Sustained Performance in

Radiation Protection at Vogtle

Clark BournePlant Health Physicist – Vogtle (USA)

How did we get where we are?Often times, it felt like…

B r u t e F o r c e !

I need more dose! I need more dose!

Indira says, “No moredose for you, Buddy!”

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

1) Ownership & Accountability

2) Source Term Management

3) Technology

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

•Management Commitment to be a top quartile performer•Non-outage exposure–Consistently trending down• “Every 0.1 mrem counts!”• Planning/Scheduling• Work Execution through Lessons Learned• Work Force Engagement

– Focus on Excellence• Challenging/Aggressive Goal Setting• Constant vigilance on “What Could Go Wrong?”

– Use of daily MELT– Use of Operational Risk Awareness process

1) Ownership & Accountability

mrem

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

HP Chem Ops Hi Rad Rout

Routine RWP Exposure Trends

Non-outage exposure

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

•Outage exposure– Outage Scheduling • Incorporates Lessons Learned into schedule

– HP takes the lead to include contingencies from industry Operating Experience and solicit support from appropriate groups

» e.g., core barrel lifts, CRDM volumetric inspections, pzr weld overlays, radiography

» Sensitivity and awareness that these events can happen to us!

• Planners sensitive to plant conditions that impact dose– Contractor Incentives $$$• Dose is 20% of their performance score

1) Ownership & Accountability (cont’d)

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

•Outage exposure (cont’d)–Mock-up training / Dry Runs for risk significant evolutions• SG primary manways/diaphragms• Nozzle dams • HP surveys

– SG channel heads– Under reactor head and reactor cavity

• SG vacuum bag change-outs• Shielding installation• Core barrel lifts• Tri-nuke filter loading• RCS filter change-outs• Rx head EXCEL scaffolding• CETNAs • PZR SWOL

1) Ownership & Accountability (cont’d)

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

• Implemented EPRI Constant elevated pH program (7. 2)• Zinc addition on both units– AOA concerns on Unit 1 resulted in suspension of zinc for Cycle 13–Approval to add Zn for full cycle received for both units

•Shutdown Chemistry Controls– Repeatable performance each outage due to consistency and commitment to the process– Constant vigilance to “stay the course”– Use of macroporous resin in shutdown mixed bed demin

• Ultrasonic Fuel Cleaning – 8 campaigns, 4 per unit• Use of tri-nuke filtration in Rx cavity and SFP• Use of 0.1 um filtration on RCS filter

2) Source Term Reduction

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

•Shielding–Permanent shielding support frames for SG handhole platforms–Permanent reactor head shielding–Radwaste Processing Facility design–Design Changes to add several more permanent support frames in containment–Storage of temporary lead shielding in containment–Shielding is on Plant’s Major Issues List–Temporary Shielding usage improvements• Purchase of Radishield, head stand shielding for

CRDM volumetric inspection, PZR SWOL applications

2) Source Term Reduction (cont’d)

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

Examples of Integration of technology to support plant operations:–Identification of leakage inside bioshield at power via HP Robot–Midloop sight glass and reactor cavity level monitored in the control room and OCC via HP cameras–Core Barrel lifts directed through Central Monitoring Station• 15 area monitoring teledosimeters used to monitor lift• 10 camera views• SNC Task Manager in Central – direct communications

with lift director in containment

3) Technology

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

•Use of remote monitoring for high radiological risk tasks

–Normal operations • Areas where Radiax antenna is available, have

remote telemetry to Central Monitoring Station – Radwaste liner/filter surveys– Spent filter placement into liner– Resin sluice monitoring– Area monitoring for zinc injection trending

outside containment• Localized setup available for other areas (video,

audio and telemetry)

3) Technology (cont’d)

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

•Use of remote monitoring for high radiological risk tasks

–Outages• All personnel in containment wear teledose• Dose management effectiveness for high rad job

coverage is quadrupled • Permanent design change to wire camera, audio,

and telemetry from inside containment all the way to Central Monitoring Station

• Added to system incrementally over past decade • Other groups use the tools

3) Technology (cont’d)

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

•Use of video/DVD/still pictures to record jobs for training and event reconstruction

•Acceptance of technology by HP techs and radworkers is the key to RMT success–RMT has changed the persona of the HP tech

•Use of robotics–HP has a robot for inspections inside bioshield at power–Upper reactor head and under head inspections

3) Technology (cont’d)

Key Factors for Sustained Performance

•Electronic Survey Mapping system–Radiological Survey Mapping System

(RadIS)–Developed by SNC, Vogtle first to

implement in 2000–Over 100,000 surveys electronically generated/approved and submitted to document control (completely paperless)–iPIX photos available on maps showing 360º view of room–Link between Radis and telemetry software allows area monitoring data to be displayed directly on survey maps

3) Technology (cont’d)

138120117151

8184

244

129121

229

162158

452

126

158

7873

48

7464

51

53858082

101

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Ann

ual D

ose

(Rem

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

cycl

e av

g (

rem

/un

it/y

r)

ANNUAL SITE EXPOSURE CYCLE AVG PER UNIT

INPO goal of<65 Rem/unit by end of 2005

INPO goal <60 Rem/unit starting in 2006

Annual Site Exposure and Cycle Average (Rem/Unit)

* - 2 outage year