Turkey Point

[LoneWolf]

The PTN outage is scheduled for 12 days and many hotels are full due to car racing and baseball activity. Tough to make a move to the south Florida for such a short outage. I think PSL is planning to piggy back the contract. Better than nothing, I guess.

[LMDeane]

:)Any of you confirmed to go to PTN for upcoming outage. Going to be very short. I hear PTN is actually buying nozzle dams.....Should be interesting.

TP's 3-S/G's reportedly do not have nozzle "adapter rings" installed, so ND's haven't had anything to grab onto to hold them in place during cavity flood-up.  [smiley=jarswim.gif] Hence, ND's haven't been used previously.  Rumor has it however, that FTI/ANP is providing some new fangled system that's more akin to an inflatable pipe plug.

Haven't seen it myself, but have a couple of Bud's who're gonna be there for the party, so will have 2nd-hand data in short order.  Ordinarily, ND's are secured in place mechanically and hydraulically sealed using inflatable seals between the ND structure and the nozzle/nozzle ring ID.

Unusual thing is that rather than bring in an entire 12-14 man installation crew of long-time ND-pros as they normally do for a situation like this, only about half will be well known and recognized Vet-jumpers to handle this novel application.  Still waiting to hear who the remainder of the ND crew, as well as what their experience-base might be.  

[airstream1957]

 Going to TP for the first time after 18yrs in the business,im bringing the bike,kayak and flyrods in case i have 3 bad days in a row.hope to see jay and say greetings and salutations.Thanks for the info.

[LoneWolf]

Their outage is scheduled for 14 days. It will be push push push but nothing out of the ordinary. I still do not know if I want to go or not. Good Luck.

[Neubium]

I think you should go. I am going and do hope for best. Looking forward to a mexican meal with a bucket of Corona at ElToro Taco!

[snowbound12566]

All of those reminisers writing about haning out in the Keys and eating tacos.
Do it all  quickly.  They are planning for getting contractors off-site before they arrive on-site.

Ready Kilowatt says, "Personnel are our greatest asset!"
"Whenever we need to raise the dividend we lay off 50."

[Tech-A]

Im suppose to be there on the 24th for the first time, but after reading this ......I'M Sa Sa SKEERT.

[LMDeane]

Heard that the Site has cancelled its' plan to employ pipe plugs within the S/G nozzles after all; so much for simultaneous S/G ECT inspections and refuel.  Considering this, can the outage still be only 12-14 days long?

[Lycheeman]

The outage is now schedule for 18 days after the nozzle plugs failed the mock-up test.

[LoneWolf]

Hey Lycheeman: I hear PSL is sending a few technicians to help out PTN BUT they can't stay long because PSL has an outage of their own to get ready for. 18 days is not too bad for an outage.

[High_Rad_Drifter]

I worked with CE at TP back in 82-85 (or close to that time, it's still kinda fuzzy).  I remember the ice cream man, the lines in the men's room, and the frenzied pace that everyone worked at.  Our "quiet time" was spent at the Turkey Point Inn shooting beer cans with uzi's, MAC 10's, or just your average pistol from your glove compartment.  Oh yeah, I forgot.... Getting stuck in the air lock when some jerk would slam the  door or strip the gears.  Ahhh, what good times...

[LoneWolf]

Many things have changed since then. The Turkey Point Inn is now an elementary school. A race track and baseball field keep the hotels full. Many, Many new faces but still an OK place to work with some old friends.

[evil-leprachaun]

Just finished the PTN outage and going to Lucie on 4/7. Haven't been at PTN since 90-91. Was nice to see old friends but Homestead still is the pits.

[LoneWolf]

Wow whats up with the 3 mile hike to the gate?

[goo]

Let's see....Homestead....bring a UZI(30 round clip), speak spanish and razor/straw.  The plant.....soon as your done with training, FORGET EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED.  The Rx Bldg Coord's run the show.  They look at you as a speed bump and don't slow down.  Just sit back, keep your mouth shut and smile.  Oh....try to get on the "Mung-Pile", there's no place better.

[jackmehoff]

Heard that the latest class testing for an NRC license to operate the plant had 8 out of 8 failures.
Want Ad: "Looking for an Initial Licensed Operator Training Supervisor.  We need someone to fire."
If this is true, this is about the 8th ILO Training Supervisor in recent history.
Did the plant or the NRC write this exam?

