CSRA poised to 'lead the nation in the nuclear renaissance'
By PHYLLIS BRITT
"The CSRA is poised to lead the nation in the nuclear renaissance," declared David Amerine, a 42-year veteran in nuclear operations.
The senior vice president of Parsons was among the many heavy-hitters in the nuclear industry to speak at "The Nuclear Renaissance: Here and Now ... New Missions and Construction Programs," the 10th conference of the Southeast Environmental Management Association and the third in the group's series on business opportunities.
Held at the Savannah Rapids Pavilion in Augusta, the conference focused on the resurgence of interest in nuclear power as an energy source and on "bringing awareness to the public and contractors in the nuclear business," said Catherine Thomas, president of SEMA.
Amerine spoke on "Risk Reduction" in conjunction with a session entitled "The SRS Contract: The Next Five Years." Joining him were Jeffrey M. Allison, manager of the DOE's Savannah River Operations Office; Leo H. Sain, president of URS Washington Savannah River Company; and David Stinson, president and project director of Shaw AREVA MOX Services LLC.
The "nuclear renaissance" is on the rise, according to attendees at the conference. "We're over the stuff of the 60s," said Fred Humes, executive director of Economic Development Partnership. He maintained that when looking at the current energy demands, "we've got to find a way for clean power ... for clean electricity. Unless we find a source of energy that is both clean and in great quantity, we're lost." He maintained the energy crisis is actually a national security issue and insisted the public must be informed to recognize that "viable and safe generation" of nuclear power is available.
Humes said the goal of the conference was to bring to provide information and data on the value of nuclear power in a realistic and verifiable manner.
Allison discussed the cleanup at the Site and assured the gathering that "outstanding progress' is being made. He mentioned an interim salt treatment process in place. Allison noted the Site is receiving nuclear materials from other sites and pointed to the MOX facility and the extension of H-Canyon as a part of the disposition of plutonium. The DOE representative also noted work continues in the characterization of the soil and groundwork toward the D&D (decontamination and decommissioning) of the facility, reduction of the inventory and shrinking the footprint of the contaminated areas. "We are in a good position for the future," he declared.
Sain's topic was "Delivering Results Now, Ensuring Results in the Future." He listed over 250 structures that have been demolished during the downsizing of SRS. He also pointed out WSRC has developed a plan for cleanup with DOE and continues with waste removal and tank closure preparations. Sain indicated the Savannah River Laboratory is now a national laboratory that has far-reaching influence, assisting sites throughout the DOE nuclear complex.
Looking to the future, Sain said WSRC has done its part in developing and maintaining talent. "With the nuclear renaissance, there are changes in the industry," he said, listing recruitment, redeployment, leadership development and recognitions and awards as part of the company's effort in the "talent war" that will come with the nuclear renaissance. Sain indicated SRS is "well-positioned" to solve critical cleanup issues and to find smart solutions to waste disposal.
Calling himself the last president of the biggest part of the site operations, Sain acknowledged the two-contract approach that will ensue Aug. 1, with one company over M&O (management and operations) and another over the liquid waste -- "We organized that way two years ago," he said. He concluded by congratulating Chuck Munns with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, which was awarded the M&O segment of the contract at SRS.
Stinson detailed the place of the MOX facility in the nuclear renaissance. He called the MOX project at SRS the "greenest" project on earth, saying where else are nuclear weapons production and power for the community combined. He discussed his company's commitment to the project with a management team creed of : Take care of people, take care of the project, do the right thing, leadership matters. Challenges facing Shaw AREVA MOX include staffing and quality and quantity of suppliers -- "The same concerns of the nuclear renaissance," he said. Stinson gave a visual update of the project, including photos of the progress on the various buildings being constructed to support the MOX project.
He acknowledged the nuclear renaissance is "real." Stinson said the challenge is an increased demand with no "bench strength" in reserve. Suggesting companies that have a training program are the ones that will "win" in the nuclear renaissance, Stinson pointed to his company's MOX gateway. The focus is to recruit those not currently in the "nuclear stream" and train them, influence students to consider nuclear as a viable career, and to maintain good relationships with stakeholders -- He listed public schools, vocational schools, technical colleges, multi-state university systems, labor unions, county commissions and community leaders.
"The need is real and pressing," said Stinson. "We have the opportunity to act, not react and if it's done' well, the economic and social impact will be very positive."
Listing hydrogen, nuclear and renewables as viable options in the nuclear renaissance, Humes concluded, "We must realize that the answer to our energy needs is not just one thing ... We're a smart country," he concluded. "We can make changes and determine what's best."
