The Utilities Service Alliance exchange program is providing some Arizona sunshine to Monticello’s refueling outage that gets under way this weekend.

Working with Xcel Energy workforce relations and Thomas Koehler, business manager at International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Union Local 160, USA is providing maintenance support from the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station west of Phoenix for the first three weeks of the Monticello outage.

Arriving for access processing early this week were:
• Al Morgan, electrician, from Goodyear, Ariz., with eight years of nuclear experience;
• Val Coronado, mechanical maintenance, Surprise, Ariz., six years nuclear experience;
• Bret Choitz, I&C technician, Buckeye, Ariz., 25 years in the industry.
• Duane Wilson, mechanical maintenance, Buckeye, Ariz., seven years.
• Samuel Park, mechanical maintenance, Buckeye, eight years.

Left to right, Bret Choitz, Al Morgan, Samuel Park, Duane Wilson and Val Coronado requested to pose in by a snow bank at the Chelsea Road In-processing Building.

“The addition of these workers with more than 50 years of nuclear experience bolsters our shop resources to meet early parts of the outage schedule,” said Monticello Plant Manager John Grubb. “Their experience at Palo Verde and other plants during outages is an added benefit. We are gratified that our association with USA gives us additional flexibility in resource management.”

The five expressed enthusiasm about joining some 2,000 workers during the Monticello outage; enthusiasm about everything except the weather. (The low Wednesday morning in Monticello was almost 10 degrees below zero with a wind chill of -15 to -20, while in Phoenix a high of 77 was predicted.) “Snow – I haven’t seen snow for years,” said Park. “Talk about culture shock. I walked my dog in shorts and flip flops over the weekend.”

The Arizona visitors will not stay in outdoors when their shifts are done, they said, as they had plans for a possible ice fishing excursion.

All five have worked at more than one nuclear plant during outages. They will be augmenting Monticello electrical, I&C and mechanical maintenance projects during the outage before heading home March 25.

“I look at this as a win-win opportunity to share my experience and gain knowledge of how Monticello operates,” said Coronado. “I look forward to working at Prairie Island later this year.”