Inside NIRMA Magazine - Summer Edition 2022

Inside 

Leading the way in Nuclear Informaon and Records Management 

magazine 

Visit us at: NIRMA.org 

Get Updated on Vogtle 3 & 4 

During NIRMA Symposium from 

Keynote Speaker, Dan 

Bierbrauer 

Transformaons Are 

Everywhere 

A Message from NIRMA’s President 

Challenges of Different and Odd 

Film 

nextScan 

Transaconal vs Batch‐Oriented 

Capture Methodologies 

Integrated Scanning of America 

Issue # 14, Summer 2022

Contents 

Summer 2022 

4 

7 

9 

11 

Transformations Are Everywhere 

By Janice Hoerber, NIRMA’s President 

Challenges of Different and Odd Film? 

By Matt Anderson, Vice President of Marketing, nextScan 

Announcing NIRMA Symposium Keynote Speakers 

Transactional vs Batch-Oriented Capture Methodologies 

By Manuel Bulwa, Integrated Scanning of America , ISAUSA 

13 

15 

16 

18 

TMI-Really? 

By Bob Larrivee, NIRMA’s Director 

of Technical Programs 

NIRMA Symposium Schedule 

Chronicles of NIM: A 

Retrospective on Information 

Management in Nuclear Power 

By Eugene Yang, KISMET 

Consulting, Inc. 

From the CRM, 

The Institute of Certified Records 

Managers (ICRM): the History, 

the Organization, and its People 

By Jerry Lucente-Kirkpatrick 

On the Cover: Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle Units 3 

and 4 will be the first new nuclear units built in the 

United States in more than three decades. The Unit 3 

fuel pool is fully loaded with all fuel assemblies 

necessary for the safe and reliable startup of Unit 3. 

Loading of the Unit 3 Reactor Core is expected to take 

place in the coming months. Dan Bierbrauer, Southern 

Company Technology Director will be a keynote 

speaker at the upcoming Symposium. See Dan’s bio on 

page 9. 

The cover photo is copyrighted 2022 and is reprinted with the 

permission of Georgia Power Company. 

2 Summer 2022 NIRMA.org Inside NIRMA

Summer 2022 

in every issue 

VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT—5 

PDBU NEWS—20 

M&MBU NEWS—21 

TREASURER REPORT—21 

RIMBU NEWS—22 

INDUSTRY NEWS—23 

Letter from the Editors 

We at Inside NIRMA, value your opinion and are 

always looking to improve our magazine. Let us 

know what you like and dislike and what you’d 

like to see more of. Share your thoughts with our 

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NIRMA on Twitter and Instagram, 

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with NIRMA on LinkedIn and 

NIRMA is now on YouTube! 

Thanks for reading. Please keep in touch! 

Neal and Sandra Miller 

Editors 

Editors 

Neal and Sandra Miller 

DevereauxInc@outlook.com 

Advertising 

Neal.F.Miller@gmail.com 

NIRMA Headquarters 

Sarah Perkins 

NIRMA Administrator 

245 Sunnyridge Ave., #41 

Fairfield, CT 06824 

nirma@nirma.org 

In addition to our own 

articles, Inside NIRMA 

publishes guest articles from 

agencies and vendors. Please 

be advised that the views and 

opinions expressed in these 

articles are those of the 

authors and do not 

necessarily reflect the 

opinions of NIRMA or its 

Board of Directors. 

Back to Content | Inside NIRMA NIRMA.org Summer 2022 3

S 

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 

ome of the first 

transformations were 

Digital Transformations 

that many of our 

organizations embarked upon and 

are changing the tools we work 

with. Unfortunately, most have not 

successfully transformed the 

business processes nor the culture 

which are key to unlocking the real 

value. 

Our Nuclear industry is in the 

great pursuit of Innovation. We 

are all looking to technology to 

enhance decisions based on the data 

and to eliminate human error. The 

roadmaps are often vague (or nonexistent) 

which leads to separate 

initiatives in our organizations that 

struggle to achieve the real value. 

There are some success stories 

that NIRMA has tapped and will be 

shared during the August 1-3 

Symposium in Las Vegas. Nuclear 

is at an inflection point to learn 

from the first "wins" and then set 

the course for the next-gen of 

transformations. It is an exciting 

time as we are seeing how the 

technologies have advanced in 

recent years. The foundation pieces 

are coming together like no time 

before! 

The solution providers are able to 

implement products to assist the 

Nuclear Renaissance and add value 

to our data. For example, early 

adopters of technology to perform 

predictive maintenance are showing 

impressive results. Sure, at first we 

may not fully trust what a computer 

is telling us. Our predecessors only 

dreamed of tools that could forecast 

an outage, yet the technology may 

finally be here. 

There are many more innovations 

in motion, some that we will dive 

into at the NIRMA Symposium, 

such as computer-based procedures 

and dynamic work instructions. As 

we try to leave our paper-based 

processes, we will need to think 

differently. An example is 

transforming away from Microsoft 

Word for plant procedures and 

instead leveraging software-based 

instructions. 

So where does NIRMA fit into all 

of this? Right alongside, providing 

the leadership to publish guidance 

and eventual standards around these 

topics. NIRMA was there in full 

force when the Nuclear industry 

began in the U.S. The young 

industry needed well-defined 

guidance established and NIRMA 

filled the need, especially in Nuclear 

Records Management to ensure long 

-term retention and retrieval. 

Janice Hoerber 

Transformations are everywhere! 

It is an exciting time 

as we are seeing how 

the technologies have 

advanced in recent 

years. The foundation 

pieces are coming 

together like no time 

before! 

NIRMA also enabled the 

development of an ANSI standard 

that is still referenced today for new 

projects, ANSI/NIRMA CM 1.0- 

2007 (R2021), “Guidelines on 

Configuration Management for 

Nuclear Facilities.” 

NIRMA remains ready and able in 

its 46 th year as an association to 

serve its members and the future of 

the Nuclear industry. I look 

forward to an outstanding agenda of 

topics and sessions in August. 

Please accept my invitation to join 

us in Las Vegas! 

2022 NIRMA Symposium 

August 1-3, 2022 

Held at the 

JW Marriott Resort and 

Spa 

Las Vegas, Nevada 


T 

he 2022 Nuclear Information Management 

Symposium (August 1-3) at the JW Marriott 

Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada is quickly 

approaching. We have several brand-new 

topics and speakers, as well as our renewed fundamental 

sessions lined up for you. We are striving to look 

forward knowledge-wise, while still providing the 

fundamentals for our newest members. AND we will 

be fully back to in-person attendance, giving us all an 

opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues 

and for the new generation of members to get 

personally acquainted with us old timers. Let’s preview 

some of the Keynotes (see Page 9 for more details) and 

other Sessions (see Page 15 for more details): 

 

Dr. Bruce Hallbert with the Idaho National 

Laboratory (INL) is our kickoff Keynote speaker 

addressing “Records, Digitalization, and Innovation: 

Vital Partnerships for Competitive Nuclear Power.” 

