COVID-19-related lockdowns and slowdowns remained the norm in 2021, directly impacting the planned activity across the nation and with the Utilities Service Alliance (USA).  Even with those challenges, USA has had several project accomplishments in the past year.  USA started the year with a focus on Training, INPO 19-003 – “Staying on Top”, Work Management Improvements, and Advanced Remote Monitoring (ARM).

The Staying on Top initiative kicked off with the development of the INPO 19-003 “Staying on Top” initiative for the fleet.  A team representing all of the USA member utilities and stations was developed and established two goals:

1. Develop a strong OR network to support development of a continuous improvement culture
2. Identify best practices that can be deployed at each member utility to monitor and assessment performance.

This team worked through the year to meet these goals.  Members of the team brought to the table different ideas, concepts, practices, experiences and lessons learned to share, with the end goal to establish an assessment methodology that will be deployed across the USA fleet, to work in conjunction with the processes and procedures each of our utilities has already established.

The final methodology will be based on the assessment and monitoring of performance using a tiered approach, specifically at a site level, functional area/department level and crew level.  A number of tools were built based on benchmarking within the USA fleet, through engagement with the industry Organizational Effectiveness Working Group and through support with other industry utilities.  This tiered approach will be outlined in a USA governance document upon completion of the initiative.  In addition to the tiered approach, the USA Mid-Cycle assessment process will be updated to include a review of the Staying on Top values as part of the process.  This was piloted at two USA stations (Columbia and Monticello).

“The 19-003 Staying on Top team has developed a strong network through this initiative, and I would like to extend a special thanks to the hard work the team demonstrated throughout the year in the support of this initiative”, said Dominique Wilson, Project Manager of the team.

There is a lot happening industry-wide with Training.  Below are some of the expected changes and what USA is doing to be ready.  Special thanks to John Tripoli and the team for all they have done to keep pace.

 ILT Changes

Substantial changes are in flight from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for initial license training.  These changes include new Knowledges and Abilities (K/As) – (first major change in decades) and elimination of the General Fundamentals Exam.  Although most of our plants will be making these changes in 2022, we have some early adopters of the K/As.

USA Approach:

• We have a sub team working together to share change management plans.
• We will be doing assessments in 2022.

ATV Changes

INPO will be handling questions from the board differently.  The Accreditation Team Lead (ATL) will still provide all questions to the plant but will only ask for specific input.  Plants can still volunteer information, but they will respond to questions from INPO ATV standpoint not as plant.  INPO also looking at other changes including being more critical.

 USA Approach:

• This will continue to be discussion items during monthly meetings with INPO.
• We have three ATVs in 2022: We have made three leadership Accreditation Team Visits (ATV) commitments in 2022 before these ATVs to support. These leadership roles will give us greater insight into the changes.
• USA Training Managers are also considering options to prevent loss of Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) knowledge

Deficient Teaching & Learning

This industry facing issue was the subject of much discussion and planning in 2021 and INPO plans to issue new standards next year.  This change is unique, and some aspects are transformational.

USA Approach:

• We have two people on Advisory Board (John Tripoli and Grover Hettel).
• We have a person (Xcel Energy’s Tim Borgen) on the committee to develop the standards.
• We issued a USA contract in November for initial license fundamentals training delivered CBT and the USA contract will save us 2/3s.

Assessment

USA completed 26 training related self-assessments involving the sharing of 35 people from other plants in 2021.  In addition, USA successfully completed accreditation renewal for Operations Training Programs at.  In 2022, we already have 19 assessments scheduled and project we will have over 30 when all scheduling is complete.

Work Management Excellence was the third project in focus in 2021.  The year started with the plan to get through the outage season before starting.  The originally selected Project Manager was promoted at his home station, and we then started the search for a replacement Project Manager. Denise Brandon from Columbia agreed to take on the task in 2022 and will drive to the original plan on a half time basis, half on the project and half continuing her duties at Columbia.  Denise’s Memorandum of Understanding is nearly in place which will allow her to start her project in January 2022.

Advanced Remote Monitoring also had a busy year in 2021 with more to come in 2022.  You’ll hear more about the specifics in future News Releases as that project moves into Phase 2 in 2022.

In addition to the above project initiatives, USA also conducted six mid-cycle and five Nuclear Safety Culture assessments.