NukeWorker Forum

Facility & Company Information => Region III (Mid West) => Davis-Besse => Topic started by: Rennhack on Jul 22, 2001, 06:54

Title: Davis-Besse
Post by: Rennhack on Jul 22, 2001, 06:54
Talk about: Davis-Besse
Title: Re: Davis Besse
Post by: SloGlo on Feb 12, 2002, 12:46
Best place I had for the money for short term work was at the Island House Inn in Port Clinton.  It was on the western end of the main drag in PC just before the turn north across the bridge.  They did daily, weekly, and corporate rates, and were competitive with the motels and condos in town.  1 800 233 7307.  It had clean, good rooms, 1 formal dining room w/ short bar, 1 other bar w/ sandwich menu service on the premises.  Within 2 minutes walking time, there were 5 other restaurants; american, italian, chinese, and seafood; and about a half dozen drinking establishments. Driving distance to Besse was about 15 minutes.
Title: Davis-Besse
Post by: Rennhack on Nov 30, 2002, 07:41
Don't forget to vote.  Keep your comments civil.
Title: Re: Rate Davis-Besse
Post by: Pet_Cow on Dec 21, 2002, 09:03
It is a toss up. Davis-Besse or working somewhere else I can be severly abused and degraded. New Slogan for Besse: "More fun than a Turkish prison- honest!"
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Mongo13 on Mar 08, 2004, 11:56
The NRC gave approval for the restart of Davis-Besse today. The plant is moving towards being at full power within two weeks.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: SloGlo on Mar 08, 2004, 11:59
amen mongo13.... the media has the story prior to the nrc releasing it on their web site, though...

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/National/AP.V7545.AP-Nuclear-Plant-R.html
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Nuclear NASCAR on Mar 08, 2004, 05:43
Here's the NRC Link: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2004/04-011iii.html 
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: HockeystarMDH on Apr 06, 2004, 03:27
Davis-Besse might not be a five star site but I would not put it down.  Davis-Besse is coming around just give it time.  Everyone there is working hard to get it running like a well oiled machine.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Bob on Aug 18, 2004, 09:50
My last stint at Davis-Besse was in 1991. The plant was still struggling from past modifications that were completed after the Three Mile Island incident. The fall classic was underway and the outage was nearing completion.

Playing in the world series that year were the contractor rad techs  ( American League) going up against the house (the National League).

Bob Nuker was handling the play by play over the headsets and Lemon Head was doing the off color commentary.

Flash back to game 7, bottom of the ninth, series tied 3 games apiece. There are two outs, the bases loaded, and Jim Heckley (name changed to protect the innocent) is on the mound, one out away from winning the World Series.

Nuker: Ah, these nuke fans I love 'em. Great seats huh buddy? Welcome back nuke fans! Bob Nuker here. Well, it all comes down to this Lemon Head. Heckley has pitched the game of his life and is only one out away from winning game 7 of the World Series.

Lemon head: Yeah, Nuker. Little Teddy C. has struggled throughout the series and unfortunately, the hopes of the rad techs lies on his shoulders. I heard Teddy was out late again last night in Canada so the advantage seems to be on Heckley's side today.

Nuker: Here we go nuke fans. Heckley checks the sign, here's the pitch. Swung on and missed strike one!

Lemonhead: Ted still looks a little wobbly from last night, Nuker.

Nuker: Well the game's in his hands now Lemon Head. His coach and teammates are counting on one more miracle as Heckley continues to dominate this series.

Heckley checks the sign. He's into the windup. Here's the pitch. Swung on and missed, strike twoooo! and the home crowd goes wild!  Heckley continues to throw heaters, Lemon Head.

Lemon Head: Yeah, Ted swung way late on that pitch, Nuker. That Canadian beer will do it to ya, eh?

Nuker: It sure will Lemon Head. Looks like Ted came home on the Schooner last night, eh?

Nuker: Well nuke fans, it all comes down to this. Heckley is just one pitch away from winning the world series for the house. Ted is struggling at the plate and his timing has been way off at the plate today.

This could be the final pitch of the series. Bases loaded! Two outs! Heckley checks the sign! Here's the pitch!