Dan Bierbrauer with Southern Nuclear who will 

provide “Vogtle 3&4 Update.” 

We will hear sessions on: 

 

FROM THE VICE-PRESIDENT 

a year-two progress report on our successful 

Mentorship Program 

43th Annual NIRMA Symposium Keynote Speaker, Waco 

Bankston, STP Nuclear Operang Company (2018) 

Bruce Walters, CRM/NS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the introduction of Special Interest Group for 

Emerging Technologies (SIGET) with an array of 

sessions, to include Computer Based Procedures at 

Nawah Energy Company in the United Arab 

Emirates as well as Work Digitalization Initiative at 

INL 

configuration management 

building information modeling to visualize digital 

3D models 

viability of blockchain for long-term digital 

preservation 

five different case studies, including the records 

management practice at Nawah Energy Company 

cyber security 

the ever-popular government updates & 

benchmarking session 

a new electronic signatures benchmarking session, 

and others 

many fundamentals sessions, including why’s and 

what’s of Technical Guidelines (TG’s) 

an overview of the Institute of Certified Records 

Managers 

public speaking 

odd film types 

two little words (post-pandemic) 

and more 

We will have speakers from Canada and the United 

Arab Emirates, while wishing our Japanese colleagues 

could join us, thus expanding our international reach. 

Registration for the 46 th annual Symposium is open 

on our website (click here). Also, hotel reservations can 

be made now. We encourage you to come and 

participate with us. Come in time to take an early 

Sunday afternoon tour with us to the National Atomic 

Testing Museum. This year’s Symposium will be well 

worth your while in attending. I am excited to greet you 

there IN PERSON! 


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Challenges of 

Different and Odd 

Film 

By Matt Anderson, 

Vice President of Marketing, nextScan 

A 

s Record Managers, you 

are very familiar that 

records come in all types 

of formats, sizes, densities, 

colors and more. And while most 

are now created with a digital 

backup, there are still many 

documents on old analog file types. 

For the last two decades, the 

team of nextScan has been 

developing the world’s most 

advanced scanning systems for 

micrographics. But did you know 

the company’s history of imaging 

goes back over half a century? 

Digital Check, nextScan’s parent 

company, has been in the check 

imaging industry for the past 25 

years and was born from a 

company called Microseal. That 

company, founded in the 1950s, 

would revolutionize the way microdocuments 

were stored, from 

aperture cards, to film, to fiche, 

jackets and more. 

This experience with so many 

different file types has created the 

environment for engineers to 

develop different solutions for the 

different scanning challenges. For 

example, Digital Check check 

scanners use a Contact Image 

Sensor (CIS) to scan checks and 

other bank notes. On the other 

hand, nextScan uses line scan 

cameras to capture microfilm and 

microfiche at high speeds. And 

finally, our ST Imaging line of 

microfilm scanners use an area 

image sensor to capture images one 

at a time. As you can see there are 

several different ways for images to 

be captured. When approached 

with a new challenge, we sometimes 

need to develop a new technique. 

The team at nextScan 

really enjoys a 

challenge and this was 

a big one! 

Apex Scanner 

A few years back, a United 

States government agency 

approached nextScan with their 

problem. They needed to scan their 

archive of aerial film, which was up 

to 10+ inches wide and hundreds 

Continued on next page. 


of feet long, with 

the goal of 

completion by 

Continued from previous page. 2030. Their 

previous solution 

was to scan one section at a time and then stich the 

images together. That technology is over 20 years old 

and was severely limited to the digital storage 

technology of the era. With the time it took to scan 

each roll by individually stitching the images together, 

there was no chance of completing their mission. 

The team at nextScan really enjoys a challenge and 

this was a big one! To continuously scan a roll of 

10.23” film, to a 4-micron resolution, and capable of 

storing all that data. Kurt Breish, lead engineer and 

nextScan founder, said, “There are two types of 

cameras in our line of work: an area array sensor, 

which takes pictures like a normal camera that you or I 

would use at home; and a line-scan sensor, which 

continually captures single-pixel ‘slices’ of whatever is 

moving past it. From our past work with microfilm, we 

knew that line-scan was the superior way of digitally 

capturing roll film, not only because of its speed, but 

because it was continuous – you weren’t left needing to 

line up the edge of one picture you took with the start 

of the next.” 

With the scanning part taken care of, the nextScan 

team focused on how we store this massive amount of 

data. Thankfully with today’s technology there are 

solutions that were not available even a decade ago. 

For example, the scanner uses a 25-gigabit Ethernet 

cable developed in 2015. And we still have to factor in 

data storage. With the amount of information being 

Over the next month, take an 

inventory of any odd formats you 

work with. We welcome you to bring 

your challenges [to the NIRMA 

Symposium] to us next month as we 

will have Rich Chaney, Vice President 

and General Manager of nextScan, 

speaking about the different file types 

that nextScan has been challenged 

with scanning and how our expertise 

may be able to help you. 

generated, a new configuration of 24 drives in a RAID- 

4 array would allow for the capture in real time. 

We call our creation Apex. Capable of high-speed, 

wide-format scanning of film up to 10.23” in width. 

The government agency has received four of their 

seven scanners, which will be installed before the end 

of the summer. 

If you are having trouble with a particular type of 

film, there is a good chance a colleague of yours is 

experiencing it as well. Over the next month, take an 

inventory of any odd formats you work with. We 

welcome you to bring your challenges to us next 

month as we will have Rich Chaney, Vice President 

and General Manager of nextScan, speaking about the 

different file types that nextScan has been challenged 

with scanning and how our expertise may be able to 

help you. 

Not a Member? 

Click here to join. 


