Watts Bar

[PWHoppe]

Industry Event,

Thanks for posting. Please try not to use all caps though. It is the internet equivalent of shouting at someone, besides it's against the forum rules. I know you didn't mean to shout, even though you are happy

Thanks again for posting, and please keep doing so

[Dream Tarheel]

I guess personal sensorship is alive and well on this site.

[BeerCourt]

No it isn't.  The posts you're looking for have been moved to Talk About Bartlett.

[Dream Tarheel]

Thanks Beercourt, I stand corrected.

 

[HydroDave63]

No it isn't.  The posts you're looking for have been moved to Talk About Bartlett.

Darnit! I was hoping to keep the mirage of repression and despotism going for a few more days at least....

[Dream Tarheel]

The SGRP started Tuesday, summer work!

And big brother is watching and reading, guess we got sold out for 30 pieces of silver.

[Foxy Silver]

Just in case your on your way to WBN, here is the latest.............

All Techs are required to pass an S3-S4 physical and a respirator fit, I guess the rubber sucking days are back, for this outage anyway.

Buyer Beware!

[ageoldtech]

Techs are required to pass a Physical not necessarily a S3 or S4.

[Roll Tide]

Techs are required to pass a Physical not necessarily a S3 or S4.

During the SQN SGRP they wanted as many as possible for flexibility....

Prepare to be flexible!

[foreverajr]

I didn't realize that it was the SGRP that started.  I was under the impression that Watts Bar was shut down due to problems with the turbine.  I heard it was going to be a 21 day outage for repair.  Did you mean that they were bringing in Techs now in preparation for the SGRP this fall?

[ageoldtech]

The SGR has not started, and is still scheduled for 09/11/06. The forced outage should last about 19 days. Yes we are bringing in technicians now in preparation for the SGR.

[Foxy Silver]

Hey OldTech, Do you even work for Bartlett, or do you just know everything?

[ageoldtech]

Silver, It doesn’t say Bartlett on my pay check, But I am here none the less.

[Mike McFarlin]

Hey Bone call me!

[foreverajr]

I was just wondering if anyone else was having trouble getting into Watts Bar for the SGRP.  A friend of mine confirmed her position at Watts Bar months ago.  She called Bartlett because her hire-in date is rapidly approaching and she hadn't recieved a in-processing package yet.  Bartlett then informed her that they had given her spot away....didn't call to tell her, or anything.  Does this happen a lot or is it just Watts Bar?  I don't understand.  I was never treated like that by Bartlett back in the day.

[Dream Tarheel]

Gave it away!

Very strange, never heard that before about Watts Bar. Must be more to the story, gotta be, but that is very strange. But then again, Watts Bar is under new management. And slowly but surely, things are changing.

Nuclear can be a very strange thing sometimes, and things dont make sense sometimes; that's for sure. But my understanding is they have it staffed (for the most part), so getting in now could be tough, but dont stop if you really want in. There is alot of people on their way there, but they are not in the door yet!

Or maybe it's not Watts Bar, always a chance of that. Maybe Eric will latch on to this one and spread some sunshine on it.

It's all yours Eric.

[Eric_Bartlett]

...A friend of mine confirmed her position at Watts Bar months ago.  She called Bartlett because her hire-in date is rapidly approaching and she hadn't recieved a in-processing package yet.  Bartlett then informed her that they had given her spot away....didn't call to tell her, or anything...

...Maybe Eric will latch on to this one and spread some sunshine on it...It's all yours Eric.

Dunno what to say - would need to know who it is and who she "confirmed" with...there have been a few people that have been told that they were approved, but at that point in time did not want to confirm, then called back later in the game after it was staffed only to find out that "their" spot had been filled...but as stated before with out knowing names and circumstances I wouldn't be able to address the situation appropriatly .  Sorry if I wasn't any help.

Eric

[foreverajr]

I have PM'd Eric.  Thanks a bunch.

[Dream Tarheel]

Thanks Eric,

Just like always, you got your ear to the ground, checkin on that renta-tech heart beat. It's good to know your listening. But I agree with you, you gotta know the "WHOLE" story.