Oh  my!!!!! There's a deep drive to center field. That ball is way back there! Way back there! That ball issssssss..................Ou tta here!!!!!!  A grand slam for Ted and the contractors win the series! The contractors win the series!!!!!

Lemon head! What was Heckley thinking throwing a hanging curve to Teddy when he was 0-2 in the count and Teddy was swinging late on the heaters?

Lemon Head: I don't know Nuker. I heard Ted was striking out with the hanging curves all last night. Someone must have passed that info on to Heckley who figured the hanging curve was a sure out. Anyhow, great series. I don't think anyone gave the rad techs much of a chance tonight with Heckley on the mound.

Nuker: Heckley did pitch a great series Lemon Head. Unfortunately, for Heckley Teddy C. hung in there and was finally able to connect. What a great win for the contractors. Ah, these nuke fans, I love em.

Lemon Head: If these two teams make it to the series again next outage, Oh boy. Oh, boy. Hey, east D-ringers.

Nuker: Yeah, Lemon head.

Lemon Head: I got some insulators coming up. They're going into the east D ring to remove some insulation.

Nuker: Send them up.

What an outage that was in 1991. Besse was one of my favorite plants. Unfortunately, Besse never made it back to the series and Bob Nuker never made it back to Besse. Nuker was told the following year....budget cuts?  If Heckley had won  game 7, perhaps those budget cuts would have been restored.

 Ah, these nuke fans. I love em. This is Bob Nuker signing off.  ;D
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: jjordan on Aug 19, 2004, 09:03
Bob,
Ah yes remember it well!
Been there done it , got the Tshirt! (actually golf shirt, used to sell them) was hoping to return sometime! Besse was always one of my fvorites too! I was working on sharing resoureces with FENOC when they needed help but somehow my managment never followed up on it, and it never happened. Too bad. I now have new management and so do they and we are interested in sharing with other utilities again I'm with Progress Energy) We'll see! 8)
JJ
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Bob on Aug 26, 2004, 08:07
For those of you who haven't checked obits recently, here's a little story about a hard working deconner I knew named Darryl Kokochak.

Anyhow, one Saturday morning Darryl showed up on top of the east D-Ring at Besse. He had been sent up to do some deconning on some major component from the refuel floor. I don't remember what it was but it was massive and highly contaminated.
Well, Darryl had been out the night before and was highly hung over. He told me he didn't think he could do the job because he didn't think he could wear a respirator without getting sick.

Well I told Darryl that sometimes a respirator could help you sweat your way out of the hangover and I had a suggestion for him that might help him get a few ZZZZZZZZ's at the same time.

Darryl had to crawl under whatever it was he was deconning and lay on his back to do the job. I suggested he bring a roll of duct tape in with him and tape his hand holding on to a rag to the bottom of the platform.

Darryl thought it sounded  like a plan and I handed him a roll of nuclear grade duct tape.

Well about a half hour later Darryl's supervisor was doing a containment walkdown and asked me if Darryl was deconning the massive structure that would soon be returning to the refuel floor. I pointed over to Darryl and said there he is. Well. the guy looked, was satisfied and off he went.

About 15 minutes later the guy came walking by again and looked at Darryl and kept on going.

I thought things were going okay for Darryl at that point. Well sonuvagun, an hour later here comes the dude again and I'm thinking, cripes it Saturday morning hardly anyone is here today what's this guy's problem.

Unfortunately, for Darryl, this guy wasn't nearsighted and he finally figured out that Darryl hadn't moved from the same spot in over an hour. The guy looked at me and immediately started screaming he's not working, he's sleeping in there! He hasn't moved from that spot in over an hour!

I had to control my laughter but I knew Darryl had already screwded up once duing the outage (trying to do a good job) and I figured this was probably going to get him either fired or on the nexrt available layoff list. I think about a week later Darryl was layed off.

