Be Prepared: NSA/EPM’s Seismic PRA Methods Seminars Address Pending NRC Requirements

JOHNSON CITY, TENN (May 10, 2012) – Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA) and its strategic partner Engineering Planning and Management (EPM) are offering expert instruction on current topics shaping the nuclear energy industry today – and tomorrow.

The companies are currently providing seismic risk seminars designed to prepare all public- and private-sector employees for new requirements in response to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s request for information issued on March 12, in response to the NRC’s Fukushima Near-Term Task Force seismic recommendations. “Introduction to Seismic PRA Methods,” a 1.5-day class focusing on probabilistic risk assessment and its relevance to seismic hazards in the central and eastern United States, is being offered May 22-23 and June 19-20 at the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Bloomington, Minn.

Participants will gain an understanding of NRC requirements outlined in “REQUEST FOR INFORMATION PURSUANT TO TITLE 10 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS 50.54(f) REGARDING RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE NEAR-TERM TASK FORCE REVIEW OF INSIGHTS FROM THE FUKUSHIMA DAI-ICHI ACCIDENT ,” as well as learn the background and methodology necessary to meet these expected regulations The course delves into the issues facilities will face under the new NRC standards and will familiarize participants with the terminology and approaches used to determine seismic hazards and risks. It also includes an overview of seismic margins approach, seismic hazard evaluation, fragility methodology and seismic PRA accident sequences and quantification. Attendees will learn about the state-of-the-art methods for performing American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ probabilistic risk assessment standard requirements to satisfy future NRC regulations.

Introduction to Seismic PRA Methods is $1,299, and includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages. A discount is currently available for those who register for the June class by May 22. A special room rate is also extended to class participants.

For more information about the course, registration and a downloadable brochure visit http://www.nuclearassociates.com/what-we-do/courses/

About NSA
A premier provider of safety, security and engineering services to the North American nuclear markets, Nuclear Safety Associates has consistently made Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5000 fastest-growing companies and top engineering firms in the United States. NSA offers clients turnkey capabilities and expertise to support the entire nuclear facility lifecycle, from conceptual design through construction, operations and, ultimately, to decontamination and decommissioning. The company employs more than 150 highly-skilled engineers, scientists and specialists and offers clients comprehensive services along four business lines: nuclear safety and licensing, readiness assurance and operations management, safeguards and security, and specialized design engineering. For more information about NSA log onto www.nuclearassociates.com

About EPM
Engineering Planning and Management has provided regulatory compliance strategies and analysis expertise to nuclear power utilities for more than 30 years, and today offers advanced engineering, software systems and risk assessment services to a variety of capital-intensive industries with unique safety challenges. EPM offers nuclear plant operators an exceptional combination of electrical and systems engineering, probabilistic risk analysis, fire protection, containment systems simulation, and software solutions to support the new regulatory focus on severe reactor accidents and their consequences. EPM’s leadership in complex nuclear regulatory compliance challenges is exemplified by its preparation of the first non-pilot plant NFPA 805 Transition License Amendment Request submission to the NRC. For more information, visit www.epm-inc.com.

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NSA’s Expanded Scope Includes Concept-to-Completion Management Expertise

Nuclear Safety Associates continues to expand its range of services to meet the industry’s changing needs and regulations. We have developed strategic partnerships, acquired a major West Coast nuclear safety company with niche capabilities, and established an in-house quality assurance program that gives us the competitive edge in offering comprehensive and advanced programs as an integral team member for defined-scope projects.

 Progressive and forward-thinking, NSA last year tapped into the complementary services provided by Engineering Planning and Management to create a full-spectrum of programs addressing pending Nuclear Regulatory Commission mandates, including immediate needs for probabilistic risk assessment and enhanced systems for spent-fuel pools – regulations that will impact all commercial utilities in 2012.

 Our acquisition of Albuquerque-based Omicron Safety & Risk Technologies on Jan. 1, 2012, adds niche programs like explosives safety and fire dynamics modeling to NSA’s extensive repertoire. This newest division of NSA has the exclusive scope nuclear safety contract with National Security Technologies, the prime contractor for the Nevada National Security Site, through 2016. Its client list also includes Argonne, Sandia and Los Alamos national labs.