[Roll Tide]

The TVA Board Friday authorized a comprehensive evaluation of the cost and schedule for completing the second unit at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant to determine if it is a viable option to meet future power demand.

The Board approved a recommendation from the Operations, Environment and Safety Committee to begin a Detailed Scoping, Estimating and Planning study for Watts Bar Unit 2, similar to a study TVA did on Unit 1 at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.

The Board approved the study along with the 2007 fiscal year budget, which includes $20 million to begin the study, at a meeting in Knoxville.


http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_90056.asp


Source: www.chattanoogan.com

Am I the only one excited about resuming construction? TVA would love to slip a unit in the back door prior to the ABWR & AP1000 construction flurry that is hopefully approaching.

[ageoldtech]

Unit 1 just crapped out at 12:15 today, don't know the full extent of the damage yet or if it will affect our SGR, but assessment teams are on the way in.

[Roll Tide]

Lots of folks planning on working the SGRP. How about a heads up if that schedule changes?

[ageoldtech]

Sure thing Roll Tide, I’ve got my finger on the pulse. We have a leak on the Safety injection system inside the polar crane wall that will require some welding and we have some turbine generator issues that have not been total addressed yet. As of now the outage is still a go for 9/11/06.

[DaveWarren]

Devil's advocate here.........

When I was at Oak Ridge, word on the street was this:
Alot of folks were pretty miffed when they all sent their resumes to Bartlett for a special project at Watts Bar prior to the SGRP, and the next thing you know, their co-workers are saying "Hey, Bartlett called me about Watts Bar, and I didn't even submit".

The conspiracy theories snowballed, and the consensus was that they used alot of resumes in the contract pre-approval process, that never even got considered for the jobs there. The fix was in, and Bartlett knew well in advance, who was going and who wasn't.

Just what I observed folks.....Eric would have never let that happen anyway..

[Dream Tarheel]

Maybe............

Resumes were sent in, "QUALIFIED PEOPLE" were requested and contacted and after they shook the bag, they accepted the ones they took. WBN that is, not Bartlett. Just cause you send in your resume, doesn't mean they cant call someone who didnt send one in.

Whats so covert about that, been the way Nuclear Power operates for decades.

like I said, Maybe..........

[DaveWarren]

Maybe I won the Powerball last night too.....

This industry has been that way forever. You are correct. I just thought I would throw out some fodder for the good old boys down at Oak Ridge, who didn't get a shot at the WBN network....

We gotta stick together. It's a scary world out there...

[ageoldtech]

Dream Tarheel is correct; the résumé’s were approved by TVA and contract personnel. At one point there were over 200 résumé’s on the table.  TVA was looking for techs with SGR experience, with Ft. Calhoun happening at the same time and paying more cash, those folks were hard to find. A percentage of the people on the list were brought in simply because they were TVA returnees and would need no training. Training was a huge concern, due to the fact that TVA had limited resources in the training department. For some of the non returnees it took 6 months to complete all their training. We also hand picked techs that were not on the initial list, but that was mostly for ALARA engineering, supervisors, lead techs and radwaste positions.
Plant Update: The unit is now in mode 3, the SI leak is repaired, and we should sink back to the grid this weekend if all goes well.

[DaveWarren]

Hey, it sounds like you were keeping it real, ageoldtech.

As long as you got the most qualified techs, that's all that matters....

[foreverajr]

I know for a fact that there were a few brand new juniors who were brought in early.  I won't disclose the reason, but it wasn't all on the up and up.  They were brought in before returnees and locals which does upset people.....can't imagine why.  It hasn't happened to me, getting kicked aside for a junior right off the street, however seeing it happen to friends/family is never fun.

[DaveWarren]

I knew there was a straight shooter out there somewhere.

So, obviously, the rumors weren't all false.
Hey, foreverajr, kudos to you for keeping it real.

From the consensus, some of the folks that went there were not what you might call the most qualified or the elite. I guess it all boils down to which side of the game you are on.