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Palo Verde

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28 (35.9%)
Average
26 (33.3%)
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24 (30.8%)

Total Members Voted: 33

Author Topic: Palo Verde  (Read 301568 times)

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Offline roadhp

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #275 on: Apr 06, 2011, 05:09 »
????????
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Offline RDTroja

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #276 on: Apr 06, 2011, 02:33 »
RP's go anywhere else and not palo verde

You feel like telling us why or should we just assume a personal grudge that the rest of us don't care about?
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anywho

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #277 on: Apr 06, 2011, 06:10 »
You feel like telling us why or should we just assume a personal grudge that the rest of us don't care about?

Now without being here its not nice to just assume that it is a personal grudge and that no one cares, you know what they say about assuming. 10 hr out of 12 hr in the can with no chillers you are soaking wet in 30 min--heat stress issue not being addressed, nothing to drink when you come out almost dead from dehydration, outage leader is a hitler--screams and treats techs like crap, they are 16 or so techs short (wonder why) and if thats not enough 30 min or more sitting in your car to get through the security checkpoint then another 30 min to get thru the security building just to get to the abuse. So please come on out and enjoy.

Offline RDTroja

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #278 on: Apr 06, 2011, 06:24 »
Now without being here its not nice to just assume that it is a personal grudge and that no one cares, you know what they say about assuming. 10 hr out of 12 hr in the can with no chillers you are soaking wet in 30 min--heat stress issue not being addressed, nothing to drink when you come out almost dead from dehydration, outage leader is a hitler--screams and treats techs like crap, they are 16 or so techs short (wonder why) and if thats not enough 30 min or more sitting in your car to get through the security checkpoint then another 30 min to get thru the security building just to get to the abuse. So please come on out and enjoy.

Thanks anyway, I already have a good job.

Your explanation may make things a little clearer to those who may be considering working there, rather than just an obscure 'Go anywhere else.' Now they have at least something to think about before making their decision. It may provide some value, whereas your original statement did not. It sounded like just another disgruntled worker with a grudge. Thanks for adding some clarification.

BTW, I was not assuming anything. I merely asked if that was your intent in your original post.
"I won't eat anything that has intelligent life, but I'd gladly eat a network executive or a politician."

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"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to understand that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
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I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it.

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Offline Dave Warren

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #279 on: Apr 06, 2011, 11:02 »
You aren't the first one that told me about this. Palo Verde has always had a good-old-boy network (like all plants) and after awhile, people will tend to sour on that. Every site goes through it and PV is no exception. I was there for almost 6 years as a contractor and I have heard that things are as bad as they have ever been out there. Good luck to you and just remember that the weather there is awesome and you could be here by Cleveland.

Offline techtoolong

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #280 on: Apr 07, 2011, 08:29 »
Anywho is just scratching the surface. The RP supervisor in Unit 1 is a physco and the place is like prison camp.  I think Sheriff Joe's tent cities might be better than PV. 

Sun Dog

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #281 on: Apr 07, 2011, 08:47 »
Anywho is just scratching the surface. The RP supervisor in Unit 1 is a physco and the place is like prison camp.  I think Sheriff Joe's tent cities might be better than PV.  

Wow.  Has it always been that nice of a place to work?  Do all three units provide the same quality experience for travelers?  Is it the ownership or is it just a few misfits at U1?

I suppose this gem should get crossed off of the traveler's list, at least for the near-term.

« Last Edit: Apr 07, 2011, 09:48 by Sun Dog »

Offline BStella

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #282 on: Apr 08, 2011, 12:32 »
 :-\ As some may know (from previous posts), I am a house tech at PV.  I am not posting to start anything with Anywho (or anyone else), as I don't know this person's background and I am not playing RP this outage (but I've been there and done that).  I am only here to point out some facts.  We are in week one of our outage; one of the most busy times.  CTMT is still warm (it will cool off)...and Yes, we are short of what we desired as outside help (for whatever reasons; I'm outside that loop).  We all feel the pressure...but that doesn't mean we ALL don't have the "right" to call foul.  If you feel like you are being asked more than what you are able, "speak up".  We can find another RP job for you to do.  This you can believe.  If you know a better way; "speak up".  If you have problems with a RPL; we have many...seek another one out.  There's always your coordinator or HR.  Find some friends, have some Fun.  BUT, with all this said, I want all to know, I do take some offense to this outsider calling the U1 RP Supervisor a Physco...he is one of the most laid back people I know.  So...please don't slam me too hard for my opinion (I won't respond; I don't think :)...because I'm pretty sure IDC.  P&L   8)

