Davis-Besse

[Rennhack]

Talk about: Davis-Besse

[SloGlo]

Best place I had for the money for short term work was at the Island House Inn in Port Clinton.  It was on the western end of the main drag in PC just before the turn north across the bridge.  They did daily, weekly, and corporate rates, and were competitive with the motels and condos in town.  1 800 233 7307.  It had clean, good rooms, 1 formal dining room w/ short bar, 1 other bar w/ sandwich menu service on the premises.  Within 2 minutes walking time, there were 5 other restaurants; american, italian, chinese, and seafood; and about a half dozen drinking establishments. Driving distance to Besse was about 15 minutes.

[Rennhack]

Don't forget to vote.  Keep your comments civil.

[Pet_Cow]

It is a toss up. Davis-Besse or working somewhere else I can be severly abused and degraded. New Slogan for Besse: "More fun than a Turkish prison- honest!"

[Mongo13]

The NRC gave approval for the restart of Davis-Besse today. The plant is moving towards being at full power within two weeks.

[SloGlo]

amen mongo13.... the media has the story prior to the nrc releasing it on their web site, though...

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/National/AP.V7545.AP-Nuclear-Plant-R.html

[Nuclear NASCAR]

Here's the NRC Link: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2004/04-011iii.html 

[HockeystarMDH]

Davis-Besse might not be a five star site but I would not put it down.  Davis-Besse is coming around just give it time.  Everyone there is working hard to get it running like a well oiled machine.

[Bob]

My last stint at Davis-Besse was in 1991. The plant was still struggling from past modifications that were completed after the Three Mile Island incident. The fall classic was underway and the outage was nearing completion.

Playing in the world series that year were the contractor rad techs  ( American League) going up against the house (the National League).

Bob Nuker was handling the play by play over the headsets and Lemon Head was doing the off color commentary.

Flash back to game 7, bottom of the ninth, series tied 3 games apiece. There are two outs, the bases loaded, and Jim Heckley (name changed to protect the innocent) is on the mound, one out away from winning the World Series.

Nuker: Ah, these nuke fans I love 'em. Great seats huh buddy? Welcome back nuke fans! Bob Nuker here. Well, it all comes down to this Lemon Head. Heckley has pitched the game of his life and is only one out away from winning game 7 of the World Series.

Lemon head: Yeah, Nuker. Little Teddy C. has struggled throughout the series and unfortunately, the hopes of the rad techs lies on his shoulders. I heard Teddy was out late again last night in Canada so the advantage seems to be on Heckley's side today.

Nuker: Here we go nuke fans. Heckley checks the sign, here's the pitch. Swung on and missed strike one!

Lemonhead: Ted still looks a little wobbly from last night, Nuker.

Nuker: Well the game's in his hands now Lemon Head. His coach and teammates are counting on one more miracle as Heckley continues to dominate this series.

Heckley checks the sign. He's into the windup. Here's the pitch. Swung on and missed, strike twoooo! and the home crowd goes wild!  Heckley continues to throw heaters, Lemon Head.

Lemon Head: Yeah, Ted swung way late on that pitch, Nuker. That Canadian beer will do it to ya, eh?

Nuker: It sure will Lemon Head. Looks like Ted came home on the Schooner last night, eh?

Nuker: Well nuke fans, it all comes down to this. Heckley is just one pitch away from winning the world series for the house. Ted is struggling at the plate and his timing has been way off at the plate today.

This could be the final pitch of the series. Bases loaded! Two outs! Heckley checks the sign! Here's the pitch!

Oh  my!!!!! There's a deep drive to center field. That ball is way back there! Way back there! That ball issssssss..................Ou tta here!!!!!!  A grand slam for Ted and the contractors win the series! The contractors win the series!!!!!

Lemon head! What was Heckley thinking throwing a hanging curve to Teddy when he was 0-2 in the count and Teddy was swinging late on the heaters?

Lemon Head: I don't know Nuker. I heard Ted was striking out with the hanging curves all last night. Someone must have passed that info on to Heckley who figured the hanging curve was a sure out. Anyhow, great series. I don't think anyone gave the rad techs much of a chance tonight with Heckley on the mound.

Nuker: Heckley did pitch a great series Lemon Head. Unfortunately, for Heckley Teddy C. hung in there and was finally able to connect. What a great win for the contractors. Ah, these nuke fans, I love em.

Lemon Head: If these two teams make it to the series again next outage, Oh boy. Oh, boy. Hey, east D-ringers.

Nuker: Yeah, Lemon head.

Lemon Head: I got some insulators coming up. They're going into the east D ring to remove some insulation.

Nuker: Send them up.

What an outage that was in 1991. Besse was one of my favorite plants. Unfortunately, Besse never made it back to the series and Bob Nuker never made it back to Besse. Nuker was told the following year....budget cuts?  If Heckley had won  game 7, perhaps those budget cuts would have been restored.

 Ah, these nuke fans. I love em. This is Bob Nuker signing off. 

[JJordan]

Bob,
Ah yes remember it well!
Been there done it , got the Tshirt! (actually golf shirt, used to sell them) was hoping to return sometime! Besse was always one of my fvorites too! I was working on sharing resoureces with FENOC when they needed help but somehow my managment never followed up on it, and it never happened. Too bad. I now have new management and so do they and we are interested in sharing with other utilities again I'm with Progress Energy) We'll see!
JJ

[Bob]

For those of you who haven't checked obits recently, here's a little story about a hard working deconner I knew named Darryl Kokochak.

Anyhow, one Saturday morning Darryl showed up on top of the east D-Ring at Besse. He had been sent up to do some deconning on some major component from the refuel floor. I don't remember what it was but it was massive and highly contaminated.
Well, Darryl had been out the night before and was highly hung over. He told me he didn't think he could do the job because he didn't think he could wear a respirator without getting sick.

