Nuclear Industry QA Initiatives and Opportunities

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Nuclear Industry QA Initiatives and Opportunities

• ASQ Southern Jersey Section
• October 22, 2008 Dinner Meeting
• Tom Mudge
• URS Washington Division

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Topics of Discussion

• Nuclear Industry Background 1978 - Today
• Todays Nuclear Industry Challenges
• Industry QA Initiatives
• Company Opportunities
• QA Professional Opportunities

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Nuclear Industry 1978 -2004

• 126 Nuclear Plants under Construction (2 Step
  Licensing Process)
• Environmental Group Protests
• 1979 - Three Mile Island Incident
• Loss of Public Confidence
• Changing NRC Licensing Requirements
• Cost Overruns
• 1986 - Chernobyl Incident
• 1992 - Shoreham (built for a cost of 5.5
  Billion) is sold for 1.00. Plant was fully
  decommissioned in 1994 never having operated.
• No new plants ordered after 1980 and several
  under construction were cancelled.

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Nuclear Industry -2004

• 104 operating plants in USA
• No new nuclear plants had been ordered in past 20
  years.
• Industry workforce was aging and predominantly
  Operations based.
• Limited number of nuclear experienced personnel
  in the design and construction
• Insufficient number of qualified suppliers

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Drivers for Industry Renaissance

• Need for reliable economical energy source
• Environmental concerns for Global warming
• Change in Publics perception of nuclear plants
• Reliable performance of existing plants
• Energy Act of 2005
• Loan guarantees
• Incentives for first six plants to be built
• 10CFR Part 52 (One step licensing process)
• Standardized plant designs

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10CFR Part 52

• One step licensing Process
• Standard Design Certification (DCD)
• Combined Operating License (COLA)
• Early Site Permits (ESP)
• Inspection, Test and Analysis and Acceptance
  Criteria (ITAAC)

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Standard Plant Designs

• ABWR (Advanced Boiling Water Reactor) by GEH
  Toshiba
• AP-1000 (Advanced PWR) by Westinghouse
• ESBWR (Economically Safe Boiling Water Reactor)
  by GEH
• EPR (European Pressurized Water Reactor) by Areva
• US APWR (Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor for
  US Deployment) by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

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Consortiums

• ABWR - Toshiba Fluor
• AP-1000 - Westinghouse Shaw Group
• ESBWR - GEH URS Washington Division
• EPR - Unistar (Areva Bechtel)
• US APWR - MHI URS Washington Division

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Nuclear Plant Applications

• 2007 - 5 COLAs
• 2008 - 12 COLAs 1 more anticipated
• 2009 - 2 Anticipated
• 2010 - 3 Anticipated
• Total COLAs - 23 Total Units - 34

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2006 - Industry Mobilizes

• NEI - Nuclear Energy Institute
• INPO - Institute of Nuclear Power Operations
• EPRI - Electric Power Research Institute

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NEI QA Initiatives

• Template for QA Topical Reports
• Lessons Learned Document (INPO)
• Standard for PIR Process (CAP)
• Commercial Grade Dedication
• Fraudulent / Counterfeit Items
• Address Supplier Shortage
• Develop New QA/QC Professionals
• QA Role in ITAAC
• SCWE

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NEI Supplier Workshops

• NEI conducts pinch point study
• Three workshops conducted
• March- Columbia, SC
• April - Cleveland, OH
• June - Houston, TX
• Approximately 200-300 suppliers attended each
  workshop
• QA Program discussion and questions

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Shortage of QA Professionals for Design and
Construction

• Existing workforce is predominantly Operations
  based
• NEI study of nuclear workforce found that, of 64
  work classifications, QC and QA had the highest
  percentage of personnel over 48 years of age, 78
  and 76 respectively.
• Approximately 4000 - 6000 new QA Professionals
  needed
• 30 plants X 120 3600 at construction site
  suppliers
• 30 plants X 20 600 for utility oversight
• 60 new suppliers 300 for supplier QA/QC

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Opportunities for QA Professionals

• Consultants to assist new suppliers in developing
  and deploying their nuclear QA Program
• Employment with nuclear companies
• Design engineering
• Construction
• Suppliers of goods services
• Utilities

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• Questions?