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The nuclear power plant (NPP) operations course provides attendees with a clear understanding of how these powerful plants function and produce electricity. The course describes how plants are built, how a nuclear start-up is conducted, and how the plant is taken from cold iron to 100% power. Plant staffing and full power operations will be addressed including boration/dilution, fuel rods, and electrical load. Functions of components of the balance-of-plant (outside of the nuclear island) will be described (turbines, generators, and cooling systems). The inherent stability and safety systems of nuclear plants will be covered in detail. Procedures for conducting a refueling outage and discussion of major outage tasks, including refueling, CEA change outs, component rebuilds, and surveillance testing will be conducted. Participants will complete the course with full comprehension and appreciation for the functions of the NPP and the production of electricity in the nuclear environment.

Topics include:

• The fission process, plant start-ups, and how reactors work
  
• How plants are staffed and positions required in a nuclear plant
  
• Thermal cycle, heat transfer, and the components of a nuclear plant
  
• How electricity is produced in a nuclear power plant
  
• The intricacies of plant safety systems
  
• What is required in managing refuel outages and how nuclear fuel re-loads are accomplished

Who Should Attend

• All employees whose job requires a working knowledge of nuclear power plant operations
  
• Personnel in the energy industry that are newly assigned to nuclear generation
  
• Contractors involved with nuclear plant operations, maintenance, and specific projects
  
• Employees who require a job-related understanding of the operations of nuclear power plants
  
• Public affairs and public relations personnel who need an understanding of nuclear energy
  
• Executives and managers who require training in nuclear power plant operations
  
• Engineers with responsibilities in nuclear power
  
• Suppliers and vendors involved in the procurement cycle for new and existing nuclear plants
  
• Attorneys and paralegals whose work is directly or indirectly involved with nuclear energy

Learning Outcomes

• Describe how fission is accomplished and the basics of how a nuclear reactor produces energy
  
• Explain the 3 loops in a nuclear plant
  
• Examine the staffing and personnel assignments required in a nuclear plant
  
• Discuss the thermal cycle and describe heat transfer and fluid flow
  
• Identify the major components of a nuclear power plant including generators, turbines, and cooling systems
  
• Discuss normal nuclear power plant operations and compare the variations in start-up, steady state operations, and shutdowns
  
• Examine nuclear power plant safety systems and the concepts of redundancy and defense-in-depth
  
• Describe the requirements associated with a refuel outage and nuclear fuel reload

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

PowerPoint Presentations and classroom discussions will be used in this course.

Continuing Education Credits:

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer up to 1.0 CEUs for this program.