So listen up all you deconners. Pay attention to your HP techs. You never know when one of them may have seen something at another plant that can "help" you out in a time of need. ;)
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Mike McFarlin on Mar 27, 2006, 08:30
Currently working at Davis-Besse and things are looking up in all areas!
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Mike McFarlin on Apr 11, 2006, 02:27
Things are going well for RFO-14.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: SloGlo on Jul 22, 2007, 09:13
december in-date is a positive data input.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: nothinbuttrouble on Jul 22, 2007, 10:09
davis besse outage starts december 28, 2007. 
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: nuke_girl on Jul 23, 2007, 12:07
i put in for a JR HP position for this outage..hope to see you there!!
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: vikingfan on Jul 23, 2007, 07:39
you might just have to celebrate xmas early this year :) never worked besse but hear its a nice plant. close to me ....but i'm suppose to be in japan when bessie is going down so i have celebrate early also :)
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Fermi2 on Jan 24, 2008, 11:18
If I ever left TVA I'd consider going to The Bess. I grew up near her and I like the Oak Harbor/Genoa/Port Clinton Area.
It's about the only plant in the North I wouldn't mind working at and hey, they actually were dumb enough to hire me once!!!

Mike
Title: Davis-Besse
Post by: justatech on Dec 07, 2009, 04:03
Just heard from a friend that Days Zimerman NPS - (Atlantic)  has the contract for Davis Besse's February Outage..................
Title: Re: Davis Besse
Post by: thenuttyneutron on Dec 07, 2009, 07:22
Best place I had for the money for short term work was at the Island House Inn in Port Clinton.  It was on the western end of the main drag in PC just before the turn north across the bridge.  They did daily, weekly, and corporate rates, and were competitive with the motels and condos in town.  1 800 233 7307.  It had clean, good rooms, 1 formal dining room w/ short bar, 1 other bar w/ sandwich menu service on the premises.  Within 2 minutes walking time, there were 5 other restaurants; american, italian, chinese, and seafood; and about a half dozen drinking establishments. Driving distance to Besse was about 15 minutes.

The quote is old, but the info is new.  The Island House just reopened last summer after it went belly up in 2005.  I have not been happy with their service.  I did however enjoy their French Onion soup all five times that I gave them a try.  I live about a 1/4 of a mile from them and will wait a long while before I give them my money again because I was so unhappy with the wait staff on all of those visits.  I guess being consistently bad is their new motto.  They are lucky that I still tip 15% for BAD service.

Fall 2010 Outage starts Feb 28, 2010.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: HydroDave63 on Dec 08, 2009, 12:40
Based on dosimetry...I think I just took 60 Rem to the head watching that!  >:(
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: HeatherB. on Dec 19, 2009, 02:02
Just heard from a friend that Days Zimerman NPS - (Atlantic)  has the contract for Davis Besse's February Outage..................

Doesn't Bartlett have this contract too? What about all the techs Bartlett has confirmed already?
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: 5kip6 on Jan 12, 2010, 09:56
Bartlett does not have contract,  I was confirmed in and they called and canceled me.  I have been contacted by Atlantic about the position.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Rad_Owl_2 on Jan 13, 2010, 01:40
aaahhhh Haaaaa.... now the question is will you jump from the arms of Big Blue? :D
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Rather Hunt Than Tech on Jan 15, 2010, 04:05
Word on the street has it that something was said about First Energy by someone in Bartlett and First Energy is pissed off.  Bartlett was told that they will not be the RP contractor anymore at ALL of the First Energy sites.  Atlantic will be the primary contractor.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: 5kip6 on Jan 15, 2010, 04:28
DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED,  BUT I WAS IN SHOCK WHEN WAS CALLED ABOUT DB.   BARTLETT HAS HAD THE CONTRACT THERE SINCE 1990 OR 1991.   
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Rad_Owl_2 on Jan 15, 2010, 11:09
The real word on the street is that the First Energy person who decides who the RP contractor supplier will be is really chummy with someone at Atlantic. Interesting since NPS also has those contracts.  Just saying,
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: cairnit on Jan 16, 2010, 08:49
Atlantic has a friend high up in the rad dept at Perry that helped them get in last outage at Perry. Guess that's all it took for them to become the primary for the system.
Title: Re: Davis Besse
Post by: SloGlo on Jan 18, 2010, 04:43
Slo - - - this really wasn't you that typed this, was it?

mutant.... aye gotta konfess dat wuz da unnatural rezult uv two much stimulayshun too my por system.  probly a result of alkyhall 'n memries uv da scent of suntan loshun wafting in onna breez frum da i-lands.
butt, eye nebber had bad servise at dat hotel.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Rather Hunt Than Tech on Feb 10, 2010, 08:54
There seems to be staffing issues for Davis Besse's outage.  A condition report was written about it.  Positions for Sr. RP techs are yet to be filled and there a many uncommitted personnel. There are a large percentage of non returnees.  This has caused a problem with the training time needed and the time alloted for that training. There is a concern about the lack of familiarity with the plant causing performance based errors.

