Improving maintenance effectiveness at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) nuclear power plants

Over a period of about five years, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has improved the effectiveness of the maintenance program at their nuclear plants. To achieve these improvements in productivity and quality, it was necessary to develop a high standard within the maintenance community. Some key factors were increased critical self-assessment, improved measurements, more effective communications, and increased work involvement and empowerment to allow everyone to become responsible for decision affecting their own work. The improvements achieved in the maintenance program are part of the overall total quality improvement initiatives that are underway throughout the TVA. Quality action teams are continuing to search for ways to improve maintenance processes.<>