Seth Borowski, a member of the Local 2 Bricklayers and Allied Craft workers in Detroit, works on one of Fermi 2’s two FLEX buildings. Fermi 2, the entire Utilities Service Alliance fleet and the commercial nuclear industry, is in the process of implementing new standards to help plants respond to beyond-design basis events.

The initiative, called FLEX, includes the construction of robust buildings that will house hoses, pumps, generators and other equipment to help in an emergency. How robust? The foundations of each of the buildings at Fermi include 100 tons of rebar and 2 million pounds of concrete.

Borowski is one of about 250 tradesmen Fermi 2 will hire to construct these buildings and implement other FLEX-related projects at the plant this summer.