Bartlett had the outage fully staffed and ready to go prior to the contract being awarded to Atlantic.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Fermi2 on Feb 10, 2010, 01:12
You  might want to watch posting items like this. Condition Reports are usually classified as Business Sensitive.

Mike
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Dave Warren on Mar 23, 2010, 06:15
The real word on the street is that the First Energy person who decides who the RP contractor supplier will be is really chummy with someone at Atlantic. Interesting since NPS also has those contracts.  Just saying,

Now we all know that being chummy with someone never warranted signing a contract......Um, I think....
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Dave Warren on Mar 28, 2010, 07:49
What kind of lodging ya got up that way for a guy coming to Plum Brook for a couple weeks?
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: justatech on Apr 05, 2010, 02:44
Dave, try to stay away from the Cedar Point area.... try the Bayview area, its about 20 minutes from Plumbrook.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Rather Hunt Than Tech on Jun 30, 2010, 03:53
Davis Besse finally achieved grid synchronization from their spring outage at 04:25 hours on 6/29/10.  The long outage was due to the need for head repairs.  Also, the 2014 head replacement at Davis Besse has been moved up to the fall of 2011.

Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: tardvark on Jul 05, 2011, 10:08
Is ther any particular reason that the head is being replaced? I thought they had a new one?
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: vikingfan on Jul 05, 2011, 10:42
while I don't know the specifics, the current rx head was from miidland plant. and now they will replace this one with a brand spanking new one.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Fermi2 on Jul 05, 2011, 10:50
Because it's starting to show signs of cracking. A huge contributing factor is for some reason their Thot is higher than other B+W Plants. Maybe because it's a raised loop plant?

Mike
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: tardvark on Jul 05, 2011, 12:40
Thanks for the info, folks. The T hot thing is a bit curious. I'm not a smart HP but it seems like if you had natural circ, the riased loop thing might be an issue...but with pumps?? Oh well. I might just have to go take a looky. Nothing like broiled walleye for Christmas dinner!
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Fermi2 on Jul 05, 2011, 02:37
It's an issue because Thot circulates to the Upper Head. Higher temperature means more stress on the head. BTW Upper Loop plants are supposed to enhance Natural Circ and during Nat Circ your Thot doesn't rise. In fact your Nat Circ Delta T post trip should be the same as your 100% delta t, so Thot stays about the same.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: thenuttyneutron on Jul 05, 2011, 03:50
In fact your Nat Circ Delta T post trip should be the same as your 100% delta t, so Thot stays about the same.

I will provide a correction here.  The Thot post trip is not the same as 100% Thot.  Tave is constant when raising power beyond about 28% power and this means that Thot rises and Tcold lowers as you raise power.  The delta T at 100% is about 47.7 F.  On a vanilla trip, Tave should end up being about 547 F.  If you go on natural circ, you will have a 30F -50 F delta T.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Fermi2 on Jul 06, 2011, 11:09
Oops should have specified at a Westinghouse 4 Loop Plant. And the full power delta T starts lowering quickly. Many Licensed operators are surprised at how high the delta T is when establishing Nat Circ.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: tardvark on Jul 06, 2011, 01:58
Can anyone give me an idea of what it's like to work (HP-wise) at Besse these days? I worked there a few times about 20 years ago and it was pretty nice..friendly people, not super hot, decent area. Is there any one out there who worked it back then and has worked it recently?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: Fermi2 on Jul 06, 2011, 09:12
Can anyone give me an idea of what it's like to work (HP-wise) at Besse these days? I worked there a few times about 20 years ago and it was pretty nice..friendly people, not super hot, decent area. Is there any one out there who worked it back then and has worked it recently?

Thanks in advance.

I can't answer that BUT if you do go to the Bess and you don't go to Wellington Ohio to eat at my Aunts Pizza place you're screwing up!
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: St Raphael on Jul 07, 2011, 06:31
Any recommendations on lodging for the upcoming outage?
 