In just a decade we have grown from a small firm with a niche specialty to a full-service company with the expertise and proven success to manage and operate the most complicated, detailed projects, from cradle to grave. In addition to our established strengths in all aspects of nuclear safety, our team of experts – the best in the business – and state-of-the-art technologies ensure nuclear plants are operating within escalating NRC requirements and compliance evaluations while focusing on severe accident prevention and mitigating excess operational and financial burdens to plant owners in worst-case scenarios.

 It pays to have NSA as a first-tier partner. We have a stellar reputation, a proven track record for establishing procedures and protocols that not only get attention in the bidding process but ensure a successful project within a contract’s specifications.

 NSA, already the foremost authority on nuclear safety and risk assessment, brings value, name recognition and proven expertise to successfully manage and operate defined-scope projects, from concept to conclusion – without duplication of services.

 We are ready for 2012 and beyond.

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NSA Around the Nation

From Chicago to Anaheim, Calif., Nuclear Safety Associate’s experts will attend conferences and workshops throughout the country during the next few months.

Stop by our booth at the Energy Facility Contractors Group’s May 5-10 Safety Analysis Working Group workshop.

We will also attend

  •  May 7-10 National OPSEC Conference in Anaheim
  • Utility Services Alliance Nuclear Generator and Supplier Executive Summit June 12-15 in Colorado Springs
  • American Nuclear Society’s summer meeting June 24-28 in Chicago.
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NSA’s Programs Address New NRC Mandates

Commercial utilities are just months away from Nuclear Regulatory Commission mandates requiring safety enhancements to mitigate responses to extreme natural events, including more stringent instrumentation for spent fuel pools. The regulations, expected to be finalized in May and official as early as August, will likely require immediate implementation to improve safety protocols in the event of station black out due to acts of nature.

 The NRC is applying lessons learned following the March 2011 9.0-magnitude earthquake and 45-foot tsunami at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan to improve safety at all U.S. commercial nuclear reactors. A pending agency order will not only require plants to upgrade equipment to monitor water levels in all spent fuel pools but is already suggesting plants begin reanalyzing earthquake and flood evaluations based on new data from the Central and Eastern United States Seismic Source.

 Nuclear Safety Associates, an industry leader in identifying existing hazards and overall risk of failure, has been anticipating these changes. We provide programs and experts to help facilities assess their risks and then devise effective strategies to improve safety in the event of station black out.

 NSA provides a full scope of flexible and diverse solutions utilities will need to meet these increased regulations for spent fuel pools – from probabilistic seismic hazard assessments and ground-motion response to thermohydraulics – to control and prevent leakage, maintain proper coolant water and reduce releases of radioactive materials.

 We also offer programs that address pending NRC information requests to:

  • Conduct seismic and flood hazard walkdowns that closely examine a plant’s ability to meet current requirements;
  • Assess the ability of a plant’s current communications systems and equipment to perform under conditions of onsite and offsite damage and prolonged loss of all alternating current electrical power; and
  • Assess plant staffing needs to fill emergency positions in response to events simultaneously affecting all reactors at a given site.

 Changes to regulatory requirements are coming. NSA provides effective solutions tailored to individual needs associated with meeting those requirements.

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Of Seismic Proportions – Be Prepared

Nuclear Safety Associates and Engineering Planning and Management offer expert instruction on current topics shaping the industry today and tomorrow. Together, we have developed training courses designed to address anticipated NRC seismic-related initiatives expected this year. “Introduction to Seismic PRA Methods,” a 1.5-day class provides participants with the knowledge, background and methodology behind probabilistic risk assessment and its relevance to seismic hazards in the central and eastern United States. The next classes are April 25-26, May 22-23 and June 19-20 at the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Bloomington, Minn.

 

Click here http://www.nuclearassociates.com/what-we-do/courses/ for a course description and registration information.

