Training & References

One thing that nuclear does well is work together across the industry. From sharing OE to helping troubleshoot issues through email, we look out for each other and the wellbeing of our customers by providing safe, reliable energy. That being said, we all have to start somewhere!

With many people retiring and picking up new roles, there is a constant need for training and developing industry connections. The intent of this page is to provide some recommended quick references as well as helpful training courses that peers have participated in.

NOTE: All Vendor training courses are peer recommended. No payment to promote these trainings was received.

Specific Vendor Trainings:

Mechanical Dynamics & Analysis offers several training courses on steam turbines – Classes include Turbine fundamentals, alignment, vibration analysis and more. Current training can be found here.

GSE Solutions provides a basic and advanced thermal performance course for Nuclear along with other training. This is beneficial to not only thermal performance engineers but system engineers in general. Current training can be found here.

Rotating Equipment Repair (RER) offers a complimentary 2 day pump school for their customers annually in August at their facility in WI. Current training can be found here.

Hydro has several courses available about pumps as well as free pump webinars once a month. Courses and Webinars can be found here.

Emerson offers a multitude of courses on valves, actuators, and their controls systems among other things. One beneficial course recommended was a Fieldvue DVC6200 course that familiarized the users with installation and tuning of DVC6200 controllers. Current trainings offered can be found here.

Recommended EPRI U Courses:

TBD

Additional Recommended User Groups:

Turbine Engineer Network (TEN)
- strictly peers – no vendors
- Email only; please contact Dustin.Shever@duke-energy.com to join the mailing list
  - Dustin will review mailing list request emails at the beginning of each month.

Turbine Generator Users Group (TGUG)
- TGUG provides a forum for discussion of reliability, operation, and maintenance of all types of steam turbines, generators, and associated systems. Attendees acquire and exchange information on maintenance, inspection, performance upgrades, repair, testing, storage, and handling of all types of steam turbines, generators, and associated systems and sub-components
- Has a yearly conference typically mid january
- TGUG is comprised of both EPRI “Program 219: Steam Turbines and Auxiliary Systems” and “Program 220: Generators and Auxiliary Systems”

Plant Performance Enhancement (P2EP) Users Group
- P2EP facilitates information exchange and provides technical support to assist PE member utilities to improve nuclear plant thermal efficiency and electrical output. PE maintains the P2EP Technical Library, conducts industry surveys, facilitates experience exchange, and provides hot line assistance to PE member utilities.
- Has a yearly conference typically around July/August timeframe along with periodic webcasts. (link)

Heat Exchanger Performance Users Groups (HXPUG)
- The objective of the Heat Exchanger Performance User Group is to improve the reliability, availability, and operational capability of Heat Exchangers. This group addresses all heat exchangers with the exception of Steam Generators and Boilers. This User Group also provides a forum for discussion, development, and communication of information on operation, maintenance, analysis, and performance testing of heat exchangers.
  - Information sharing with Heat Exchanger Performance User Group (HXPUG) members.
  - Technical investigations into high-priority technical issues as directed by the membership.
  - Plant support and services as related to heat exchanger testing.
  - Report creation on topics related to heat exchangers that are of value to the group.
  - Collaboration on common industry problems and solutions as they relate to heat exchanger testing and performance.
- Owners of the Condenser Wiki as well as the Comprehensive Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Resource

Terry Turbine Users Group (TTUG)
- The Terry Turbine Users Group (TTUG) was organized by EPRI in April 1993 in response to member requests to facilitate technology transfer and information exchange among commercial nuclear power plant operators related to Terry Turbines used in Auxiliary Feedwater (AFW), Reactor Core Isolation Cooling (RCIC) and High-Pressure Coolant Injection (HPCI) systems. At the time, a number of EPRI-member utilities felt a significant gap existed between utility needs and available information sources. TTUG represents the utilities’ approach to bridge that gap. At its first meeting in New Orleans, LA, the TTUG adopted an annual meeting format and charter and elected a steering committee made up of utility personnel.

Boiling Water Reactor Owners Group (BWROG)
- The BWROG provides a forum to allow its member utilities to maintain and improve plant safety, achieve higher plant reliability, minimize and share costs, and facilitate regulatory interaction.
- This Owners Groups is managed by General Electric Company (GE).
- BWROG has created a multitude of technical products over the years that are available to their members. (link)

Pressurized Water Reactors Owners Group (PWROG)
- PWROG is managed by Westinghouse Nuclear
- The mission of the Pressurized Water Reactor Owners Group is to improve the competitiveness of member plants through cost-effective resolution of issues common to more than one member, and to provide a superior regulatory interface in support of member activities. This mission will be accomplished by maintaining a focus on the following objectives:
  - Support safe and reliable plant operations.
  - Provide an effective regulatory interface.
  - Effectively leverage the resources of its members, including Westinghouse and Areva NP.
  - Provide a forum for joint discussions and resolution of issues common to more than one member
  - Provide a mechanism for allocating costs and resources relative to resolution of owners group issues, whether performed Westinghouse, Areva NP, or others.
  - Provide an effective interface with NEI, EPRI, INPO and other industry groups and owners groups on industry issues
  - Share best practices and lessons learned among US and International Members

(EPRI) PRR Forum

The purpose of this EPRI driven forum is to develop a web-based community of users. This provides a discussion capability where members can post questions and share answers with other members. EPRI requests your participation is posting questions, responding to other user’s questions, and posting information that will be useful to others.

https://nuclearprrforum.epri.com

User Access: The Nuclear Plant Reliability and Resilience (PRR) Forum will be accessible to all PRR funders. A valid EPRI.com username and password is required to access the forum. If you do not have an account from a funding member, you will not have access to the site.

When you first access the site you will be automatically registered using your EPRI account. All funders with valid EPRI credentials will automatically be granted write capability (post/edit/delete). If you leave your current employment, you agree to cease using this site.

Key EPRI Docs Sorted by Component, Program, Group, etc.

The EPRI “Plant Reliability And Resilience” (PRR) Program has put together a quick grab webpage that lets you pull EPRI docs related to specific components, programs, groups, etc. There are also link for other tools and resources available on this page.

https://nuclearprr.epri.com/component