Down the hall from my office in the East Building is a mock-up of a nuclear power plant which is used as a training environment similar to the flow loop at Catawba Nuclear Station. Used for training Maintenance and Radiation Protection Technicians, the equipment types, piping configuration, and various layouts allow students to learn how to use the different types of radiation monitoring equipment to complete On the Job Training (OJT) and Task Performance Evaluations (TPE) of the 5 common tasks to which RP Technicians must be qualified. The lab provides a realistic representation of a room in the auxiliary building for the students to use to gain proficiency using various types of RP instruments. In order to support INPO accreditation, the lab setting simulates plant characteristics as close as practicable – but in a radiation free, safe environment.
Scott Abbey, instructor from Duke Energy, evaluates the RPT 213 class on Standardized Tasks:
• taking, counting, & recording surveys
• use of Alpha and Beta Gamma Smear Counters
• posting & Radiation Control Zone (RCZ) construction
• control & storage of radioactive materials
• monitoring and coaching workers entering/exiting RCA/RCZ.
Duke Energy and Spartanburg Community College (SCC) have started a training program to qualify Radiation Protection Technicians. The RP Technician Program is a two year program consisting of 2 semesters of general education courses taught by SCC faculty, followed by 3 semesters of radiation protection courses taught by veteran Duke Energy INPO (Institute of Nuclear Power Operations) certified faculty. This program is accredited through SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) for the SCC courses, and through INPO for Duke Energy.
The RPT program is the flagship of the new Radiation Protection Department, which is a partnership between Duke Energy and SCC. Dr. Chipley Bennett is the RPT Department Head, and Dr. Larry McKenzie is the primary faculty liaison with Duke Energy. Students earn an Associates Degree in Occupational Technology (AOT).
During the first internship the students work in an “assist” capacity on 5 basic tasks common across the Duke nuclear fleet. The second internship provides the students the opportunity to “perform” these tasks with the expectation that upon graduation they will be qualified as Junior Radiation Protection Technicians.
The current lab will be used until a new facility is built to house this program at the Cherokee campus at Gaffney.
Please contact the following for any questions regarding the SCC Qualification facility:
Ed Fritz, CNS Tech Training Mgr. 803-831-3260
Gary Hamilton. CNS Training Mgr. 803-831-3187
Henry Nicholson, CNS Sciences Training Supervisor 803-831-3478
Dr. Larry McKenzie, CNS RP Initial Training Instructor 803-831-3896
Please contact the following for any questions regarding SCC or the AOT RPT:
Dr. Chipley Bennett, SCC Science Department Head 864-592-4741
Dr. Joe Sidlowski, SCC Dean of Instruction 864-592-4171
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