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Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA) Acquires Omicron Safety & Risk Technologies

Johnson City, TN (January 5, 2012) — Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA) announced today that it has purchased the assets of Omicron Safety & Risk Technologies (Omicron).

Omicron, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, executes contracts in the Department of Energy (DOE) sector of the nuclear industry, with an emphasis on nuclear safety technologies.  Combined 2011 revenue for the two companies is estimated at $31million; with approximately 150 employees.

“This acquisition expands NSA’s footprint in the DOE arena to include the Nevada Test Site, Argonne National Lab, Sandia National Lab, and Los Alamos National Lab, all places NSA has not previously had a presence,” said NSA CEO Dr. Robert L. Frost.  “When combined with NSA’s existing strengths at Y-12, Oak Ridge National Lab, Portsmouth, Idaho National Lab, Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project, and the MOX Project, we now touch most of the DOE complex.”

The acquisition expands NSA’s pool of expertise in nuclear safety and licensing technologies. The addition of Omicron’s employee’s extensive expertise in these fields brings NSA’s Nuclear Safety and Licensing business unit to 90 highly-skilled staff members, estimated to be the largest group with these specialized capabilities in the country.

The addition of the Omicron staff also expands NSA’s capabilities to include more specialty niches, including explosives safety and fire modeling, while strengthening the company’s expertise in other specialty niches such as reactor severe accident modeling and fire protection engineering.

NSA will continue to perform self-directed projects from Omicron’s Albuquerque, NM, office, which joins Oak Ridge, TN; Idaho Falls, ID; and Columbus, OH; as NSA field offices.

Omicron’s president, Dr. Louis Restrepo, will join the NSA senior management team, assuming the position of vice president, business and staff development.  Tim Solack will assume the role of Director, Albuquerque Operations.

About NSA

A premier provider of safety, security, and engineering services to the North American Nuclear markets, Nuclear Safety Associates, Inc. (NSA) has consistently made Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5000 fastest growing companies and top engineering firms in the United States.  NSA offers clients turnkey capabilities in its areas of expertise to support the entire nuclear facility lifecycle, from conceptual design through construction, operations, and ultimately, to decontamination and decommissioning.  The company employs more than 150 highly-skilled engineers, scientists, and specialists and offers clients comprehensive services along four business lines: nuclear safety & licensing, readiness assurance and operations management, safeguards & security, and specialized design engineering.   www.nuclearassociates.com

 

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Veteran Firms in the Nuclear Industry Announce New Venture Combining Expertise, Resources to Address Seismic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Two veteran firms in the nuclear industry, Engineering Planning and Management (EPM) and Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA), are combining their expertise in nuclear safety analysis, risk assessment and regulatory compliance to offer advanced services and solutions for nuclear plant licensees addressing seismic hazards and risk assessment.

In response to pending changes in regulatory requirements from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), EPM and NSA are leveraging their collective experience to offer clients a focused, dedicated team and the latest analysis technologies to perform the seismic and structural response analyses required, along with the corresponding probabilistic risk assessments.

“Recent attention on seismic activity around the world, along with the earthquake that hit the eastern U.S. this year, has lead to intensified regulatory focus on seismic hazards and risks for U.S. nuclear facilities,” said Wade Larson, president of Engineering Planning and Management.  “The combination of NSA’s strengths and experience in seismic and structural engineering with EPM’s expertise in systems engineering and probabilistic risk assessment  offers nuclear facility operators the strongest team of industry experts to respond to these increasing demands.”

EPM and NSA offer a comprehensive set of services to support nuclear power plant licensees responding to the anticipated NRC Generic Letter for “Seismic Risk Evaluations for Operating Reactors” associated with the resolution to Generic Issue 199 (GI-199). The EPM/NSA team offers the talent and experience necessary to address these issues in key areas of hazards analysis, seismic hazards, seismic margins, fragility analysis and probabilistic risk assessment.  The EPM/NSA team provides licensees with a complete solution designed to meet both the NRC requirements stated in the Generic Letter and, if necessary, the industry and NRC quality requirements for either a Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessment (SPRA) or a Seismic Margins Analysis (SMA).  In addition, the EPM/NSA team has developed an introductory course designed to explain the methodology necessary to meet the NRC requirements in the Generic Letter. Course details and schedule may be obtained from the company websites.

