Nuclear Power
Fleet Operation Perspective
September 13, 2004
Jim Hill
Director, NMC Performance Assessment
NEI SNPM Working Group
ASQ Nuclear Power Production Committee
MN
WI
Monticello
MI
Hudson HQ
Kewaunee
Prairie Island
IA
Duane Arnold
Energy Center
Point
Beach
Palisades
Nuclear Power
Production Committee
NPPC Mission
To initiate, develop, and communicate
improvements to the body of knowledge and
tools applicable to quality management and
quality engineering, and to promote the use
of the knowledge and tools as applicable to
nuclear power production.
Operational Challenges
• Maintaining or improving operational
performance while controlling costs
– Standardization of work processes
• Ensure public confidence in safety of nuclear
operations
– Plant Operation
– Storage and transport of used nuclear fuel
• Other
– Re-licensing
– Aging Workforce
Process-Based Perspective of Site
Management
Employee Reporting Training &
Selection
Development
Planning
Objectives
& Goals
Core Production Processes
Customers
•Asset Owner
•Local Community
Budgeting
Communication
Performance
Management
Recognition
& Rewards
View the site as a business enterprise
Spectrum of Performance
Lagging
Results
Stakeholder
Value
Ma nagement Vision & S tra tegy
Nuc lea r Generation will remain a long-te rm
relia ble provider of ele ctricity at a
competitive price
Customer &
Regulator
Perception
Safe, Reliable,
Cost-Effective
Generation
NRC - Focused on Safety of Ope rations
Process Ma na gement
Set P erformance Goals. Use measures to assess
whe ther perform ance is mee ting goals. Use
informa tion to improve proce ss.
1
Culture of Le arning/Improvement
Ma nagement a nd personnel skills a nd a ttitudes
support c onservative decision-making and
performance asse ssment. Culture ma ke s databased de cisions and use s proce ss m ana gement
for continuous im proveme nt.
Process
Quality
Process
Cycle Time
Management
and Employee
Skills and
Culture
Leading
Indicators
Adapted from: EED-99-01 Recommendations for the Implementation of Selected Leading Indicators of Performance at Nuclear Power
Production Plants, ASQ, 1999
NRC
Role: Maintain Regulation, issue licenses for operation
of nuclear facilities, control of materials, etc.
• Performance Measures for plant operators
– Creation further development of set of measures to monitor
regulatory performance
• Focused solely on safety of operations
• Primarily measures outcomes, “leading” measures are
very limited (appropriate for a regulator)
• Significance Determination Process
– Probabilistic Risk Assessment used to assess violations.
What risk was presented by the condition?
See www.nrc.gov - very open information on these
processes, and performance information on reactor
operation
NEI
Role: To foster and encourage the continued safe utilization
and development of nuclear energy to meet the nation’s
energy, environmental and economic goals
• Policy direction
• Unified approach to regulatory issues, reliability and
economic efficiency
• Encouragement to educational institutions to promote
education in nuclear energy disciplines
Industry Executives have challenged NEI to improve
efficiency, coordination and shift some resources to most
important issues
– Development of Standard Nuclear Performance Model
(SNPM) for more effective process management
See www.nei.org for more information
Standard Nuclear Process Model (Rev 4) – Executive View
MANAGEMENT
PROCESSES
CORE BUSINESS OPERATIONAL
PROCESSES
$$$$$
Electricity
Productio
n
$$$$$
Leadership
-
CM001-004
Manage
Configuration
Vision/Business
Objectives
-
Management
Structure
SS002
Business Services
Nuclear Asset
Management/
Strategy/Budget/
Plan/Implement
MS001-006
Materials and
Services
WM001-009
Work
Management
OP001-003
Operate
Plant
Feedback
Loops
LP002
Performance
Improvement
Equipment
Reliability
ER001-004
SS004
Human Resources
Culture / People
SS005, SS006
SS007
Support
Services
SS001
Information
Technology
SS003
Information
Management
T001-003
Training
NF001-003
Nuclear
Fuel
LP001 and
LP003-006
Loss
Prevention
|----------------------- ENABLING PROCESSES --------------|
Performance
Cost
COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND STAKEHOLDERS
SS002
Cost/
Budget
Process Hierarchy
EUCG
Number
Level 0
8 Process Level
Legend
EUCG
Number
44 Sub-processes
Activity level
SNPM provides
industry a
picture of site
business
enterprise
Levels 2 and
3 are
Company
Specific
Task
Level 1
Level 2
1. (AP-XXX) = Process Description
Electricity Production
2. For Process Descriptions, see also NEI
Benchmarking Reports filed by process
and EUCG Cost Code
Safety of Operation
Level 3
Operate Plant (INPO)
