<< Previous

Industry Conducts Comprehensive Training

The Pursuit of Excellence. In its report on the Three Mile Island accident, the presidentially appointed Kemeny Commission recommended that the U.S. nuclear energy industry “set and police its own standards of excellence.” The industry formed the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations that same year to promote excellence in nuclear power plant operations, including the training of personnel.

Training and Accreditation. As one of its first steps, INPO examined utility training needs and developed a number of training and qualification guidelines. It also established procedures and criteria for training program accreditation.

Under INPO’s auspices, the nuclear energy industry has created a comprehensive system of training and accreditation for utility personnel. The National Academy for Nuclear Training, created in 1985, integrates and standardizes the training efforts of INPO and all U.S. nuclear companies.

The academy sets industry training standards. Its mission: to strengthen training and enhance the pride and professionalism of nuclear plant personnel. The academy conducts several special courses that promote the development, involvement and professionalism of utility executives, managers and supervisors.

Through the independent National Nuclear Accrediting Board, individual utility training programs are formally accredited.

The accreditation process covers operations, maintenance and technical training programs for all key positions at each plant. It requires:

• a utility self-evaluation of its training programs based on industrywide standards
• a visit from a team of training experts, which examines the training programs and recommends improvements
• a review by a panel of the independent National Nuclear Accrediting Board, which determines whether the programs meet accreditation standards.

Each training program must renew its accreditation every four years.

Nuclear operating companies have invested extensive resources in training.

New Levels of Plant Safety and Performance. The success of the industry’s training programs can be measured by nuclear power plant performance. Performance indicators for plant safety, efficiency and reliability have improved steadily in the past 25 years.

The average number of unplanned automatic shutdowns was down to zero per unit in 2002, from 7.3 in 1980. The median unit capacity factor for U.S. nuclear plants rose from 57.6 percent in 1980 to 89.8 percent in 2006. A high unit capacity factor means that more electricity is available to the electricity grid—a result of effective plant programs and practices to minimize unplanned energy losses and to optimize planned outages.