“The ability to perform all aspects of the SMA and the SPRA by employing highly regarded experts and utilizing state-of-the art analysis techniques is a unique capability that sets us apart from the competition,” said Nuclear Safety Associates President Robert Frost, Ph.D. “We have the ability to hit the ground running and provide clients with immediate, comprehensive and effective solutions to meet new requirements.”

This new venture by EPM and NSA builds on a recent joint marketing agreement between the two companies to offer comprehensive services to improve facility response plans and to mitigate health and economic consequences of all severe accidents. Client services offered under this joint agreement include analyses of Level 2 & 3 probabilistic risk assessments (PRA) based on a facility’s existing PRA results, scenario simulations for degraded cores, containment systems, venting and filtering systems to develop updated facility source terms, modeling of plume dispersions and evacuation plans.

About EPM

Engineering Planning and Management, Inc. (EPM) has provided regulatory compliance strategies and analysis expertise to nuclear power utilities for more than 30 years, and today offers advanced engineering, software systems and risk assessment services to a variety of capital-intensive industries with unique safety challenges. EPM offers nuclear plant operators an exceptional combination of probabilistic risk analysis, systems engineering and advanced thermal-hydraulic simulations, and nuclear regulatory compliance support for the new regulatory focus on seismic hazards and their risk to safe plant operations. www.epm-inc.com

About NSA

Nuclear Safety Associates, Inc. (NSA) is an industry leader in helping clients to establish a rigorous safety basis for nuclear operations that is consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. NSA has extensive experience working in both the NRC and DOE regulatory environments, and supports new design and construction projects, operating facilities, and nuclear facility decontamination and decommissioning. NSA has expertise at all professional levels of nuclear engineering, radiological engineering, and seismic and structural engineering. The company’s nuclear engineers, seismic/structural engineers, and Certified Health Physicists (CHPs) participate in a wide variety of activities, including seismic structural response analyses, source term generation, dose assessment, atmospheric dispersion, safety analysis, and external event analyses for nuclear facilities. www.nuclearassociates.com

 

 

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Inc. Magazine Announces Its Annual Exclusive List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies—the Inc.500|5000

Nuclear Safety Associates, Inc. (NSA) Ranks No. 1222 on the 2011 Inc.5000
with Three-Year Sales Growth of 241%

Johnson City, Tenn. – September 6, 2011 — Inc. magazine has ranked Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA) No. 1222 on its fifth annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent entrepreneurs.

This is the fourth year NSA has earned a spot on the Inc.5000, up from No. 1563 last year and No. 3995 when the company debuted on the list in 2008.  NSA was also ranked No. 19 on the list of top engineering firms in the U.S. for 2011 based on a three-year growth rate.

“Continuing to climb the Inc.5000 is a tremendous honor and testament to the talent and expertise of our employees,” says NSA President Robert L. Frost, Ph.D. “We have been able to capitalize on a strong foundation of providing nuclear safety and licensing expertise by expanding into new arenas in providing safeguards and security, design engineering and expanded technical services throughout the U.S. nuclear industry and in emerging markets.”

In addition to experiencing a 241% increase in revenue during the past three years, NSA has grown from 28 to 108 employees and has opened an office in Idaho Falls, Idaho and undergone expansions in its Oak Ridge, Tenn. and Johnson City, Tenn. offices.

In a stagnant economic environment, median growth rate of 2011 Inc. 500|5000 companies remains an impressive 94 percent. The companies on this year’s list report having created 350,000 jobs in the past three years, and aggregate revenue among the honorees reached $366 billion, up 14 percent from last year.

“Now, more than ever, we depend on Inc. 500/5000 companies to spur innovation, provide jobs, and drive the economy forward.  Growth companies, not large corporations are where the action is,” says Inc. magazine Editor Jan Berentson.

