River Bend

[Rennhack]

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

[uRiaL]

:oI AM SCHEDULED TO GO TO THE REFUELING OUTAGE AT RIVERBEND,i WOULD APPRECIATE ANY LODGING INFO ABOUT THIS AREA.

[wizzer]

What's the scoop on River Bend?  Heard their last outage was a tough one with lots of challenges for RP.

[luckyu]

We've had better.  Until the CEO's who are running these plants come to the realization that the last place you want to cut corners and budgets is in RP, it's my opinion that more plants are going to have outages from HELL. PSL, River Bend, Perry have had their problems already.  I'm sure there are others that we haven't heard about this spring.

[maxupdate]

Seems to be a lot belt tightening going on these days.  And RP is often undervalued for its role at the station.  Sites where senior site management values and supports RP are really at an advantage.  I think non-RP management sometimes forgets that a significant SNAFU in RP or a number of minor ones can get the plant on the NRC's radar screen just as quickly as anything else...and think of all the help they (NRC) will give you then.

[Camella Black]

If anyone has a favorite hang out, place to shop, or local information for this area please post it here.

[LaFeet]

Okay... this is my first outage after a nuber of DOE and D&D projects.  And I ahve to say that I have had fun... perhaps sweaty fun... but fun none the less.  Looking forward to other outages for the experience and people.

[radman5030]

You are in shock...Be glad you didn't work at Grand Goof, River Bend is bad enough, Look what it did for your spelling.... 

Now try to make a living in commercial power with 10 to 30 day outages, you will come back down to earth. 

This too shall pass, good luck.

[LaFeet]

You are in shock...Be glad you didn't work at Grand Goof, River Bend is bad enough, Look what it did for your spelling.... 

Now try to make a living in commercial power with 10 to 30 day outages, you will come back down to earth. 

This too shall pass, good luck.

I managed to have a great time at Riverbend, an in the drywell at that.  Worked for a couple of fun supervisors and harrassed the heck out of AD Payne.

I also strolled through Grand Gulf recently with the same results.  I have made a very nice living during the past few outage cycles and will probably continue to do so for the next two years.

As for my spelling,  well, thats because I still drink real beer and not the fizzy yellow weak stuff.... 

[Joe Mama]

I use to be a house tech there.   Shady people were in charge of the Radiation Protection group.   Ed XXXXX and Wayne XXXXX are very nasty  people.  I understand they are not there anymore.   Good.


Edit: removed actual names due to libel concerns

[remowil55]

I worked River Bendyouover, on refuel #4, i have to say in fairness they were owned by Gulf States Utilities at that time. It was a normal refuel, it took 7 months, and it sucked. That is the only plant that i have said i would never work again and i haven't. That part of Lousiana was great but the plant was a nightmare. There were so many accidents that we use to bet on what time the Ambulance was going to show up. The horror stories i could tell you about that place.Remo

[flamatrix99]

So what's the skinny with River Bend? Anyone been there recently?  I am considering a job there and hoped for some info... Thanks...

[Asa1]

Started there. It was a good place to learn.

[shovelheadred]

....worked a short maintenance outage in February..house techs were very accomodating (spelling?)...they treated us like rent-a-techs should be treated,,,they cooked every nightshift and included us,,,the site contact was a great guy, he kept 4-5 people after the outage, and the techs that needed to leave early he let go,,Lane Johnson ( son of the late /great Dave Johnson) an old school renta tech,,,took care of the nightshift...I dont usually have much to say about a plant...but this one was good in february 2006, may not be now, but was then......... the Wayne and Ed show is over, they also trashed the Ferry, back in 85' before they left to go to Riverbend

[LaFeet]

Keep meaning to go back.... just have not made room in the schedule yet.  Gotta agree with ya Shovelhead about how they treat the renties.... made me fell right at home and welcome, and it was my first outage - period.

[RAD-GHOST]

Sure is Quiet? 

Their first outage with the NEW & IMPROVED, finely tuned, management team!

Any chance for an improvement in the poll?

RG!

[Dave Warren]

Does anyone have a contact in the ALARA Department that can give me information on River Bend's Reactor Recirc Pump Changeout Dose?

[UncaBuffalo]

Heard a rumor that the next outage might be 60 days.  Yes?  No?

Thanks!

[flamatrix99]

Heard a rumor that the next outage might be 60 days.  Yes?  No?

Thanks!

We were told at least 40 days.

[UncaBuffalo]

We were told at least 40 days.

Cool! 

Don't suppose you've heard if they are going to be bringing down shared-resource from the northern plants?

[flamatrix99]

I have no idea.

[refuelflunkie]

It is currently scheduled for 24 days.  No word on northern shared resources.

[wmbesaw]

When is scheduled to start?

[flamatrix99]

I believe around Sept 20th. I am not a big fan of outages so I personally hope it is short n sweet as long as they fix what they need too. We finally have had a decent run. If it had not been for Hurricane Gustav it would have been just shy of bkr to bkr.

[retired nuke]

Heard rumors of a few contamination issues, possibly short staffed for RP - howzitgoin??

[slattmandu]

I heard a little rumour earlier in my shift. I heard the Palace might be sending a ALARA type and a couple Rad. Waste handlers (house decon) down to assist with the outage.

[retired nuke]

They tried to recruit a couple here from VY for the same rescue mission - nobody bit - no agreement to cover expenses, pay, etc...