ANNOUNCING NIRMA SYMPOSIUM 

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS 

Keynote: 

Vogtle 3 & 4 

Update 

Keynote: 

Records, 

Digitalization, and 

Innovation: Vital 

Partnerships for 

Competitive Nuclear 

Power 

Dan Bierbrauer 

Director, Nuclear Technology Solutions 

Southern Company 

Dan is currently the Technology Director for 

Southern Nuclear. In this role, Dan’s primary 

responsibility is to provide leadership and oversight 

of the Information Technology department and 

ensure alignment of Southern Nuclear strategic 

technology initiatives. Most recently, Dan served as 

the IT-General Manager for Southern Nuclear and as 

the Cyber Security Manager at Vogtle 3&4. Prior to 

joining Southern Company in 2013, Dan worked at 

Exelon/Constellation for 24 years in various roles of 

increasing responsibility in Nuclear Operations, 

Maintenance, Engineering, Information Technology, 

Cyber Security, Emergency Preparedness, Licensing 

and Security. Dan earned a Bachelor’s degree in 

Electrical Engineering from the State University of 

New York at Buffalo, a Master’s degree in 

Management from the State University of New York 

at Oswego and a Master’s degree in Information 

Technology from Syracuse University. He previously 

held a Senior Reactor Operator and Site Nuclear 

Engineering Certification. Lastly, Dan remains active 

in NITSL and EPRI and also served as the NITSL 

Executive Committee Chair in 2019. He currently 

resides in the Birmingham Area with his wife, Kendra 

and family. 

Bruce P. Hallbert, Ph.D. 

Director, Technical Integration Office 

Light Water Reactor Sustainability 

Program, Idaho National Laboratory 

Dr. Bruce Hallbert leads the Light Water Reactor 

Sustainability Program, a DOE-sponsored multi- 

Laboratory multi-disciplinary program that conducts 

collaborative research with stakeholders of the 

commercial nuclear power industry to sustain US 

nuclear power generation assets. Dr. Hallbert has 

worked in the international nuclear power industry 

serving in a variety of positions of organizational 

responsibility, in engineering and safety analysis, 

research & development concerning the safety and 

efficiency of current and future nuclear energy and 

fuel cycle systems and technologies. 

46th Annual NIRMA Symposium 



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Transactional vs. Batch- 

Oriented Capture 

Methodologies 

By Manuel Bulwa 

Integrated Scanning of America 

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M 

ost large volume document capture projects 

involve a finite backfile conversion phase (all 

file cabinets in the basement) and a lower 

volume, day-forward capture phase (daily new 

documents) that may last indefinitely. Each is better 

served using quite different methodologies and 

resources: 

 

Batch-oriented methodologies are best suited for 

the backfile phase, and 

Transactional methodologies are the recommended 

approach for the day-forward phase. 

One of the lessons of more than three decades 

courting with the art and science of Document Capture, 

was to learn that using the wrong methodology on either 

phase has negative consequences impacting capture 

integrity, accuracy, deadlines and budgets. 

A Transactional Document Capture methodology 

applies all workflow tasks to a single document, 

frequently by a single operator. Batch-oriented Capture 

methodologies, in contrast, process all the documents in 

a batch by splitting, deferring and 

monitoring workflow tasks 

across various operators and 

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). 

Simplistically, we may use the 

analogies of online shopping and 

container shipping. 

Given its liabilities, costs and 

complexities, the backfile phase 

is usually outsourced to a 

professional Document Capture 

Service Provider to be performed 

onsite (at client premises) or offsite 

(at the service provider plant) for 

the duration. The day-forward 

phase is virtually always 

conducted onsite and operated by user staff without 

much need (if any) for support from external SMEs. 

The resources best suited for either phase involve 

separate hardware, different software, different staff and 

distinct training and support. The hardware, software 

and trained staff used for the backfile phase are no 

longer needed once that phase is completed, so their 

procurement is typically via lease, rent or supplied by a 

scanning service provider only while needed. 

The hardware and software used for the day-forward 

phase become part of the cyclical IT infrastructure and 

the latest adopted Document Management System 

(DMS), which usually provides only Transactional 

Capture functionalities with limited or no Batch Capture 

functionalities. 

Common user mistakes include: 

 

 

failing to differentiate the two phases, 

blending their disparate resources, attempting to use 

DMS capture functionalities for the backfile phase, 

Connued on next page. 


Connued from previous page. 

 

underestimating the need for 

professional capture subject matter 

expertise and 

demanding onsite backfile capture even 

if better options exist. 

DMS or Knowledge Management implementations 

involve costly IT infrastructure, software licenses, 

professional service fees and ongoing user training and 

support, so DMS vendors compete for their share of the 

client’s budget against Document Capture Service 

Providers. One such vendor tactics (sometimes in 

alliance with IT) is to bundle capture as a subordinate 

DMS component, which does not work in the best 

interest of the user. As the complexities of document 

capture are often misunderstood and underappreciated, 

users can be ill-advised and get stuck with only the 

capture functionalities intrinsic in a DMS. 

There are many reasons why a batch methodology 

works uniquely well with the backfile phase, but one 

dominant reason is its ability to contain Errors and 

Omissions (EOs) via checks and balances on data 

gathered at various workflow checkpoints throughout a 

batch. When analyzing aggregate data at these 

checkpoints, patterns emerge and EOs become much 

more conspicuous. Workflow datapoints include: boxing 

and inventory, manifest, prepping/de-prepping, 

batching, scanning, image processing, QC/repair, 

classification, coding, indexing, lookups, formatting, 

publishing, testing, handling on-demand work in 

progress (WIP) requests, deployment, reporting, 

submittal and final acceptance. 

Each datapoint offers a different perspective of all 

metrics of a record as it navigates the workflow, but it all 

must fit at the end as in a gigantic puzzle, connecting the 

many dots generated. The diverse perspectives play a 

role similar to what they do for triangulation in research, 

surveying, computer vision, etc. Triangulation is the 

combination of at least two or more perspectives, 

methodological approaches, data sources, investigators, 

or data analysis methods. The intent of using 

triangulation is to decrease, negate, or counterbalance 

the deficiency of a single strategy, thereby increasing the 

ability to interpret the findings. 

Batch processing also facilitates the use of smart 

redundancies, which further improves containment of 

EOs, much the same way double entry accounting helps 

contain bookkeeping errors and dual blind data entry 

helps contain indexing errors. Redundancies not only 

relate to data, as in the case of prepping and de-prepping 

documents, where a scanning or de-prepping operator 

may “catch” errors committed by a prepping operator. 

...clients planning backfile conversions and new 

content management software should seriously 

consider separate vendors, keeping both projects 

cautiously independent from each other, and 

differentiating backfile capture methodologies from 

day forward scanning. 

In summary, clients planning backfile conversions 

and new content management software should seriously 

consider separate vendors, keeping both projects 

cautiously independent from each other, and 

differentiating backfile capture methodologies from day 

forward scanning. 

46th Annual 

NIRMA Symposium 


JW Marriott Resort 

and Spa 

Las Vegas, Nevada 

Click here to Register 


TMI—REALLY? 