About NSA

Nuclear Safety Associates, Inc. (NSA) is an industry leader in helping clients to establish a rigorous safety basis for nuclear operations that is consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. NSA has extensive experience working in both the NRC and DOE regulatory environments, and supports new design and construction projects, operating facilities, and nuclear facility decontamination and decommissioning. NSA has expertise at all professional levels of radiological engineering and the company’s nuclear engineers and Certified Health Physicists (CHPs) participate in a wide variety of activities, including source term generation, dose assessment, dose reconstruction, atmospheric dispersion, pathway modeling, and external event consequence analysis. www.nuclearassociates.com

Methodology for the Inc. 500/5000

The 2011 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2007 to 2010. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2007. Additionally, they had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2010. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2007 is $100,000; the minimum for 2010 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500/5000 are featured in Inc.’s September issue.  Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/5000.

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Engineering Planning and Management (EPM) & Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA) to Combine Expertise, Resources to Address Severe Nuclear Reactor Accidents

Framingham, MA & Johnson City, TN (August 15, 2011) – - Two veteran firms in the nuclear industry, Engineering Planning and Management (EPM) and Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA) are combining their considerable expertise in nuclear safety analysis, risk assessment and regulatory compliance to offer advanced services and solutions for nuclear plant operators addressing severe accident risks, regulatory responses, and mitigation of offsite consequences.

EPM and NSA are leveraging decades of experience to offer clients a focused, dedicated team and state-of-the -art analysis technologies to perform the range of severe reactor accident assessments required to respond to new regulatory inquiries and compliance evaluations.

“Recent incidents in Japan have cast a spotlight on the nuclear industry and renewed a focus on severe accidents, says Wade Larson, president of Engineering Planning and Management.  “In response, we are teaming with NSA to offer nuclear plant operators our complementary teams of experts and techniques to prevent severe accident scenarios and mitigate their consequences without the plant owners incurring excess operational and financial burdens.  EPM and NSA have both been leaders in nuclear safety for many years, delivering the innovative strategies and technical excellence required for success in this demanding industry, and we look forward to our continued success as a team.”

Comprehensive services to be offered by EPM and NSA include:  analyses of Level 2 & 3 probabilistic risk assessments (PRA) based on a facility’s existing PRA results, scenario simulations for degraded cores, containment systems, venting and filtering systems to develop updated facility source terms, modeling of plume dispersions, evacuation plans, and population doses to improve the facility response plans and to mitigate health and economic consequences of any severe accidents.

“Combining the expertise and power of NSA and EPM as a single source under one contract offers clients the optimum solution,” says Nuclear Safety Associates President Robert Frost, Ph.D.  “Our two companies offer the best talent in the industry when it comes to nuclear safety, leveraging decades of experience and success, while focused solely on assisting clients with meeting escalating industry standards and requirements to eliminate risks.”

About EPM

Engineering Planning and Management, Inc. (EPM) has provided regulatory compliance strategies and analysis expertise to nuclear power utilities for more than 30 years, and today offers advanced engineering, software systems and risk assessment services to a variety of capital-intensive industries with unique safety challenges. EPM offers nuclear plant operators an exceptional combination of electrical and systems engineering, probabilistic risk analysis, fire protection, containment systems simulation, and software solutions to support the new regulatory focus on severe reactor accidents and their consequences. EPM’s leadership in complex nuclear regulatory compliance challenges is exemplified by its preparation of the first non-pilot plant NFPA 805 Transition License Amendment Request (LAR) submittal to the US NRC.  www.epm-inc.com

About NSA

Nuclear Safety Associates, Inc. (NSA) is an industry leader in helping clients to establish a rigorous safety basis for nuclear operations that is consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. NSA has extensive experience working in both the NRC and DOE regulatory environments, and supports new design and construction projects, operating facilities, and nuclear facility decontamination and decommissioning. NSA has expertise at all professional levels of radiological engineering and the company’s nuclear engineers and Certified Health Physicists (CHPs) participate in a wide variety of activities, including source term generation, dose assessment, dose reconstruction, atmospheric dispersion, pathway modeling, and external event consequence analysis. www.nuclearassociates.com

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