Offline Incline

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #283 on: Apr 08, 2011, 10:09 »
I went to PV in 2005 and it sounds like not much has changed. RCB was hot, we were treated worse than contractors by the house folks, one particular supervisor didn't have a clue or tact, and the site coordinator at the time was possibly the most incompetent human i ever dealt with. But I would go back in a heartbeat...as long as I was running the pump to fill it full of concrete. That is one place that NEEDS a good house cleaning and to bring in some new blood.

Offline hamsamich

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #284 on: Apr 08, 2011, 11:34 »
I have never been there but a couple good friends of mine who are very well respected as RP don't really want to go back there due to getting their a$$es worked off because they felt bad for the group pitching in much more than some others.  Can you say North Anna?  Uncle Buffalo would love it there.  He can't stop working.  Except for spades.

Offline BStella

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #285 on: Apr 09, 2011, 01:05 »
OK...I'm passionate  :)  I'm not a rock.  I'm not playing RP for a reason.  Bring on the comments.  I will share them with my management and perhaps make PV a better place so that our more stellar techs will once again consider us when deciding where they'd like to support.  There is definitely room for improvement...and I believe we are headed in that direction.  I truly respect and welcome your opinions.  I'm not "somebody", but I'm also not afraid to "speak up".  P&L   8)

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #286 on: Apr 09, 2011, 05:50 »

I want all to know, I do take some offense to this outsider...


So much for fostering Teamwork.


There is definitely room for improvement...and I believe we are headed in that direction.


That sounds like the mantra of the site to the West of PV with a common part-owner.


I'm not playing RP for a reason.  


Smart enough to bail...


I will share them with my management and perhaps make PV a better place so that our more stellar techs will once again consider us when deciding where they'd like to support.  


... but compasionate enough to try improve conditions for those who may not be in a position to jump ship.
« Last Edit: Apr 09, 2011, 06:59 by Sun Dog »

Offline redline

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #287 on: Apr 09, 2011, 08:10 »
One would think that after being INPO 4 for a while, site and corporate managment would recognize the need to bring about change in all areas of dysfunction. Mouthy whip toting 1st liners obviously don't help matters any.

Some of the very best sites cannot be 1st quartile simply because the bar is currently set so high. PV though makes 2nd quartile look pretty darn good!

Sun Dog

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #288 on: Apr 09, 2011, 09:05 »

Some of the very best sites cannot be 1st quartile simply because the bar is currently set so high.


 ???

So who makes the top quartile if the very best don't make the cut?  The grading criteria is objective, not subjective.  It is not raised or lowered for some, but not others.  The programs that make the top quartile are not there because they know a secret handshake.  They make it because, statistically, they are better performers.


PV though makes 2nd quartile look pretty darn good!


Want to be the best?  Compare your program to the best.  The level of the bar is not a barrier.  It is an achievable level of high performance.  Feeling good about your program because it out ranks a lower tier program will not promote the attitude necessary to be a top performer.

JMNSHO
« Last Edit: Apr 09, 2011, 09:13 by Sun Dog »

Offline Brett LaVigne

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #289 on: Apr 14, 2011, 03:24 »
I worked unit one a couple years ago, it was a tough outage. The plant is a nice one to work, but the program was hard to deal with. I pretty much think that any of the woes I experienced there were due to a small group who were terrible at managing people. There also seemed to be a familiar arrogance (SONGS) about the way they did business. I would consider going back at some point, but it isn't at the top of my list.