By Bob Larrivee 

NIRMA’s Director of Technical Programs 

I 

n Social media terms, TMI is 

the acronym for Too Much 

Information. I have always 

questioned if there is such a 

thing as TMI, or is what we need 

more accurate information? When I 

was teaching at the Association for 

Intelligent Information Management 

(AIIM), I would always pose this 

question and suggest that the 

purpose of Information and Process 

Management (IPM) is to deliver the 

right information to the right people 

at the time it is needed, accurately 

and securely. 

This became more evident as I 

viewed the Netflix Documentary 

titled Meltdown: Three Mile Island. (Just 

to keep the acronyms flowing, TMI 

is used in this documentary to refer 

to Three Mile Island. See page 24 for 

NEI’s watch guide on the series). I 

found it interesting that information 

flow throughout this event was 

there, but not always the right 

information and in some cases, no 

information was available as this was 

a first of its kind event that had 

never been anticipated from a 

procedural perspective. 

My point in using this reference to 

TMI is that we can and have learned 

from Three Mile Island that 

sometimes too much information is 

in fact too much while what we seek 

is more accurate information to 

make better decisions. This is where 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) of today, 

combined with strong information 

and process management practices 

can help reduce the potential for 

human error. 

This is also 

where the new 

NIRMA 

Special Interest 

Group on 

Emerging 

Technologies (SIGET) can aid in 

providing guidance in incorporating 

advanced and emerging technologies 

into information management in the 

nuclear industry. 

In My View 

It is at times, easy to look back at 

an incident like TMI and point out 

areas where improvement can be 

made, but after the fact, is too late. I 

must say that given the situation and 

information at hand, the folks at 

TMI did their best in preventing 

what could have been a catastrophic 

event using the information and 

technology they had available at the 

time. 

Today, we have more available to 

us regarding information and 

technology that can and should be 

leveraged. As information 

professionals, it is our role to 

provide the most accurate 

information available, and help guide 

our organizations in preparing for 

the unimaginable. For example, 

using robots to enter the radioactive 

areas, take readings, and deliver 

highly accurate and timely 

information back to the operators. 

...my intent is to get you 

thinking about how we can 

better serve our organizations 

in addressing information and 

process related areas as a 

strategic partner and not a 

reactive responder. 

I know I am not doing this any 

justice, but my intent is to get you 

thinking about how we can better 

serve our organizations in addressing 

information and process-related 

areas as a strategic partner and not a 

reactive responder. I encourage you 

to watch the documentary twice, 

once for the historical value and 

secondly, as an information 

professional looking for 

opportunities to help prepare your 

organizations. 

I also encourage you to join me as 

we launch the Special Interest Group 

at the Symposium in August, and 

begin our journey as we look into the 

future of technology and plan for 

how to incorporate it today. 


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NIRMA SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE 

HIGHLIGHTS 

MONDAY, AUGUST 1 Welcome Reception 4:30-6:00 pm (Palms Tower) 

Records, Digitalization, and Innovation: Vital partnership for Competitive Nuclear Power 

Keynote: Dr. Bruce Hallbert, Director, Idaho National Laboratory 

Fundamental Sessions include: Electronic Records, Records Management, Document Control, 

What are NIRMA Technical Guidelines, Public Speaking tips, NIRMA Mentoring Program, Utility 

Benchmarking Q&A Session 

NIRMA Lifetime Members & Hans Ebner recipients: Eugene Yang, Rich Giska 

NIRMA Technical Programs Director: Bob Larrivee & Director Infrastructure: Sheila Pearcy 

NIRMA Professional Development Business Unit Leads: Lou Rofrano & Gil Brueckner 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2 

Vendor Exhibitor Day & Networking event 4:00-6:00 pm 

Inaugural NIRMA Track: SIGET (Special Interest Group on Emerging Technologies) 

New Plant Update: Vogle 3 & 4 

Keynote: Dan Bierbrauer, Director, Southern Nuclear 

Technical Sessions include: ICRM certifications, Electronic Signatures, Computer-based 

Procedures in Abu Dhabi, Dynamic Work Instructions, Configuration Management, Robots, 

Digitalization of Work, and Case Study: Radiographs Digitized at Constellation Energy 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3 

NIRMA Annual Business Meeting & Awards 

Technical Sessions include: Government Updates/Benchmarking, Email Case Study, Blockchain 

for Long-term Digital Preservation, Cyber Security, RM Practices, Federal Regulations, M-19-21 

Federal Records Directive, Case Study: Electronic Records in the Cloud at Wolf Creek, and "Two 

Little Words" 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4 

All Attendees Welcome! 

NIRMA BUSINESS UNIT MEETINGS (7:30 Breakfast, Meetings 8:30-4:00pm, Palms Tower) 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 

Continue only RIMBU ½ day 

Click here to Register 

Full schedule will be posted to NIRMA’s website. 


CHRONICLES OF NIM 

A Retrospective on Information Management in 

Nuclear Power 

H 

oly Grail. The very term conjures up images of 

King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, 

and “the Quest”. 

The Eden-like 

countryside ruled by 

Arthur from the parapets 

of Camelot has gone to 

rot, and Arthur sends 

forth his knights to find 

this “holy chalice”, for it 

has miraculous powers of 

sustenance in infinite 

abundance. Thus, from 

this legend, emerged the 

analogy that a goal of great 

significance may be 

perceived as a “holy grail” by those seeking it. 

For us, the holy grail in the management of 

information in operating and maintaining a nuclear 

power plant is systems integration. In the nascent 

years of the nuclear industry, when a plant was in the 

construction phase, each contractor company brought 

its own data systems to support their scope of work; 

within those systems were gold mines of information, 

but siloed with very limited capability to share that 

information to gain a view of “the big picture”. 

Early in my career, I worked for Middle South 

Utilities (now known as Entergy Corporation), 

employed by the services subsidiary where the IT 

organization was. This was in 1983-84 when Arkansas 

Nuclear One (ANO) was operating, Waterford 3 was in 

startup, and Grand Gulf was under construction. I was 

part of a team that was directed to develop an enterprise 

systems model of plant functions, the data, and the 

interchange of data between systems. The challenge 

was to use this model to compare current information 

By Eugene Y. Yang, 

Principal Consultant 

KISMET Consulting, Inc. 

I have been writing a multi-part series on the fundamentals of electronic records management in 

the nuclear power industry. The subjects have ranged from regulations and guidance to processing, 

authentication, and storage. In this issue, I’ll speak to the topic of systems integration. 

systems being used at the plants; it could then be used 

as a roadmap on transitioning from construction/ 

startup mode to operations. This meant figuring out 

what systems stayed…and what systems had to go. And 

if those systems “went”, where was the data going to go, 

and how could the remaining systems “talk to each 

other.” We called our model the Power Plant 

Management Information System (PPMIS). 