[thx113823]

Lucie sent (7) techs & (5) supervisors down to assist
T.P. due to staffing problems and they wanted more! Don't
think Seabrook sent any since they have their own shutdown
going on. Word is that they're 80 or so hrs behind, but
they'll make that up when 'MegaWatt' fever sets in. Haven't
heard much from the folks down there except that they're
VERY busy. Up at Lucie, just like JumpingFox said, a couple
of weeks ago 20 or 25 more people got 'Re-aligned' out the
door! FPL management continues its 'Improvement' program!!

[workinman]

Never worked Turkey but spent a few outages at Lucie, not bad there except that everything being said is true!  For years I heard what a paradise St. Lucie was but when I finally got there I was not impressed.  With FP&L's aquisition of Seabrook also comes their present and past MGT.  Last outage a couple of Seabrooks sup's came down to run the show in CTMT, NOT FUN!!!!  If it wouldn't have been for Brian Sexton, there would have been a mutiny.  Turkey Point North or Seabrook South, it's all the same.

[RAD-GHOST]

Turkey having manpower problems....Imagine that!  Lets see...This is one of those places that tells you how tight their budget is, before the outage starts.  This is around the same time they tell you they are twenty techs short and you are expected to make up the difference!  This is also the place that usually starts laying techs off, the second week of the ouatge!  Sounds pretty appealing to me. Where do I sign up?

[pjkapinos]

I have read what is said about TP all over the boards .  Is anyone working there now or worked there lately?  Kind of concerned about FP&L/TP and the Florida City area.  Good place to get experience? 

Kap

[Roll Tide]

I have read what is said about TP all over the boards .  Is anyone working there now or worked there lately?  Kind of concerned about FP&L/TP and the Florida City area.  Good place to get experience? 

Kap

I worked there from 1996 to 2002. When you say experience, could you be more specific. After all, finding out your car isn't in the mall parking lot anymore is an experience.

Florida City has some areas that are set up nice for retirees, but no public schools I wanted my kids to attend. The plant reports about 13% annual attrition in staffing positions which hire off the street (average for many years, some have been about 25%). To put this in perspective, turnover per year is like boomer turnover per deployment back in the canoe club!

Because of the high turnover, it is a GREAT place to get experience. When the second licensed class after mine came through, I was the second most experienced licensed operator on my shift and provided much of the OJT for that class. In comparison, I went to St. Lucie for an outage and only 1 person in the entire Work Control Center was in their assigned position on nights for the first time in an outage! In certain circumstances, that would be ten times the experience!

I have friends at Turkey Point, and I don't want them to suffer because someone comes in for 18 months and leaves them even more short-handed. On the other hand, the Assistant Ops Supervisor (currently the Site VP) interviewed me and told me plainly it was understandable if someone came there with intentions of going to St. Lucie in ten years.

You will have to commute at least ten miles one way, but some choose to commute from Key Largo (and more distant Monroe County Keys) for 40 miles one way or Broward County for 55 miles one way. Quite a few choose Kendall, because it isn't Homestead and is only about 25 miles away. I remember in my interview being shown the 10-mile and 50-mile Emergency Planning Zone Maps and getting guidance on where to live and where not to live.

It isn't a surprise to Turkey Point management that they have to struggle with the area & perceptions of the area. Many employees, however, love the lifestyle of waterfront living in Key Largo and the Margaritaville atmosphere it provides. I don't fish, drink, or boat, and I also didn't stay. Tell my friends Hi if you go down there.

[Camella Black]

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

[Roll Tide]

Tony's (Krome Ave. in Homestead) has great subs and southern cooking, with sweet tea for those who are REALLY from the South!

Sonny's BBQ (part of the chain) is in front of Wal-mart Turnpike end on US 1. This is as good as any in the chain!

Shopping: didn't I say there is a Wal-mart? DUH!

[RAD-GHOST]

I haven't seen this one on the board lately, PSL either!  I know they were on a mass hiring frenzy AGAIN, ( Techs & Supervisors )!  Just wondering if they have hired their new round of soon the be X-Techs?   

[RAD-GHOST]

Heard through the grape vine that HP's may be in demand AGAIN, in the FP&L system.  St Lucie, ( Paradise North ), opened three, which means some will flee, from Turkey, ( Paradise South ).  So Boys and Girls get those Resumes, Second Chance Vest and Glock's out of the closet!