I will say this however... What a tremendous group of house RPs to work with! I really liked our house leads/techs and they made me feel like part of the team. From that standpoint, I give PV a thumbs up. They had a firm grasp on how screwed up the RP group was (above the tech level) and managed it as good as anyone could.
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Offline RDTroja

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #290 on: Apr 14, 2011, 03:48 »
One would think that after being INPO 4 for a while, site and corporate managment would recognize the need to bring about change in all areas of dysfunction. Mouthy whip toting 1st liners obviously don't help matters any.

Some of the very best sites cannot be 1st quartile simply because the bar is currently set so high. PV though makes 2nd quartile look pretty darn good!

Think about that for just a minute -- the top quartile bar is set at... get ready for it... the top 25% of all the plants! Amazing, right? No matter how hard you try you don't make the top quartile until you get better than enough plants to be in the top 25%. That also means that you could make the top quartile if enough plants get worse and you stay the same. Isn't math great? The bar is not set any higher than it always has been... get better than 75% of the rest and you are in. Of course, that also means that someone else drops out and they try like crazy to get back in so they do better and you (or some other plant) get bumped back out. And that is why they do it that way, to get everyone competing against each other to improve.

So, the bar is not set too high. The bar is the bar unless the measure gets changed to the top 33% (tercile) or raised to the top 20% (quintile.) In any case, you are comparing all the plants against each other and it is not a measure of good or bad, it is a measure of better or worse. If everyone did the same that would just cause the heads of all the bean counters to explode. Which sounds like a plan to me.
« Last Edit: Apr 14, 2011, 03:49 by RDTroja »
"I won't eat anything that has intelligent life, but I'd gladly eat a network executive or a politician."

                                  -Marty Feldman

"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to understand that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
                                  -Ronald Reagan

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it.

                                  - Voltaire

Offline redline

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #291 on: Apr 14, 2011, 05:24 »
Exactly...so many plants are now operating so well within the industry that there isn't enough room at the top to call them all top performers! Someone has to be at the bottom, and unless you want that to be you...and I'm sure PV doesn't want it to be them, they need to recognize their faults - no matter how small or insignificant to them - and change.
I work at a top performing station and we're 2nd quartile, our managment is obsessed with being the best, but there's only so much more they can do other than be sure we don't fall further behind the statistical leaders. There are reasons we can't do better, often reasons beyond our control. But we can be darn sure we don't fall to the bottom before we make the necessary corrections to our programs.

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #292 on: Apr 15, 2011, 12:00 »
:-\We all feel the pressure...but that doesn't mean we ALL don't have the "right" to call foul.  If you feel like you are being asked more than what you are able, "speak up".  We can find another RP job for you to do.  This you can believe.  If you know a better way; "speak up".  If you have problems with a RPL; we have many...seek another one out.  There's always your coordinator or HR.

I primarily worked Palo Verde from 2003 until the end of 2008. My home is in Goodyear and for the last two years I've had NO desire to go back. In fact, in the last 19 months I've only spent 1 month at home because I won't commit to Palo Verde. There are GREAT house techs there, many of whom I consider my friends, however management seriously needs to be revamped.

One outage it was a struggle just to get out of the RCA to use the bathroom much less take a 30 min. lunch break. When the problem was presented to my lead tech, the response was "take lunch whenever you can".  That only happened around 3:30 to 4:00 pm on day shift, IF you were lucky.

At Palo Verde when I suggested a possible "better way," that I'd just seen put into action with excellant results at a plant I'd just left, the RP Dept Leader teaching the class said, "Well we've learned a lot today. Watts Bar knows how to do things better than Palo Verde."  That one statement told me that "improving" was lip service and he really wasn't interested in hearing about a possible "better way."

One individual, in particular, comes to mind.  I believe there have been several HR complaints about this one RP leader, and nothing seems to change. He's still in a leadership position. Since leaving Palo I've run into a minimum of 8 excellant techs who have said they will not return there because of this one person.

I loved working with a lot of the people at Palo Verde, but the last year I was there I couldn't wait to get out. Seems to me the ones who have the "people skills" don't want the leadership positions because of management, or they have been passed over for people who should never have "leader" next to their names.