Over the decades of plant operations, I’ve seen (and 

been part of implementing) information systems that 

support areas, such as: 

asset management, 

supply chain management, 

human resources, 

plant operations , 

document control and records management. 

I’ve seen 

diagrams that 

depict 

integration as 

“hub-andspokes”, 

“block-andbrick”, 

“ballof-yarn”, 

“spaghettiandmeatballs”, 

and even a 

“bagel”. 

Concepts for 

sharing data ranged anywhere from “pushing-andpulling” 

data amongst systems in overnight batches to 

huge database schemas (each functional piece dipping 

into one big pool of structured 



Connued from previous page. 

data). That was pretty challenging with data; but what 

about content? 

(As he eases back in his rocking chair), “Well, sonny, 

back in the old days…” Document and records 

management systems were constructed to manage 

electronic indexes – they started essentially as electronic 

versions of the three-ring binders (remember the 

procedure indexing book or the calcs indexing log?) to 

evolving into general document control and records 

management applications. However, the content was 

still in paper…that moved on to microfilm; walking by 

cubicles was like a hike through the Rockies – stacks of 

procedures, drawings, reports, computer printouts, etc. 

reaching up to the ceiling. Then scanning technology 

came into being, personal computer workstations came 

in to the office, and desktop applications created 

documents electronically (“born digital”). Now 

document control and records management systems 

expanded from “mere” indexing applications to major 

relational database management systems that trapped 

the content as BLOBS…to content management 

systems that manage the full lifecycle of electronic 

objects, from creation to disposition. 

One of the visionary objectives of electronic 

recordkeeping is to receive metadata and content from 

other applications – directly, without human 

intervention. 

Getting metadata 

transferred from 

another 

application to 

the 

recordkeeping 

system could be 

done in “realtime” 

or in 

overnight batch 

add/update 

programs. The complexity increases when dealing with 

transferring content: decisions on what is the 

information that constitutes “the record”, the file 

format of the electronic record (native vs. pdf vs. 

pdf/a), associating the content with its related metadata, 

and then how near to “real time” is the record to be 

posted. Examples of this include: 

 

“Drop-folders” – the record generating system 

creates the appropriate electronic object, places it in 

 

 

 

a folder on the share drive, and it is manually picked 

up and entered into the recordkeeping system; 

“Watched folders” – the record generating system 

creates the appropriate electronic object, places it in 

a folder on the share drive, an XML file is created 

that contains the metadata. The record generating 

system has a “polling” mechanism that watches for 

items in that folder; if it finds them, it then scoops 

them up, using the XML file to create the index and 

then attaching the electronic object; 

Use of APIs – a set of Application Programming 

Interface code that has a series of functions (GET, 

INPUT, IMPORT, etc.) where the record 

generating system uses to call out to the 

recordkeeping system to perform – there is still a 

need for scratch space to temporarily house the 

rendered object, then the API messages the 

recordkeeping system to do its job. Each record 

generating system has to access this API to 

communicate with the recordkeeping system. 

SOA – Service Oriented Architecture – this 

provides an independent structure for the APIs that 

communicate with the recordkeeping system. In 

other words, instead of each record generating 

system having to have the API set with its 

respective boundaries, SOA provides a common 

“bus” that any system can communicate with. 

As we gain further capabilities in information 

technologies (increase processing power, bigger 

bandwidth, messaging technologies), the integration – 

or interoperability – of systems will improve. The 

danger is what happens in a disruption – power outage, 

data corruption, etc.? The systems will be so intertwined 

that the interactions between systems will stall out and 

the overall scheme will come crashing down. We shall 

see! 

Eugene has been a member of 

NIRMA for 35 years. At the time 

he joined, NIRMA had only been in 

existence for 11 years. He would 

love to hear about stories and 

anecdotes from others, so please email 

him at 

eugene.yang@kismetconsulting.com. 


From the CRM 

The Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM): 

the History, the Organization and its People 

T 

he Institute of Certified 

Records Managers (ICRM) was incorporated in 

1975 as an international certifying organization of 

and for professional Records and Information 

Managers, established by their peers. The original need 

that led to the creation of the ICRM was a standard by 

which Records Managers were measured, accredited, 

and recognized for their experience and capability. 

More than 45 years later, the organization and the 

credentials remain a valuable part of the Records and 

Information Management (RIM) community, an 

expanding interdisciplinary, global and diverse 

constituency. 

The ICRM is governed by the Board of Regents, 

composed of the following elected, fully volunteer 

positions: Chair of the Board, President, President- 

Elect/Treasurer, Regent for Exam Development, 

Regent for Exam Administration and Grading, Regent 

of Applicant and Member Relations, Regent of 

Legislation and Appeals, and the Regent of Marketing 

and Communications. Other leadership positions 

include the Chair of the Mentoring Committee, Chair of 

the Strategic Alliance Committee, Webmaster, and 

Newsletter Editor. 

The Regent of Exam Administration and 

Grading, Melissa Dederer, CRM, is responsible for 

everything related to the administration and grading of 

exams, which is now done online. More information on 

the certifications offered by the ICRM is below. The 

Regent of Applicant and Member Relations, Patricia 

Burns, CRM, manages the processing of eligible 

candidates for taking exams, and all activities related to 

the Certification Management Program and Certification 

Maintenance Points (CMPs), and member status. 

The ICRM has six (6) Committees, each governed 

by one of the above-mentioned Regents, and detailed as 

follows: 

By Jerry Lucente-Kirkpatrick 

The Regent of 

Legislation and 

Appeals, Brian Starck, 

CRM, IGP, CIP, 

oversees the Appeals 

Committee. As such, 

Brian manages all 

candidate appeals 

related to the exams, in addition to updating 

organizational procedures and By-laws, as directed by 

the Board. 

The next two Committees fall under the leadership 

of Sara Sherwood, CRM, and Regent for Exam 

Development. Sarah is responsible for the 

development and content of the examinations for 

Certified Records Analyst (CRA) and Certified Records 

Manager (CRM). As such, Sarah administers the Exam 

Development Committee, which reviews, updates, 

and revises the exam outlines and exam question in the 

exam database. Sara also administers the Exam Prep 

Product Committee, responsible for developing the 

exam preparation materials used during pre-conference 

sessions at RIM Conferences, such as ARMA 

International, ARMA Canada, MER, and others. 