Well I told Darryl that sometimes a respirator could help you sweat your way out of the hangover and I had a suggestion for him that might help him get a few ZZZZZZZZ's at the same time.

Darryl had to crawl under whatever it was he was deconning and lay on his back to do the job. I suggested he bring a roll of duct tape in with him and tape his hand holding on to a rag to the bottom of the platform.

Darryl thought it sounded  like a plan and I handed him a roll of nuclear grade duct tape.

Well about a half hour later Darryl's supervisor was doing a containment walkdown and asked me if Darryl was deconning the massive structure that would soon be returning to the refuel floor. I pointed over to Darryl and said there he is. Well. the guy looked, was satisfied and off he went.

About 15 minutes later the guy came walking by again and looked at Darryl and kept on going.

I thought things were going okay for Darryl at that point. Well sonuvagun, an hour later here comes the dude again and I'm thinking, cripes it Saturday morning hardly anyone is here today what's this guy's problem.

Unfortunately, for Darryl, this guy wasn't nearsighted and he finally figured out that Darryl hadn't moved from the same spot in over an hour. The guy looked at me and immediately started screaming he's not working, he's sleeping in there! He hasn't moved from that spot in over an hour!

I had to control my laughter but I knew Darryl had already screwded up once duing the outage (trying to do a good job) and I figured this was probably going to get him either fired or on the nexrt available layoff list. I think about a week later Darryl was layed off.

So listen up all you deconners. Pay attention to your HP techs. You never know when one of them may have seen something at another plant that can "help" you out in a time of need.

[Mike McFarlin]

Currently working at Davis-Besse and things are looking up in all areas!

[Mike McFarlin]

Things are going well for RFO-14.

[SloGlo]

december in-date is a positive data input.

[nothinbuttrouble]

davis besse outage starts december 28, 2007. 

[nuke_girl]

i put in for a JR HP position for this outage..hope to see you there!!

[vikingfan]

you might just have to celebrate xmas early this year never worked besse but hear its a nice plant. close to me ....but i'm suppose to be in japan when bessie is going down so i have celebrate early also

[Broadzilla]

If I ever left TVA I'd consider going to The Bess. I grew up near her and I like the Oak Harbor/Genoa/Port Clinton Area.
It's about the only plant in the North I wouldn't mind working at and hey, they actually were dumb enough to hire me once!!!

Mike

[justatech]

Just heard from a friend that Days Zimerman NPS - (Atlantic)  has the contract for Davis Besse's February Outage..................

[Nutty Neutron]

Best place I had for the money for short term work was at the Island House Inn in Port Clinton.  It was on the western end of the main drag in PC just before the turn north across the bridge.  They did daily, weekly, and corporate rates, and were competitive with the motels and condos in town.  1 800 233 7307.  It had clean, good rooms, 1 formal dining room w/ short bar, 1 other bar w/ sandwich menu service on the premises.  Within 2 minutes walking time, there were 5 other restaurants; american, italian, chinese, and seafood; and about a half dozen drinking establishments. Driving distance to Besse was about 15 minutes.

The quote is old, but the info is new.  The Island House just reopened last summer after it went belly up in 2005.  I have not been happy with their service.  I did however enjoy their French Onion soup all five times that I gave them a try.  I live about a 1/4 of a mile from them and will wait a long while before I give them my money again because I was so unhappy with the wait staff on all of those visits.  I guess being consistently bad is their new motto.  They are lucky that I still tip 15% for BAD service.

Fall 2010 Outage starts Feb 28, 2010.

[HydroDave63]

Based on dosimetry...I think I just took 60 Rem to the head watching that! 

[Blah Blah Blah]

Just heard from a friend that Days Zimerman NPS - (Atlantic)  has the contract for Davis Besse's February Outage..................

Doesn't Bartlett have this contract too? What about all the techs Bartlett has confirmed already?

[5kip6]

Bartlett does not have contract,  I was confirmed in and they called and canceled me.  I have been contacted by Atlantic about the position.

[Rad_Owl_2]

aaahhhh Haaaaa.... now the question is will you jump from the arms of Big Blue?

[Rather Hunt Than Tech]

Word on the street has it that something was said about First Energy by someone in Bartlett and First Energy is pissed off.  Bartlett was told that they will not be the RP contractor anymore at ALL of the First Energy sites.  Atlantic will be the primary contractor.

[5kip6]

DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED,  BUT I WAS IN SHOCK WHEN WAS CALLED ABOUT DB.   BARTLETT HAS HAD THE CONTRACT THERE SINCE 1990 OR 1991.   

[Rad_Owl_2]

The real word on the street is that the First Energy person who decides who the RP contractor supplier will be is really chummy with someone at Atlantic. Interesting since NPS also has those contracts.  Just saying,

[cairnit]

Atlantic has a friend high up in the rad dept at Perry that helped them get in last outage at Perry. Guess that's all it took for them to become the primary for the system.

[SloGlo]

Slo - - - this really wasn't you that typed this, was it?

mutant.... aye gotta konfess dat wuz da unnatural rezult uv two much stimulayshun too my por system.  probly a result of alkyhall 'n memries uv da scent of suntan loshun wafting in onna breez frum da i-lands.
butt, eye nebber had bad servise at dat hotel.

[Rather Hunt Than Tech]

There seems to be staffing issues for Davis Besse's outage.  A condition report was written about it.  Positions for Sr. RP techs are yet to be filled and there a many uncommitted personnel. There are a large percentage of non returnees.  This has caused a problem with the training time needed and the time alloted for that training. There is a concern about the lack of familiarity with the plant causing performance based errors.

Bartlett had the outage fully staffed and ready to go prior to the contract being awarded to Atlantic.