BTW ~ If it's Trent, he's definitely one of the nicest and laid back.

HPKC

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #293 on: Apr 15, 2011, 12:43 »
nothing to drink when you come out almost dead from dehydration,

Last I was there they had water fountains inside the CA just outside the personnel hatch.  Have they taken them out? ::)

Offline azkidd

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #294 on: Apr 18, 2011, 10:44 »
I see that DZ Atlantic is looking to staff a VPP Project Manager for Palo Verde.  It is my opinion, that the Voluntary Protection Program is to be an ownership program taken on internally by a plant.  You would think that if Palo Verde was really interested in being recognized as a STAR site within the program, they would manage it internally, and not contract the management of the program.  I remember a plant I was at that was finally recognized in 2003, took on the management internally, as did most plants.  Does not show too much rigor, as far as I am concerned.  I'm just sayin'...

Sun Dog

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #295 on: Apr 18, 2011, 11:02 »
I see that DZ Atlantic is looking to staff a VPP Project Manager for Palo Verde.  It is my opinion, that the Voluntary Protection Program is to be an ownership program taken on internally by a plant.  You would think that if Palo Verde was really interested in being recognized as a STAR site within the program, they would manage it internally, and not contract the management of the program.  I remember a plant I was at that was finally recognized in 2003, took on the management internally, as did most plants.  Does not show too much rigor, as far as I am concerned.  I'm just sayin'...

Reasonable sites have determined that the effort required to obtain the VPP moniker detracts resources away from resolving the real underlying safety issues.  Waving the VPP flag at the front gate may make good press but that is about it.  Lipstick on a pig.
« Last Edit: Apr 18, 2011, 11:07 by Sun Dog »

baitrunner

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #296 on: Apr 18, 2011, 11:46 »
  I'm a USA RP from DC Cook working RP at Palo Verde, right now-this outage. Their Containment is awesome and so easy to maneuver but best of all the RPs are dedicated, serious and professional. What's not to like? So they make you sweat, oh boo -hoo; poor you. If your afraid to perspire you can take the elevator located i/s CMTM and down some ice cold water at the fountain just o/s the airlock or better yet consider working at an ice condenser plant like my DC Cook. Ever had your sweat turn to ice - I have it's really cool.
« Last Edit: Apr 19, 2011, 12:08 by baitrunner »

Sun Dog

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #297 on: Apr 18, 2011, 11:51 »

Ever had your sweet(ie) turn to ice - I have it's really cool.


Not so cool when my sweet(ie) turns to ice...

pimpizhere18

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #298 on: Apr 20, 2011, 09:05 »
Currently wondering what the process is like for incoming AO's. The more research that I do, the more it looks like this is the field I am interested in joining. Currently in the Navy, but I am due to get out of the service in a year.

After reading a bit of the responses on this thread, I question what is really going on. There's no way that the job is any worse than an SRA/Deployment for 9 months. I understand the conditions and I get a feeling I understand the leadership, but what I don't understand is how RP relates to being an AO. After doing the time that I've done in the Navy, I feel like I have a good thick skin built up to the stuff that often goes unmentioned.

Also, anyone have any idea what the class up timeframe is for AO's? My EAOS is next April, and I am truly looking forward to attempting to get a career at PVNGS. Originally, from Southern California and have spent the last 7 years everywhere but the SW Region. So I am looking forward to being in that area again. Never been to AZ, but I hear good things.

Thanks.

Offline redline

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Re: Palo Verde
« Reply #299 on: Apr 21, 2011, 12:28 »
The thickness of your skin should not be a factor. This is not the Navy and you shouldn't be subjected to anything but professional courtesy in the workplace. Remember you're making a career choice that should last for many many years, and if youre not happy there the alternative is misery up unitl the time you quit! and we don't take permanent jobs just to quit later. Every ones goal should be to have a career where they are supplementing a quality of life outside of work, and in most cases all that work gets left behind the gates when you leave. In short don't go taking a job that sucks because you think you can handle it, take the job because it's the right job for you and your family.

 


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