In addition to the CRA and CRM exams, there are 

also three Specialty Designations: 

 

 

 

CRM-Federal Specialist (FS), associated with the 

National Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA), 

CRM-Nuclear Specialist (NS), associated with the 

Nuclear Information and Records Management 

Association (NIRMA), and 

CRM-Certified Information Governance Officer 

(CIGO). The CIGO is a reseller agreement 

executed with Robert Smallwood. CIGO was 


designed to reflect an individual who earns the 

CIGO designation under the certification program, 

and has demonstrated their knowledge of 

Information Governance. 

The Marketing Committee, Newsletter, and the 

Webmaster fall under the management of Jerry Lucente 

-Kirkpatrick, CRM, IGP, and Regent of Marketing 

and Communications. The Committee assists the 

ICRM through social media marketing and 

communication, via the website, develops marketing 

opportunities, and ensures booths at events are staffed 

and swag is available for handouts to those visiting the 

ICRM Booth. The Newsletter was revived in 2021, is 

published bi-monthly, and is led by Editor, Peter 

Kurilecz, CRM. Peter is responsible for the continuing 

content of the Newsletter, oversees staff interviewers 

and writers, making the final determination of what gets 

published, and related operations of this publication. 

The Webmaster, Angel Ramos, CRM, maintains the 

website by publishing new content, revising existing 

content, and removing outdated content, and works 

closely with Prolydian, the ICRM’s technology provider. 

The Mentoring Committee is chaired by Deborah 

Robbins, CRM, and is the first point of contact for 

candidates who are interested in the assistance of a 

Mentor while they prepare for Parts 1-6. This 

Committee maintains current lists of approved Mentors 

and eligible Mentees, ensuring that contact information 

is up-to-date, provides access to mentoring guidance and 

study materials for Mentors, and accurately records all 

Mentor and Mentee activity in support of the mentoring 

program. 

There is also the Strategic Alliance Committee 

(SAC), chaired by Rae Lynn Haliday, MBA, CRM/ 

CIGO, which was featured as an article in an earlier 

edition of Inside NIRMA. I will allow that article to 

speak to the complexities of the SAC. 

If you would like to know more about the ICRM, 

please feel free to follow us on; 

 

 

 

 

Facebook (@instituteofcertifiedrecordsmanagers), 

Twitter (@ICRM_crms), and/or 

LinkedIn (ICRM – Institute of Certified Records 

Managers), or 

visit our website at icrm.org 

We look forward to talking with you soon. 

THANK YOU 

to our 

NIRMA 2022 Symposium Sponsors! 

NextAxiom Technology, Inc. 

Constellaon Energy Corp 

KISMET Consulng, Inc 

STP Nuclear Operang Company 

Register here for the 46th Annual NIRMA Symposium 


JW Marriott Resort & Spa 


Professional Development 

Business Unit (PDBU) News 

Lou Rofrano, PDBU Director 

I 

t's time to plan activities for 

the NIRMA Symposium. 

The tentative schedule will 

be posted to NIRMA’s 

website. You’re sure to find an 

interesting topic! Regardless of 

where you are in the industry-- 

whether utility, government, 

engineering, construction, IT, etc., 

there is a session you will find 

interesting. This is also an 

opportunity to meet with leading 

industry vendors, as well as peers 

across the industry where you can 

share knowledge and experience. 

Get Involved! 

While at the Symposium, take the 

opportunity to get involved with the 

NIRMA business units. On 

Thursday, August 4, each business 

unit will meet to conduct normal 

business and to plan for the next 

year. Attendees are welcome to 

attend! Consider becoming involved 

in a business unit. It's a great way to 

engage with NIRMA members and 

contribute to the organization. Most 

business units meet once a month 

for about an hour, so the time 

commitment is small. 

Consider attending the 

Professional Development Business 

Unit (PDBU) meeting, which plans 

to meet on Thursday, August 4 (time 

to be announced). 

If you have had ideas about the 

things that NIRMA should be doing 

to add additional value to the 

members or something we could be 

doing to support the industry, then 

Your voice is 

important and, 

clearly, working 

with a business unit 

is a great way for 

you to be heard and 

make good things 

happen. 

being part of the business units is 

how to make it happen. The 

business units work hard to 

implement both the ideas that come 

from the Board but also from 

individual members as well. 

Your voice is important and, 

clearly, working with a business unit 

is a great way for you to be heard 

and make good things happen. 

NIRMA and ICRM 

NIRMA maintains a relationship 

with the Institute of Certified 

Records Managers (ICRM). ICRM is 

an international certifying body for 

records managers that began the 

process of issuing the Certified 

Records Manager (CRM) 

designation in 1975 (see article on 

Page 18). This organization and the 

credentials it offers remain a 

valuable part of the Records and 

Information Management 

Community. This year, the ICRM 

team will host a virtual ICRM Exam 

Prep session the week after the 

NIRMA conference (August 8-10, 

2022). For more information about 

the ICRM Exam Prep sessions, and 

to register for a session, click here to 

visit the ICRM website. 

The PDBU looks forward to 

seeing you at the Symposium! 

Register to attend the 

Virtual ICRM Exam 

Prep session, to be 

held the week after 

the NIRMA 

conference 

(August 8-10, 2022). 

For more 

information about 

the ICRM Exam 

Prep sessions, and to 

register for a session, 

click here to visit the 

ICRM website. 


MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING 

(M&M) Business Unit News 

I 

wanted to get a reminder out 

to you. Time is running out 

to get registered by July 1 and 

enjoy this opportunity to tour 

the National Atomic Testing 

Museum on Sunday, July 31. The 

shuttle will leave the JW Marriott at 

11:30am. The tour takes 

approximately 2 hours, so the shuttle 

will return to the JW Marriott at 

approximately 3:30pm. Members 

can attend for $10.00. The shuttle 

will be paid for by NIRMA. Family 

members are welcome to participate 

in the tour, but they will need to 

provide their own mode of 

transportation to and from the 

Museum. Non-member tickets will 

be full price. The shuttle holds 27 

people. If we don’t get that many 

members signing up for the tour, 

family members may be allowed to 

ride on the shuttle. Sarah Perkins at 

nirma@nirma.org will contact you 

after you register for the symposium 

to ask if you would like to attend the 

tour. 

National Atomic Test Museum 

visitors will: 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn about world events leading 

up to the establishment of the 

Nevada Test Site. 

Learn about the progression of 

the Test Site from the aboveground 

tests to underground 

tests and non-nuclear activities. 

See a replica of the Control Point 

where the countdown was 

conducted before each nuclear 

detonation. 

Experience a Ground Zero 

Theater simulation of an aboveground 

test. 

Reflect on the history of atomic 

testing and its relevance to 

national security and 

international stability. 

