Career Path > Outages

Outage vs training

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JustinHEMI05:
Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure about number 1. I was just basing it on my experience, where neither of my utilities coordinated outages with other utilities.

Cycoticpenguin:

--- Quote from: IRLFAN on Dec 16, 2010, 09:51 ---Not exactly.  Many plants are part of USA, and share resources, namely personnel.

YMMV indeed.  In my experience BWR's are also on a 1.5 year cycle.

To the OP:  whatever menial task you get assigned, if you have any unassigned time, get out in the plant and follow another NLO around.  You'll get to see and participate in things that are only done very infrequently.  This is a great opportunity to learn.  Make the most of it and good luck.

--- End quote ---


Makes sense to me. I feel I should capatilize on the plant being shutdown as much as possible. Im coming from a background of scramming for fun haha. Probably not so much on civilian side, eh? haha.

Fermi2:

--- Quote from: Charlie Murphy on Dec 16, 2010, 02:51 ---I report to my new plant about the same time they start an outage. Should I be expecting things?  Want to walk in with my eyes open is all.  NLO trainee FWIW.    

edit:  I looked at the outage schedule for next year.  couple questions

1) It looks like every plant works together in scheduling in tandem. Is this circumstantial or planned?
2) why are some outages many times longer then others? More maintenance obviously, but what? Do we have a "pms" schedule like the navy does? I.e. every ten years check certain pumps or whatever.
3) outages occur every 2-3 years?

--- End quote ---


1: Utilities coordinate outages within their fleet. Most are in the fall or spring when power is the cheapest.

2: Usually either 10 year inspections, or modifications that take a significant amount of time, or just plain old fashioned nuclear mismanagement.

3: PWRS about every 18 months. BWRs either 1.5 or 2 years it depends on the utility and whether they elected to go on a 2 year cycle. Both BWR cycles have their advantages.

No matter what there are also scams to be had but remember, as I tell my guys "You can't scam a scammer"

Neutron_Herder:

--- Quote from: Charlie Murphy on Dec 16, 2010, 10:33 ---
Makes sense to me. I feel I should capatilize on the plant being shutdown as much as possible. Im coming from a background of scramming for fun haha. Probably not so much on civilian side, eh? haha.

--- End quote ---

With the outage going on they probably won't have very much for you to do.  By the time you get there all of the jobs will have already been assigned, and you're really not qualified to do anything.

This is a chance for you to make a really good first impression by hitting the ground running.

After you get all of your training done make sure to get in the plant and look around when you can.  There are a lot of areas that are not accessible during operation, so if you don't go see the stuff while you can you might not get a chance again until the next outage.

I would fully expect that they really won't have much of a plan for you during the outage.  Don't let that discourage you.  I've seen previous non qualified people just sit there and whine the whole outage because they're bored.  The people at the plant are going to be working a LOT of hours, and they're going to be very busy...  someone whining about being bored will just piss them off.

Remember that it's NOT the Navy anymore.  People are paying attention to your actions and your attitude from the minute you walk in the door.  There will be people that scam, believe me.  Don't let it be you, and no matter what try to maintain a positive attitude...  people notice that too!

tr:
Our plant put a lot of the newly hired NLO / Chem Techs / etc. to use as fire watch, confined space monitors, and foreign material monitors.  This allowed them to be useful, exposed them to the plant, and got them used to how work is done. 

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