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: nspunx4 on Jan 24, 2014, 04:13
Because it's starting to show signs of cracking. A huge contributing factor is for some reason their Thot is higher than other B+W Plants. Maybe because it's a raised loop plant?

Mike

I read on another forum that the reason DB runs at 582 tave instead of 579 tave like other BW plants is that DB was spec'd with a steam header pressure of 885 psiG instead of 885 psiA like everyone else. According to the story it would have been too expensive to re do all of the analysis so they chose to keep it that way.

FWIW I have no idea if that is a true story or not but it seemed interesting.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: DarkWingDuck on Aug 27, 2015, 01:06
so I got an interview for DB coming up for a Reactor Operator Trainee. I was wondering if anyone who works there would be able to tell me what the cultural climate is like. according to some sites it looks like there are a few unhappy people working there.

Also I understand that it is a union position and that the pay is at a fixed rate, but I'm having a tough time finding what it is or what range it is.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: justatech on Aug 30, 2015, 12:42
I was a contractor for a few years before going house here at DB..... as with any site its what you make of it. I came on board here because the people are a good group; not like some of the sites I contracted at...  Our OPS Crews are a great bunch of guys, and they work well together. If you want to move up, that is the department to be in as they do promote from within. I don't know the starting wage, its average from what I understand but you can always ask about it. They run 12 hour shifts; a week of days, a week of nights, a week of training and a week off....
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: DarkWingDuck on Aug 30, 2015, 03:58
Thanks justatech for your response.

I was looking at the wiki-page. at it looks like DB has had quite a rough history. That has me a little weary and I'm not sure what to make of it. Covering up a growing hole in the vessel head seems like a red flag, but i guess I shouldn't judge based on the skew of a wiki-page. plus it has been a while and I hear that there was some restructuring going on. can anyone give any insight in regards to the fallout from that.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: ddickey on Aug 31, 2015, 06:44
so I got an interview for DB coming up for a Reactor Operator Trainee. I was wondering if anyone who works there would be able to tell me what the cultural climate is like. according to some sites it looks like there are a few unhappy people working there.

Also I understand that it is a union position and that the pay is at a fixed rate, but I'm having a tough time finding what it is or what range it is.

I'm surprised they're hiring externally for RO's. Those positions are almost always filled by Journeyman NLO's or APEO's.
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: GLW on Aug 31, 2015, 09:17
I'm surprised they're hiring externally for RO's. Those positions are almost always filled by Journeyman NLO's or APEO's.

eeeyup,....

Whiich makes one ponder why anyone offered the nuke ops brass ring would give a rat's ass about culture or climate,.....

get in, get your license, getg some experience under your belt and suck it up until you can write your own ticket later at the place you really want to be into your sunset years,....

but then special snowflakes are formed thinking that special is an entitlement as opposed to an earned condition,.......

 I suppose,.... 
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: HydroDave63 on Aug 31, 2015, 02:11
Which makes one ponder why anyone offered the nuke ops brass ring would give a rat's ass about culture or climate,.....

It is also convenient for (some) utilities, in that if the snowflake Direct doesn't pass the license pipeline, they aren't qualified anything else in the BUE list, so take a trip down Washout Lane...

http://movie-sounds.org/download#L3F1b3Rlcy9zdGFyOTcvWW91LXNpZ24tZm9ybS0xMjQwQS15b3UtZ3JhYi15b3VyLWdlYXIteW91LXRha2UtYS1zdHJvbGwtZG93bi1XYXNob3V0LUxhbmUhLm1wMw== (http://movie-sounds.org/download#L3F1b3Rlcy9zdGFyOTcvWW91LXNpZ24tZm9ybS0xMjQwQS15b3UtZ3JhYi15b3VyLWdlYXIteW91LXRha2UtYS1zdHJvbGwtZG93bi1XYXNob3V0LUxhbmUhLm1wMw==)

Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: thenuttyneutron on Mar 28, 2018, 06:17
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/firstenergy-solutions-files-deactivation-notice-for-three-competitive-nuclear-generating-plants-in-ohio-and-pennsylvania-300621346.html
Title: Re: Davis-Besse
Post by: SloGlo on Mar 28, 2018, 09:08
4e12 watts going, going, going....
wander how many acres are planned too plant windmills an two replace that nrg.