year life extensions which will take them to at least the mid 2030's to 2040's.
This industry is definitely kick starting. The reason I pointed out Oyster Creek was because they got their 20 year extension virtually on the day their 40 year license was to expire. I doubt they'll get any extension past that, as it was a heck of a fight getting the extension.
The plants that closed were either too small to be economically viable or had management or licensing issues.

Mike

[DynaMike]

If you're asking do Operators get laid off? No. Not in today's day and age.

Mike

Unless you worked for USEC two months ago

But that's not a power generation company (uranium enrichment) and USEC's woes are not market or license issues. The work force demobilized at USEC is a very small percentage of the nuclear work force in the US, for sure.  As a rule (although not a steadfast one), it's safe to say that operators are safe from market volitility.