[LaFeet]

Wow  am I out of touch   hope all went well down there.  Too bad Im out of the lopp for a while.  I do miss some of the outages.

[Cycoticpenguin]

coming around that time... anyone know our outage bonus?

[Cycoticpenguin]

The bonus is the opportunity to work more..... and feel good about yourself. 

lmao, youre still brainwashed by the navy my friend. We get PAYED for overtime here

[HydroDave63]

  I think that I am bringing something new to this forum... I just haven't put a finger on what I would call it...

[OldHP]

Yes! I am like Sarah Palin to democracy!

Try TP and then you might know! 

[Cycoticpenguin]

Hahahaha

[HydroDave63]

Yes! I am like Sarah Palin to democracy!

I think we have found DaveWarren's long-lost lovechild from WestPac many moons ago

[Cycoticpenguin]

Well Sir, your criticism is fair and I find it to be a compliment. I did have to do some research because it appeared to be a term commonly used by a younger girl.... But in your case, completely acceptable!  I think that I am bringing something new to this forum... I just haven't put a finger on what I would call it...

So what you are saying, you are the antithesis to a "goob". 

[Cycoticpenguin]

So I made fun of this girl at work today by immitaing large breasts and speaking rather incoherently, and I was told that I was a goob.
Thats 2 times in my life, both this week, that this has come up. Only this time I was prepared for it, because I knew what it was.
If it means doing stuff like the above, then I guess I am. This term just doesn't sound appealing to me though, and I am not sure who this Dave Warren cat is.
Does he look like the model in the picture? That picture btw is going to be me when I start my own Navy with less BS...

First Confederate Navy Of Texas eh? or Mchales Navy?

[Nuclear NASCAR]

Texas Lake Navy, btw we have completely derailed this thread... Like completely...

You are correct.  Posts will disappear in the cleanup.  Thanks for understanding.

[Cycoticpenguin]

You are correct.  Posts will disappear in the cleanup.  Thanks for understanding.

Sorry bossman! should I make a new thread for my question?

[Dinerp]

Riverbend has some good house tech. I can not say the same for management. I will not go back and I am probably not welcome back.

[Bill Nichols]

Just processed out (RF-18) and don't know why River Bend has received such poor ratings.  The fifth RPM in five years (Brad Cole) seems to be a good guy and he's more than willing to buck outage/plant management - he did it this outage.  He will enforce sound RP practices regardless of push-back from senior management.
Each technician has an assigned role and (s)he won't get jerked around.
The RP facilities are very nice.  The house techs are supportive and friendly, same with the supervisors.  The outage was heavily staffed with contract decon technicians and RPs; many, many returnees.  Some (don't know how many) house decon technicians.  The instrument technicians keep all of the instruments working.  They even keep the radios/headsets working.
Overall, River Bend is a nice place to work.

Down-side:
The facility is huge and finding your way through the maze is difficult.
Coffee is hard to find.
The cafeteria is outside the protected area but there is an outage cafe just outside the Services Building (just downstairs from Access Control).  The cafe's hours of operation, though, are minimal.
DZ had a break trailer but it was too distant to be useful.
I hesitate to say this because River Bend was my first boiler in 32 years but the contamination levels seem extremely high.  Extremely high.  Rad smearable is too common and multiple mRad smearable is everywhere.  The oxide layer can be measured with a ruler.
The facility has an incredible number of instruments but as might be expected, there are too few during crunch time.  Finding a Hivol shortly after a big clearance is hung proves to be difficult (hoarding might be the issue).  Same with portable friskers.

[navynukedoc]

I left RBS a couple of weeks ago and had a similar experience, however, I didn't have any issues finding instruments after the outage started. (I was there for a month before it started)

I agree that the staff there is great! it was one of the best outages I have had in a long time.

Contam is industry average. These plants aren't new. (Brown's Ferry is a "dirty" plant if you ask me.)

And the plant wasn't hard to navigate, but if you have spent 30+ years in a PWR, then yeah, boilers are harder to find things in.

If I had to complain about anything it would have been the prices..... shocker, right? The hotels raised rates to $500 or so a week, the cafeteria cost 9 dollars for a burger and fries (and they had a huge ARI with the taste versus value position)

And the town of St. Francisville had very little to do on your days off which meant driving 40 minutes plus to Baton Rouge.

Last but not least, the pay / diem rate could use a good 20% bump!


Great time of year to go, there weren't ANY mosquitoes!!!


Just my .02

-Doc

[Joe Mama]

What is Riverbend like now?
Is unit 2 still a hole in the ground?
I was there as a house tech from 89 to 92, during that time, we had the whole place deconned.
How things have degenerated so.

[pmurberg92]

I'm trying to get Riverbend NRC form 4 dose records for 2013 and 2017. 
Is there a phone no or email to contact?

[Rennhack]

I'm trying to get Riverbend NRC form 4 dose records for 2013 and 2017. 
Is there a phone no or email to contact?

https://www.reirs.com/requests.html

https://apps.orau.gov/CER/DoseHistoryRequest/Form

[legacy65]

Anyone have any thoughts on lodging at Riverbend and the atmosphere at the plant in RP.

[LillyB]

Looking for lodging for Riverbend area for 1 male Ben Spainhour contact 4795674392

[hamsamich]

I liked it there....some of the lead techs were good and a couple of the supervisors were good.  They elevated one of the superVs to superintendent.  He was excellent.