Outage management: a case study

Outage management issues identified in a field study conducted at a two-unit commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR), while one unit was in a refueling outage and the other unit was at full power operation are reported. The study was conducted as part of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) organizational factors research program, and the issues to be addressed are from an organizational perspective. Topics discussed refer to areas identified by the NRC as critical for safety during shutdown operations, including outage planning and control, personnel stress, and improvements in training and procedures. Issues in communication, management attention, involvement and oversight, administrative processes, organizational culture, and human resources relevant to each of the identified areas are highlighted by examples from field data collection. Insights regarding future guidance in these areas are presented based upon additional data collection subsequent to the original study.<>