INPO 01-002 Conduct of Operations
OP001 Operate and Monitor Structues, Systems and Components (INPO)
OP002 Monitor and Control Effluents (AP-902) (NEI)
OP003 Monitor and Control Plant Chemistry (INPO)
Core Processes
Manage
Configuration
(CMBG)
(ANSI/NIRMA CM
1.0-2000)
CM001
CM002
CM003
CM004
Evaluate Problem or Desired Change (INPO)
Change Design Requirements (INPO AP-929)
Change Physical Configuration (INPO)
Change Facility Configuration Information
(INPO)
Equipment
Reliability
(INPO) (AP-
Work Management (INPO)
(AP-928, Rev. 1)
913,Rev 1)
WM001
WM002
WM003
WM004
WM005
WM006
WM007
WM008
WM009
Perform Planning (AP-925)
Perform Scheduling (AP-925)
Perform Preventive Maintenance
Perform Corrective Maintenance
Maintain Non-Plant Equipment
Perform Plant Improvement Maintenance
Monitor and Control Radiation Exposure
Monitor and Control Contamination
Perform Minor Maintenance/FIN
ER001
ER002
ER003
ER004
Life Cycle Management
Performance Monitoring
Continuous Equipment Reliabillity Improvement
Perform Predictive Maintenance
Materials and
Services (NEI) (AP908, Rev. 2))
MS001
MS002
MS003
MS004
MS005
MS006
Provide Inventory Management
Procure Materials
Procure Services
Provide Warehousing
Repairs, Refurbishment and Returns
Disposition of Unneeded Material
Enabling Processes
Management
Processes and
Support Services
(NEI)
SS001
SS002
SS003
SS004
SS005
SS006
SS007
Provide Information Technology Services
Provide Business Services
Provide Information Management Services
Human Resources Services
Maintain Grounds, Facilities, and Vehicles
Support Community and Government Services
Support Industry Professional and Trade
Associations
Loss
Prevention
(NEI)
LP001 Provide Security Measures (NEI)
LP002 Provide Performance Monitoring and
Improvement Services (AP-903) (INPO)
LP003 Provide Safety Services (INPO)
LP004 Maintain Licenses and Permits (NEI)
LP005 Perform Emergency Planning (NEI)
LP006 Provide Fire Protection (NEI)
Training
(INPO)
Nuclear Fuel
(NEI)
(AP-921)
T001 Develop Training Programs
T002 Conduct Training
T003 Attend Training
NF001 Provide Fuel Management
Services
NF002 Provide and Transport Fuel
NF003 Provide Handling, Storage, and
Disposal of Fuel
NEI Performance Improvement
• The objective of performance improvement is to
continuously explore ways to:
– Increase business efficiency
– Lower operating cost
– Maintain or improve safety
• This is accomplished by:
–
–
–
–
–
Focusing on process management
Maintaining a Standard Nuclear Performance Model
Conducting benchmarking training
Understanding Change Management
Developing and Maintaining “Communities of Practice”
in each process area
Communities of Practice
Established CoPs
• Configuration
Management
• Materials and Services
(Supply Chain)
• Information Technology
• Information Management
• Human Resources
• Equipment Reliability
CoP Discussions
• Emergency Preparedness
• Fire Protection
• HP-Radiation Protection
• Licensing & Permits
• Work Management
• Performance Monitoring
and Improvement
(LP002)
Community of Practice
Suppliers/
Vendors
NSSS
OGs
SIG
Other
COPs
NEI
Communicate Information
Identify & Coordinate
Resolution of Issues
Coordinate Improvement Activities
Update of Process Descriptions &
Business Performance indicators
Utilities
SIG
SIG
EPRI
INPO
NEI Proposed Performance Improvement
Community of Practice
Other
CoPs
ASQ
NPPC
OGs
SelfAssessment
Managers
LP002 CoP
NEI
PPI
Update of Process Descriptions &
Business Performance indicators
Coordinate Activities
Identify & Coordinate Issues
Communicate Information
Utilities
HPRCT
CAP
EPRI
HU
INPO
PI and L
Specific
Improvements
(measured)
Big Picture
Business Case
“Why”
Standard
Nuclear Performance Tools & Techniques
“How”
Model
Framework
•Effective Human Motivation
•Cost
•Quality
•Performance
•Consistency
•Production Capacity
•Standard Processes
•Process Maps
•High Level KPIs
•Flexible Organization Design
•Benchmarking Projects
•Good Practices
•Process Improvement
•Training- Lean Tools
•Change Management
•Human Motivation
•Management Tools
•Integration
Business/Tactical Planning
Integrating Framework
Project Management
NPPC – Where to go?
Traditional NPPC projects are being rapidly “taken over” –
this is a good thing!
• Management is taking over responsibility for Quality
functions and systems
• More INPO and EPRI alignment around NEI SNPM
– Used as planning framework for joint EPRI, INPO, and
NEI meeting
Where can ASQ help? Emphasize quality concepts in CoPs
and business enterprise – the NPPC Mission still applies
• Quality Management Division
• Statistics Division
Nuclear Plant Operation:
Safe and Secure
• America’s nuclear plants are part of our
vital industrial infrastructure.