M&MBU is looking for new 

members to help come up with new 

ideas to bring new members to 

NIRMA, as well as new ideas of how 

Kathi Cole, CRM 

M&MBU Director 

to share everyone’s expertise with 

the membership. M&MBU meets 

the first Wednesday of every month 

for one hour at 12:00 PM CT. 

Please join us. We are a fun group 

to work with. 

Please contact nirma@nirma.org 

for additional information or 

questions on anything mentioned 

above. 

Lona Smith 

NIRMA Treasurer 

NIRMA’s Financial Holdings 

as of June 9, 2022 

Checking Account $56,622.44 

Debit Account $ 383.75 

Investment Account $89,226.17 


Regulatory Information 

Management Business Unit (RIMBU) 

News 

New Technical Guide Published 

T 

he RIMBU team successfully completed and 

published TG24-2022 at the end of May. The 

new TG is on the development of procurement 

specifications for digitization services. A lot of 

work went into the creation of this document which is 

aimed at helping those in the industry looking to work 

with vendors on media conversion. Aging microform 

and the continued push for information to be available 

at the click of a button is pushing many of us to take on 

large media conversion projects. TG24 contains 

information and suggestions for quality control, media 

preparation, onsite vs. offsite digitization services, 

outputs, and storage/delivery mediums. Several of our 

legacy members, including those who have recently 

undergone a conversion project, provided guidance and 

insight for the document. TG24 is now available on the 

SharePoint site for use by the NIRMA membership. 

RIMBU 2022 Summer Meeting 

The RIMBU team will hold our annual Summer 

meeting on August 4th and 5th following the NIRMA 

Symposium. Topics up for discussion are: 

Stephanie Price, RIMBU Director 

 

 

 

 

 

Industry Foundation Class (IFC) file format for 3D 

Models 

The Four TGs on Electronic Records Management 

A white paper on the value proposition of records 

management for emerging technologies 

How records management can help our 

organizations leverage AI and Robotic Process 

Automation while still capturing and managing 

important data 

Identification of new types of data needing to be 

captured for mobile reactors and NextGen 

technology 

How can we broaden our involvement with other 

organizations (e.g., AIIM, ASME, ARMA, NITSL) 

The summer meeting is open to everyone. RIMBU is 

a great opportunity to benchmark with others in the 

industry, share valuable operating experience, and have 

the opportunity to influence industry standard guidance 

in records management. If you’re interested in joining, 

please reach out to me at sjprice@southernco.com. 

And now we are on YouTube! 


World Nuclear Energy Day is on 

Dec. 2, and the day marks a global 

celebration of nuclear energy and 

the people who make it happen. 

The recognition is well deserved, as 

the industry works to decarbonize 

the electricity sector and develop 

innovative, game-changing 

technologies. This year’s world 

nuclear energy day celebrates the 

theme “nuclear in the 

neighborhood.” 

This is appropriate, as nuclear 

energy’s benefits reach 

neighborhoods across the world in a 

variety of ways—from medicine to 

agriculture to space missions. 

As the world seeks to reduce its 

CO2 emissions and transition to 

clean energy, we are faced with the 

challenge of powering the world to 

net zero. Nuclear power plants 

provide many benefits to the 

communities where they are built, 

including lasting, high-paying jobs. 

Each plant currently operating 

employs 500 to 800 workers, and 

for every 100 nuclear power plant 

jobs, 66 more jobs are created in the 

local community for people from a 

wide range of fields and educational 

backgrounds. 

The industry also employs a large 

number of veterans, as recent 

surveys show that the workforce at 

nuclear utilities is almost 20 percent 

veterans. 

In addition to creating work for 

multiple generations of workers, 

salaries in the industry are 50 

percent higher on average than 

those of other electricity generation 

sources. 

Because nuclear power plants are 

a great source of economic 

prosperity, there were multiple 

communities vying to be the 

location of a U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) advanced reactor 

demonstration project (ARDP) by 

TerraPower and Pacificorp. 

Earlier this year, TerraPower and 

Pacificorp announced a partnership 

to advance the Natrium nuclear 

demonstration project at the site of 

a coal plant scheduled for 

retirement in Wyoming, offering a 

solution to efficiently and 

economically bridge the nation’s 

energy transition as coal plants 

retire. 

It is vitally important to reduce 

emissions, but closing any major 

power plant can harm communities 

that have come to rely on the jobs 

and tax revenues those plants 

provide. Nuclear energy can solve 

that problem. 

“The energy communities that 

have powered us for generations 

have real opportunities to power 

our clean energy future 

through projects just like 

this one, that provide 

Continued on next page. 


Continued from previous page. 

good-paying jobs and usher in the 

next wave of nuclear 

technologies,” said Secretary of 

Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in 

a TerraPower press release. 

The companies evaluated four 

potential locations, and all four 

communities leaned forward into 

the process, expressing their strong 

interest in the project. 

They recently selected the 

Naughton Power Plant in 

Kemmerer, Wyoming, where two 

coal units are scheduled to retire in 

2025, as the preferred site for the 

Natrium reactor. 

According to TerraPower, 

approximately 2,000 workers will 

be needed for construction at the 

project’s peak, and once the plant 

is operational, approximately 250 

people will directly support day-today 

activities. 

“On behalf of Kemmerer and 

surrounding communities, we are 

pleased and excited to host the 

Natrium demonstration project. 

This is great for Kemmerer and 

great for Wyoming,” said Bill 

Thek, the mayor of Kemmerer. 

The coal to nuclear 

transition demonstrates how 

nuclear can impact local 

communities, while nuclear energy 

works around-the-clock to provide 

reliable, carbon-free energy 

to neighborhoods across the 

nation. 

Article reprinted with permission of NEI. 

Read full article here. 

Netflix is set to release a four-part 

docuseries this week about the 

accident in 1979 at the Three Mile 

Island (TMI) nuclear facility near 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The 

accident caused fear, stress, and 

confusion, made worse by 

misinformation—which is why it is 

important to know the facts. 

The accident was caused by a 

combination of equipment failure 

and the inability of plant operators 

to understand the reactor’s 

condition at certain times during the 

event. A gradual loss of cooling 

water to the reactor’s heatproducing 

core led to partial melting 

and the release of a small amount of 

radioactive material. 

Although it had no detectable 

health effects on plant workers or 

the public, this was the most serious 

accident in U.S. commercial nuclear 

power plant operating history. It is 

important to note as you watch the 

drama unfold, that the United 

States’ nuclear industry has an 

undeniable track record of safety 

and is known for its standards of 

excellence, transparency, and 

demonstrated ability to improve. 

