Portsmouth questions

[TrueNorth]

What's the plant like? (From the vantage point of someone with a desk job.)

Since the plant is shut down and getting cleaned up, is it mostly pretty empty except for pockets of activity scattered here and there?

Once you get there and park, how long does it usually take to get through security, walk to your office, etc?

Is there a cafeteria? Good, bad or average?

What I should know about Portsmouth ahead of time?

[Marlin]

Depends the site has NRC and DOE regulated areas. The area is rural and pretty but has one of the highest poverty rates in Ohio. My wife worked there and seemed to like it in the plant but not so much in the area. Cincinnati is not that far away and has a lot of culture. The standing joke being there is no "sin" in Cincinnati. There are broadway shows good museums, a lot of good diverse restaurants, and festivals.

[TrueNorth]

Hi Marlin, thanks for the reply.

Can you elaborate a bit more?

For instance, what didn't your wife like about the area and did she find out that some towns are to be preferred over others as places to live?

[Marlin]

For instance, what didn't your wife like about the area and did she find out that some towns are to be preferred over others as places to live?

Not much to do locally, except for those who work at the facility not much in common with local population.

[atomicarcheologist]

I understand the worst part of the plant is the leg trap. 

[portshp]

the DOE side (getting ready to start D&D) is ok i worked on that side for a while, the contract is still in up in the air for hp contract so I'm told, but alot of the techs that worked there that weren't locals, would drive from dayton, Columbus, or cincy just so they have something to do after work. now if you are a home body, waverly is a better place than piketon or portsmouth. all three suffer from the pill highway (rt 23) which has  the crime rates high and you getting pulled over for doing 39 in a 35 more likely. chillicothe is larger of course and has a movie theatre and more food choices but the crime also is just as bad. as far as the plant, the parking is ok if you show up 20-25 minutes prior to your start time, if you show up much later you are huffing it to the guard shack, after the security check most people walk or ride bikes, a lucky few have golf carts or cars, (im sure there will be more vehicles in the future) and you may have a short (200-300 yards) walk to your building depending on where your stationed, or a walk 3 or 4 times that. the locker rooms are pretty packed, they are shared by all craft, good luck getting a locker, the hp offices are ok, some are packed some have plenty of room, and i was told by some friends i have there still that the cafe is slated close this month, so you will be ordering out or packing, there isnt a place close enough to go get food and come back in time.

[SCMasterchef]

Piketon is approximately 100 miles from Cincy.  The Piketon area is very rural with little there including fast food, grocery stores (of any size), and night options.  Portsmouth is a little better and Chillicothe has a few more but nothing of any significance.  Columbus is probably 50-60 miles away to the southern point so temporary housing is pretty much limited to Portsmouth and Chillecothe.  There is a large housing facility in Chillicothe, the prison.  It has limited rentals but a lot of residents.

[fabshop64]

Hey just wanted to add my 2 cents worth.Big changes sometime this year. there are a lot of people sitting around waiting on task, due to limited funding. But when they get the green flag its going to be a money maker! Finding a place to live is going to be the hardest, I drive from outside of Columbus every day. They still have not awarded the Rad Con contract yet, there really isn't anything to do in piketon or Waverly. Most of my co workers stay here during the week and go home on the weekends. I have been here for a year what I'm doing I cant say, but I do have my finger on the pulse. This is my second site closure with Fluor, but this is their biggest challenge, due to transition and funding.