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Palisades

Above Average
18 (32.1%)
Average
14 (25%)
Below Average
24 (42.9%)

Total Members Voted: 18

Author Topic: Palisades  (Read 125217 times)

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Offline Rennhack

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Palisades
« on: Nov 30, 2002, 07:48 »
Don't forget to vote.  Keep your comments civil.

Offline Rennhack

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #1 on: Nov 30, 2002, 09:33 »
Talk About: Palisades

Jen-Jen

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #2 on: Feb 07, 2003, 12:02 »
I guess not too many people want to talk about Palisades, but like DC Cook they had a big management change in 2001, and they are doing really, really great.  They made lots of great improvements, and are actually spending more time running than shutdown!!

Starting in March they are trying for a 25 day refueling outage.  That's not an easy thing to accomplish!! We'll see what happens! ;)

DainJer

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #3 on: Feb 07, 2003, 05:55 »
25 days? why so long?   hahaha...just kidding...today anything above 20 days is considered wasteful

Offline AMU

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #4 on: Feb 08, 2003, 09:45 »
I always preferred Palisades to Cook, the atmosphere seemed a little more friendly.  

Oly

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #5 on: Feb 22, 2003, 08:29 »
;D

What jumper said, cya in March! [smiley=nut.gif]

capper

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #6 on: Feb 26, 2003, 06:46 »
25 days may seem like a long outage by todays standard.  But considering 42 days is palisades previous best, 25 days would be great.  I agree with Jen, Palisades has made numeous improvents over the last two years.  Its a good place to work, just HIGH DOSE.

HouseSnake

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #7 on: Feb 26, 2003, 06:58 »
I loved Palisades when I was there in '93. They told us the outage was scheduled for 54 days, but if they beat their previous best of 72 days they would consider it a sucess, and if it was under 90 days they would be happy. They lifted a control rod with the head, left a fuel pin on the floor of the lower cavity, had to lift the head again, lifted a bundle with the internals (second time) and I left after ~ 80 days to go to Sturgis, heard it lasted 6 months. Best place to get paid to watch screwups I've ever been. Ahh, for the good old days

duke99301

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #8 on: Feb 26, 2003, 10:26 »
worked there as a safety manger, during there head problems
great site very cold in the winter.

piglet1

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #9 on: Mar 18, 2003, 11:34 »
Palisades is moving up in the world.
I have been here for 5 yrs now, and things have really changed.
This place used to be a real hole to work in; dirty, crusty, and really, really leaky.
In the past few years, though, something happened. I think it was the "fix it fairy", but I am not sure.
Anyway, we really started to look at our procedures, plant labeling, material condition and the site in general; we realized we were never going to get life extension in the shape we were in.
Now, we have moved from dead last to the 2nd quartile. The plant is getting painted to to bottom, all of the trailers have been removed from the property, new BIG labels under 1 format are being made....
Management has changed, alot of the old guard has moved out.
We are part of NMC now, for better or worse.
I think at the rate we are moving, we will get a life extension.
Our only real problem now is the AO's we just qualified....

trouble1

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #10 on: Mar 18, 2003, 09:19 »
Hey Piglet1, I think we said that about our trainees 5 years ago.  Tell everyone I said "hi" and things are good at Comanche Peak.


piglet1

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #11 on: Mar 19, 2003, 04:30 »
howya doin' trouble(appropriate name!)
We just started our spring refout, the usual cluster is happening.
polar crane broke(again)
smoked a charging pump during solid plant ops.
same ol' same ol' ;D

NascarTerry

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #12 on: Sep 24, 2004, 10:21 »
From the mid 80's to the early 90's I'd grab every outage (emergency or Otherwise) I could for Palisades. I loved that place!!!! With House management like "Uncle Dicky" running the show I'd have almost payed them to work there!!! (I did say Almost). South Haven was a Kick butt place to live, MMmmmmmm the women, and the night life!! Great People to work with, And whats the problem with "Dose"??? Myself and My bestest Buddy "Trinity" were the S/G Guru's of Palisades......We OWNED those platforms. And who will ever forget our favorite Drink.......The "NUCLEAR HOLOCOST!!!! Been there got the shirt!!! Many times. Huckleberries....What a Bar!!!! Awwww the memories. One of the few places I actually miss since I left the road....Bummer that they've repainted everything though.....Lot of history was written on Dem Walls...*LOL*. Bet they still havn't found the "Secret Writings" yet.... *Hint*....Look UNDER the S/G's.....Ain't gonna say exactly where :D
Wish I could turn back time.......I'd go back to the "Sades" ANYTIME!!!!!!!

Offline dblaies

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #13 on: Sep 24, 2004, 01:37 »
Hello,

Worked 1980-1983 at palisades in South Haven. Was there the day of turbine explosion, main ct pump failure and et cetera. Any old-timers left there? Healy, Eastman, others?

can send direct email to dblaies@ameritech.net

-Dave ;D
Author of Migrant Nuclear Worker's Guide
Inventor of Zn-64 depleted Zinc additions.