The accident was taken seriously, 

and as you watch, it is important to 

remember that actions were taken 

by the regulator and the industry to 

implement solutions that correct the 

issues that contributed to the 

accident. 

Here are the key facts. 

1. Scientists Found No Injuries, 

Deaths, or Health Effects at or 

Around the Plant. 

No one at the nuclear facility was 

harmed in the accident, and more 

than a dozen epidemiological 

studies conducted by medical 

experts have concluded that the 

amount of radiation released into 

the atmosphere was too small to 

result in discernible direct health 

effects to the population in the 

vicinity of the plant. In fact, 

exposure to radiation during a 

chest x-ray is six times higher than 

the average amount of elevated 

radiation exposure around the 

plant. 



2. Three Mile Island Was Shut 

Down. 

A clean-up plan was developed 

and carried out safely and 

successfully. Three Mile Island 

was decommissioned and today is 

in long-term monitored storage. 

3. The Industry Responded Swiftly 

and Effectively. 

The aftermath of the accident 

brought about sweeping 

changes involving emergency 

response planning, reactor 

operator training, human factors 

engineering, radiation protection, 

and many other areas of nuclear 

power plant operations. Two 

weeks after the accident, 

President Jimmy Carter appointed 

a 12-member commission to 

investigate what happened. The 

commission’s report 

recommended that the industry 

develop its own standards of 

excellence and cited a need for 

agency-accredited training 

institutions for nuclear plant 

operators. Within nine months, 

the industry had formed the 

Institute of Nuclear Power 

Operations (INPO), whose 

mission is to promote the highest 

levels of safety and reliability. To 

improve training, INPO in 1985 

formed the National Academy for 

Nuclear Training, which reviews 

and accredits nuclear utilities’ 

training programs for all key plant 

positions. Today, the U.S. 

nuclear industry is performing at 

the highest levels of safety and 

reliability in the world. 

4. Nuclear Is One of the Safest 

Sources of Energy. 

U.S. nuclear plants are among 

the safest and most 

secure industrial facilities in the 

country. The risk of accidents in 

today’s nuclear power plants is 

very low, and nuclear plants are 

held to several layers of oversight, 

the most notable being the U.S. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

(NRC). The safety of employees 

and communities in which plants 

operate is the top priority. An 

analysis done by Our World In 

Data found that nuclear energy 

and renewables are “far far safer 

than fossil fuels,” and that 

“contrary to popular belief, 

nuclear power has saved lives by 

displacing fossil fuels.” 

Nuclear power today is the U.S.’ 

largest source of carbon-free 

electricity. Nuclear energy 

produces carbon-free power 

24/7/365, will help us achieve a 

carbon-free future while continuing 

to provide clean air, reliable energy, 

high-paying jobs, and world-class 

safety standards 

CLICK HERE TO READ 

Article reprinted with permission 

of NEI. Read full article here. 

Bruce Power to study 

‘pink’ hydrogen from 

curtailed nuclear power 

Canada’s Bruce Power is 

planning to produce carbon-free 

hydrogen via nuclear power, socalled 

‘pink’ hydrogen, in one of 

the first projects of its kind. 

The operator runs the second 

largest nuclear power station in the 

world, an eight-reactor plant 

which, when in full operation, has 

a capacity of 6,400 MW and 

supplies almost a third of the 

province of Ontario’s electricity. 

The plant is in the midst of a 13- 

year, multi-billion-dollar 

refurbishment and Major 

Component Replacement project 

(MCR) which aims to gradually 

exchange older systems in the 

company’s eight reactors, will 

secure the site’s operation until 

2064 and, potentially, raise the 

plant’s capacity to over 7,000 MW 

in the 2030s. Bruce Power have 

begun to look at how the plant can 

extend its role in the energy 

transition. 

“The challenge to get to net zero 

is so immense & to say we need 

every tool in the toolbox is the 

understatement of the day,” says 

Executive VP, Operational 

Services & Chief Development 

Officer at Bruce Power James 

Scongack. 

Article reprinted with permission of 

Reuters. Read full article here. 


Entergy’s Palisades team 

finishes strong as facility 

shuts down 

Control room operators at Entergy’s Palisades 

Power Plant safely removed the nuclear reactor from 

service for the final time on May 20. The plant was 

originally scheduled to permanently shut down on May 

31, but after careful monitoring, operators made the 

conservative decision to shut down the plant early due 

to the performance of a control rod drive seal. The 

final shut down marks the end of more than 50 

successful years of safe, secure, 

and reliable generation of clean, 

carbon-free electricity at 

Palisades, which began 

commercial operation in 1971. 

Following the safe removal of 

used fuel from the reactor, the 

facility will be transferred to 

Holtec International for purposes 

of a safe and timely 

decommissioning, under the 

terms of an agreement between 

Entergy and Holtec International. 

“The enduring legacy of 

Palisades is the thousands of men 

and women who safely, reliably, 

and securely operated the plant, 

helping power Southwest 

Michigan homes and businesses 

for more than 50 years,” said Darrell Corbin, site vice 

president. “We refer to a credo at Palisades: ‘Palisades 

Proud.’ Thanks to the pride, professionalism, and hard 

work of our 600-member team, we finished Palisades 

Proud. We are also grateful to the local community for 

its support of the plant and for the strong partnership 

we have enjoyed all these years.” 

The shutdown completes a remarkable operating 

history for the 800-megawatt facility. The facility shut 

down after continuously generating electricity for 577 

days since it was last refueled – a site and world record 

production run for a plant of its kind. Palisades 

remains ranked in the U.S. NRC’s highest safety 

category and is regarded by its peers as one of the top 

performers in the industry. 

Entergy Employees at Palisades 

Power Plant 

Following Entergy’s shutdown 

announcement in 2017, Entergy 

made several commitments to its 

employees at Palisades, including: 

Palisades Operator Danny Wright safely 

takes the unit off the power grid for the 

final me. The enduring legacy of Palisades 

is thousands of men and women who safely, 

reliably and securely operated the 

plant, powering Southwest Michigan 

homes and businesses for over 50 years. 

Any employee willing to 

relocate to another Entergy 

facility would be provided a job 

for which they were qualified. 

As part of the company’s sale 

agreement with Holtec 

International, the new owner of 

the plant post-shutdown will hire 

approximately 260 current 

employees for the first phase of 

decommissioning. 

Approximately 180 employees will separate from 

the company; more than half of those employees are 

retirement eligible. 

In December 2021, the NRC approved the request to 

transfer the license from Entergy to Holtec 

International for purposes of the safe and timely 

decommissioning of Palisades. 

Read full article here. 


REGISTER SOON! 

46th Annual NIRMA Symposium 


Click here 

to register.

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