• They were among the most secure industrial
facilities before Sept. 11.
• They’re even more secure now.
Industry Response to 9/11:
Immediate Actions
• All nuclear plants to highest alert level
– Increased patrols
– Augmented security forces and capabilities
– Heightened coordination with law enforcement
and military authorities
– Limitations on access to plant sites
Industry Response to 9/11:
Immediate Actions
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) top-tobottom review of safeguards and security
requirements and policies.
– Regulations governing commercial nuclear
facilities
– NRC coordination with other agencies,
communications capabilities, etc.
Industry Response to 9/11:
Strategic Recommendations
• Perform comprehensive review of all credible
threats to security of critical energy infrastructure,
including nuclear power plants.
• Determine which possible threats should be the
responsibility of:
– federal government (terrorist acts of war)
– private industry
Comparative Size of Targets
WTC
208’
wide
1,353’
tall
Spent Fuel
Pool
80’ wide
40’ tall
Pentagon
1,489’ wide (921’ per side)
71’ tall
Containment
Building
130’ wide
160’ tall
Dry Casks
10’ wide
20’ tall
(12 depicted)
Safety is Part of Reactor Designs
Containment Vessel
1.5-inch thick steel
Shield Building Wall
3 foot thick reinforced concrete
Dry Well Wall
5 foot thick reinforced concrete
Bio Shield
4 foot thick leaded concrete with
1.5-inch thick steel lining inside and out
Reactor Vessel
4 to 8 inches thick steel
Reactor Fuel
Weir Wall
1.5 foot thick concrete
Sandia Labs F-4 Crash Test
• A rocket propelled F-4 Phantom jet aircraft is
crashed, at 480 miles per hour, head-on into a
concrete target mounted on top of an air platform,
with a combined weight of more than one million
pounds.
• This test was done at Sandia Laboratories in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, to estimate the effect
of an aircraft crashing directly into a critical
concrete structure, such as a nuclear plant’s
containment structure.
Sandia Labs F-4 Crash Test
• All commercial nuclear plants in the United States
must have a containment structure to be licensed
to operate.
Sandia Labs F-4 Crash Test
Operation requires storing
Used Fuel on-site
• Fuel removed every 18-20 months
• Stored initially on site in vault
• Some later transferred to dry storage
Fuel (new and used) are
ceramic pellets
Fuel Rods Filled With Pellets Are
Grouped Into Fuel Assemblies
New Fuel Assembly Inspection
Used Fuel Assembly Removal from
Reactor Vessel
Used Fuel storage in Pool
Used Fuel National Repository:
Yucca Mountain
Supplemental Site Storage
is required at many sites
Used Fuel Storage Cask
Supplemental Cask Storage
Used Fuel Locations
Used Fuel Transport is Safe:
Putting transport into perspective
• Annually, 300 million packages of hazardous
materials are shipped in U.S.
• 1% of these are radioactive materials, or 3 million
packages.
• Majority are radiopharmaceuticals or
radioisotopes used in medical applications.
• 250,000 contain radioactive materials from
nuclear power plant operation.
Used Fuel Transport
• Presently, fewer than 100 shipments of used
nuclear fuel occur annually.
• Expect 300 to 500 containers to be shipped
annually to a repository.
• More than 3,000 used fuel shipments in U.S. over
past 40 years.
• More than 21,000 used fuel shipments
internationally over past 40 years.
Used Fuel Transport Security
• Robust transport container
design provides first level of
security
• Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) approved
route and security plan
• Advance notification to
Governors prior to shipments
• Dates of shipments not
publicized
• Satellite tracking; use of
communications equipment
• Periodic update of route
conditions
• Armed escorts in urban areas;
elsewhere as required by State
• Locking devices on trucks
preventing unauthorized
movement
Used Fuel Transport Security
• A system of safeguards exists to ensure safety
during used fuel transportation.
• NRC and Department of Energy (DOE) have
performed studies and tests to assess the risks of
sabotage to used fuel transportation.
• NRC periodically reviews potential threats with
law enforcement agencies.
• NRC reexamines safeguards and security for used
fuel transport as necessary.
Used Fuel Transport Safety
• Accidents can happen.
• That is why used fuel shipping containers are
designed to withstand severe accidents.
• There have been 8 transport accidents involving
used fuel containers in the U.S.
– There has NEVER been a release of the
radioactive contents.
– Four of the accidents involved empty
containers.
Used Fuel Transport Safety
• Prior to certification by the NRC, used fuel
transport casks must be shown to meet a series of
hypothetical accident conditions.
– Drop, Puncture, Thermal (fire), Water
Submersion
• These can be done through physical testing and
through the use of computer modeling.
See information, pictures, video at
www.nei.org