IPREGEN

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #14 on: Sep 24, 2004, 02:09 »
Worked three consecutive outages in the 90's, starting from the broken fuel rod. Had a great time. The best thing about the place was the house folks. They treated us okay and we worked well together. Would be great to get back there.

Offline devildog

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #15 on: Sep 27, 2004, 04:27 »
I do not know what you people are smoking, but Palisades is a hole !!!!! has always been a hole and will always be a hole. the area may be nice but the rent is high because the people who rent to you  think they should get your diem!!!! as for the plant they are under staffed, and run you like a dog!!!!!! High dose, is an understatement. I thought last outage was bad and it could not be worse this outage!!! hahaha, it is ten times worse. besides the prices, the high dose, it is dangerous, push push push!!!!! one of ours ,we think broke is ankle last night, and they expect him in work tonight so they dont get a lost time accident. three strike rule applies here. 3rd outage and they are out.they wonder why the returnee rate is one of the worse. i know techs will always come here to work and i  wish you the best. i do not like saying this but in this case it applies. I will never ever come back here to work. hahahaha

Offline imbucky

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #16 on: Oct 07, 2004, 05:32 »
I was there for the last outage and it was "challenging". I'm sure that all the techs there are doing the best job they can under the circumstances with the NMC runnin the show. I've seen how that goes too often.
Maybe Palisades is feeling the loss Butch and Jubal. If they aren't I'm sure THE CURVE is?!?
Life is NOT like a box of chocolates.

It's more like a jar of Jalapenos....what you do today might burn your ass tomorrow.......

CJ Col Ski

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #17 on: Oct 07, 2004, 06:47 »
Hmm... personally have never worked Palisades. Worked from '91 to 2000 on the road before taking a permanent position at Monti with Xcel Energy. Of course; myself, and those within RP/Chem group became NMC employees when they took the management reigns in 2001. As an NMC employee... (and a former road tech)--it really bums me out to see some of the stuff I'm seein' regarding PI and Palisades. I can attest that things are run a little tighter under NMC mode. There have been some improvements overall, but some things are not as user friendly. The corporate dollar has become a factor in the latter. I understand (and I hope you do too) that labor is (and always was) the first (and quickest--though not the easiest or best) way to reduce O & M costs (Read: reduce cost per Kwh). Unfortunately, you and I that work in the trenches often get "squeezed" from lower/intermediate mgmt levels due to pressures (whether perceived or real) from senior mgmt levels to achieve maximum performance at minimum cost. That is really where we're at right now. I know here at Monti--it's the same people working in the field that have been for years. The changes have been at the top. (in our case... mostly for the better). From what I can see... many of these difficulties have come from some managers who seem to have forgotten that those of us in the field are what put the food on their tables (not vice-versa). It disturbs me that this is occurring within NMC. I can remember working at a certain former Com-Ed facility and being treated like an outcast---needless to say, I stayed very shortly---and vowed to never work any of their sites after that (I didn't, and won't). I know that nobody is, and cannot be perfect---I'm just hoping that you're being treated with the proper respect by the working level people such as myself. If things start going "south" from our level---then, we truly do have issues.       Respectfully,  Cory J. Jaskowiak MNGP RPT...

Offline Already Gone

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #18 on: Oct 07, 2004, 07:20 »
Great People to work with, And whats the problem with "Dose"??? .......I'd go back to the "Sades" ANYTIME!!!!!!!

The way I remember it, you, Brewster Moffat and I got freakin' SMOKED in the cavity by that mystery washer.  Of course, Bruce and I only got hit with 200 and 300 respectively, but I remember that you got nailed with a GRAND!!!!

Then there was the time that the valve crew dumped an ocean of SFP water in Safeguards.  That was the first time I ever saw a Ludlum frisker peg on high scale when the smear was just in the room with it.

I really loved the answer I got when I asked why there was a bow and arrow in a rad bag out in the barn.

Nah!  I'm not going back if it means doing that stuff again.  Maybe I'll go for the turbine work.
« Last Edit: Oct 07, 2004, 07:22 by Beer Court »
"To be content with little is hard; to be content with much, impossible." - Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Offline devildog

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #19 on: Oct 08, 2004, 02:10 »
Hey CJ Col Ski, it sounds to me you are bucking for a promotion or something. As you said, you have never worked at Palisades. The topic is talk about Palisades, not Monti or PI . Maybe you should start a topic I love NMC or I love Monti. I have worked at Palisades and i am currently working there for another couple of days. They work the shit out of good techs and let the fat,lazy one armed techs sit around drink pop and eat Ho Ho's all day.  Then after 18 days and 1000 mrem, they watch us run for the gate, like champion race horses and wonder why no one wants to come back next time. If that is the way you do business at Monti , then i will mark that one off the list along with Palisades. Good luck to you in your upcoming outage with the one armed fat lazy techs and wonder why you will never ever be a Diablo Canyon. How many outages have you been too that the company will  not feed the techs? Welcome to Palisades. Everyone had to almost beg NMC to buy dinner. so they bought Pizza and not enough at that. not even pop!!!! Cheap Cheap Cheap. As for Jubal and Butch, Way to go, smart for getting out of hell before they took your spine too. the curve will never be the same without them. RIP Palisades........ for the only view i want to see, is your plant in my rear  view mirror as i am driving down the road.

