In an industry with relatively little growth for the past thirty years, the Nuclear Power 2010 Program has brought nuclear power equipment back to the forefront of the energy industry. Largely touted as a source of green energy, the atomic energy industry remains controversial to many because of the energy or carbon costs of building the power plants and mining fuel for them.
Currently, nuclear power supplies a significant percentage of the United States' energy needs with power plants in several states; nuclear power plants provide a greater proportion of power in some states than in others. The government and industry cost-shared effort of Nuclear Power 2010 makes this one of the most exciting times to get involved with nuclear power. Before you leap into the atomic industry, remember these key points:
1. Getting the right nuclear energy supplies means having the right people on your side
2. Many nuclear industry suppliers also offer services or training for your personnel
3. Communities being considered for a nuclear power plant are rightly concerned about safety and security.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Let consultants connect you with nuclear industry suppliers
If you don't have staff dedicated specifically to handling nuclear power equipment issues, you need to either make a few hires or hire the right consultant to make sure the expertise you need is readily available.
I recommend: Gilbert Consultant Services provides staffing and consulting solutions for the nuclear power and electronics industries. They can find the people to help you connect with a nuclear power plant manufacturer or parts supplier.
Nuclear Energy Consultants offers a wide range of services and consulting to fit your nuclear energy needs, including training sessions for existing employees.
Look for nuclear energy equipment in all the right places
Finding the right suppliers will help your company be more efficient as you rush to join the nuclear boom.
I recommend: General Electric (GE) offers nuclear power plant equipment and construction, plus maintenance and optimization services to help keep your nuclear power plant running at peak efficiency.
Preferred Engineering, a subsidiary of Preferred Utilities Manufacturing, provides nuclear energy supplies and accessories and develops shutdown and maintenance procedures.
Look before you leap at atomic energy devices
Learn from the past. If you happen to be building in one of the states that already has a nuclear power plant, your public relations department can capitalize on both the successes and the failures of other nuclear energy equipment owners. Even if you're pioneering nuclear energy in a new state, you can still sway public opinion in your direction by addressing how you'll avoid past mistakes and emulate past successes.
I recommend: Put your PR people to work making use of a wealth of statistics about operative atomic energy equipment, including location, output, operating capacities, and their impact on local communities through the
Energy Information Administration's statistics page. The
Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulars where reactors get built, how they're built, and how they're operated, so your consultants, designers and engineers will be working closely with them for the life of your nuclear energy equipment.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Use the American Nuclear Society, the Nuclear Energy Institute and other industry organizations to double-check credentials, affiliations and background for contractors, engineers and designers of equipment for nuclear power before you bring them aboard, whether for building a new reactor or maintaining a current one.
The official source of Nuclear Power Equipment is
the Nuclear Power Equipment page at Business.com
Related Resources from Business.com
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