The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), headquartered in
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, is an organization established in 1979 by the U.S.
nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...
industry in response to recommendations by the Kemeny Commission Report, following the investigation of the
Three Mile Island accident
The Three Mile Island accident was a partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island, Unit 2 (TMI-2) reactor in Pennsylvania, United States. It began at 4 a.m. on March 28, 1979. It is the most significant accident in U.S. commercial nuclea ...
.
''INPO - About Us''; December 06, 2008
/ref> INPO sets industry-wide performance objectives, criteria, and guidelines for nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant (NPP) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor. As is typical of thermal power stations, heat is used to generate steam that drives a steam turbine connected to a electric generator, generato ...
operations that are intended to promote "operational excellence" and improve the sharing of operational experience between nuclear power plants. INPO is funded entirely by the nuclear industry
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced ...
.
Function
INPO conducts plant evaluations at nuclear stations and identifies both strengths and areas for improvement that are intended to be shared with other nuclear stations as a method to share best practices and common weaknesses. The results of INPO plant evaluations are not shared with the public, and any related information shared within the nuclear industry does not typically include the name of the plant. INPO assigns a score between one and four to each nuclear site, following the evaluation, where an "INPO 1" is the most favorable score, and an "INPO 4" is an indicator of a nuclear station with significant operational problems.
The INPO Advisory Council consists of leading experts from the nuclear industry, as well as others whose expertise is relevant to the safe operation of nuclear power plants. Advisory Council members have included Dr. Edgar H. Schein, a retired MIT professor who is widely credited with inventing the term "corporate culture;" and Dr. Rodger Dean Duncan, an organizational development and human performance expert.
Retired U.S. Navy vice-admiral Eugene Parks Wilkinson
Eugene Parks "Dennis" Wilkinson (August 10, 1918 – July 11, 2013) was a United States Navy officer. He was selected for three historic command assignments. The first, in 1954, was as the first commanding officer of , the world's first nuclear-pow ...
, best known as the first commanding officer of the nuclear powered submarine USS ''Nautilus'', was selected as INPO's first CEO, in 1980, and served in that position until 1984.
About INPO Headquarters
The lobby of INPO's headquarters is centered on a marble pedestal upon which is chiseled the word "EXCELLENCE," with the final E unfinished.
When viewed from the second floor mezzanine, the lobby floor is designed as an optical illusion that gives the appearance that the floor is a cone-shaped pit, with the marble pedestal at the bottom.
See also
*Nuclear safety
Nuclear safety is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "The achievement of proper operating conditions, prevention of accidents or mitigation of accident consequences, resulting in protection of workers, the public and the ...
*Nuclear safety in the U.S.
Nuclear safety in the United States is governed by federal regulations issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The NRC regulates all nuclear plants and materials in the United States except for nuclear plants and materials controlled by ...
*Nuclear accident
A nuclear and radiation accident is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "an event that has led to significant consequences to people, the environment or the facility. Examples include lethal effects to individuals, lar ...
*Nuclear accidents in the United States
The United States Government Accountability Office reported more than 150 incidents from 2001 to 2006 of nuclear plants not performing within acceptable safety guidelines. According to a 2010 survey of energy accidents, there have been at least 5 ...
*World Association of Nuclear Operators
The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) is a not for profit, International organization, international organisation with a mission to maximize the safety and reliability of the world’s commercial nuclear power plants. The organizationâ ...
*Nuclear whistleblowers
There have been a number of nuclear whistleblowers, often nuclear engineers, who have identified safety concerns about nuclear power and nuclear weapons production.
List
Other nuclear whistleblowers
* Chuck Atkinson
* Dale G. Bridenbaugh
* Joe ...
References
External links
Publicly accessible INPO website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Institute Of Nuclear Power Operations
Nuclear industry organizations
Nuclear safety and security
Nuclear power in the United States
Organizations established in 1979
1979 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)