NascarTerry

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #20 on: Oct 08, 2004, 06:41 »
Hey Beer Court!! Didn't know there was anybody that remembered the night of the "Mystery Washer" Yah that was quite the night alrighty. But Heck, What's a few "Blacked Out" extremity chips amongst friends eh?? *LOL* Great to see your still around Pard If ya see Brewster tell him Hi fer me. ANd the Bow and Arrow??? Just SMoke and Mirrors Man....Smoke and Mirrors...*LMAO*


The way I remember it, you, Brewster Moffat and I got freakin' SMOKED in the cavity by that mystery washer.  Of course, Bruce and I only got hit with 200 and 300 respectively, but I remember that you got nailed with a GRAND!!!!

Then there was the time that the valve crew dumped an ocean of SFP water in Safeguards.  That was the first time I ever saw a Ludlum frisker peg on high scale when the smear was just in the room with it.

I really loved the answer I got when I asked why there was a bow and arrow in a rad bag out in the barn.

Nah!  I'm not going back if it means doing that stuff again.  Maybe I'll go for the turbine work.

Offline PWHoppe

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #21 on: Oct 08, 2004, 01:40 »
This thread has been both painful and sad for me to read. Having spent a lot of time at Palisades in the early to mid '80's I always looked fondly at my time there. Yes, there was mucho dose but the folks there were among the best in the business. The whole plant was like a big family, and that includes all the crafts, maintenace, ops, hp's, etc, etc, etc. We had BBQ's, Turkeys on Thanksgiving, and Potlucks throughout. It has been many, many years since I have been back but I guess things have changed. One comment that does seem odd however concerns being fed. I guess I don't understand the "feeding" of the techs. All of the aforementined feasts I spoke of were brought in by the people themselves, not supplied by the company. It was the family atmosphere that caused everyone to get together and do this. I never expected any company to feed me at any outage I worked. I just expected them to pay me. Oh well, sorry to see that The 'Sades has become so disliked. It will always be a fond memory for me and still has some of my best friends.
If a chicken and a half can lay an egg and a half in a day and a half, how many days will it take a grasshopper with a rubber foot to kick a hole in a tin can?

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CJ Col Ski

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #22 on: Oct 08, 2004, 07:07 »
I am sorry to inform you, Mr. Devildog, that I have worked at Diablo Canyon (Fall of 1999 Nightshift refuel floor for Jim Knight)---Diablo was a place I enjoyed very much when I worked there (good people--beautiful area). I've also worked at several other facilities--and, like you, I have some that I wouldn't go back to, if I decided to go back on the road again. I am also sorry to inform you that I am not one of these so-called "fat, lazy, one-armed techs" you talk so fondly of. I am just the opposite. I don't think I know you personally 'dog--but, if you've been in this industry (or any industry for that matter) for any length of time (which I'm guessing you have...) you should have already seen that there are go-getters (i.e. those that don't need prodding/coddling to get things done, and done right), there are the average "joes" (i.e. folks that'll do the work--but wait to be told to do so, or need a little instruction first), and there are those that are good for nothing (i.e. shouldn't be there in the first place). Think about it... if you were to choose someone to do a job for you---who are you going to put on it?? Life is not fair, nor will it ever be... There are good people and bad people--not everyone is out to wreck your day... you have control over your decisions, your attitude, and your actions--not anyone else..... Also... in the industry we work in,  a company name is just that, a company name... it is the individual people representing that name that make it, or break it... -----As far as promotions go--I prefer to let my abilities speak for me, not my mouth or my typing skills---besides, at the moment... I like what I do, I'm compensated well for doing just that---and, just so happens--Minnesota is home for me. Have a good day!!

Offline devildog

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #23 on: Oct 08, 2004, 07:47 »
First of all Mr. Ski, you are taking this as a personnel attack, which it was never the intent. You are making this a war of words. Once again this is bout Palisades not you or me. I never stated you were a fat lazy one-armed tech, nor did I question your ability as a tech or anything else. As far as Diablo Canyon it is the best in the country and they get the best techs and why is that? Because they cut out the middleman and give the extra to the techs. That is a given. I am glad you worked there, as have I. As far as Palisades it is still a hole and until you work there than you should not even be here commenting on Palisades. As, far as the feeds. I do expect them to show appreciation for all the hard work and  give us a dinner or two. The only food on site is from a machine. We are here to do a job, away from our loved ones, living in hotels, so yes a descent meal is a way to say Thanks we appreciate the job you are doing for us.  It’s the little things that count. I am not saying buy us steak or a lobster dinner. A little goes a long way, when you are planning out your next job. These are the things you remember. That is the point. Have a nice day to you sir

CJ Col Ski

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Re: Palisades
« Reply #24 on: Oct 08, 2004, 07:59 »
Sorry, Mr. Devildog...

You are right... I gotta keep my nose outta this. I just let some of this get to me 'cause it seemed to hit a little close to home...
Have a good one...

 


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