Good morning, y’all! ☀️ Welcome to #DayintheLife of Jenifer Avellaneda, A.K.A @nuclearhazelnut .
I’m currently a Probabilistic Risk Assessment Engineer at @WECNuclear
But before we continue, let’s have some coffee. pic.twitter.com/Y1M5weerVP
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
I start my day by reading the news; that’s why I love Twitter.
Then, I read my emails and start planning ahead my activities for the whole week. I also double-check the deadlines and pending tasks.To me, it’s very important to be well organized.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Welcome to my office; today, we are working from home.
My intern just arrived (a little late, as always); her name is Mia. 🐈⬛ pic.twitter.com/ytRgrQGIuT
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Today, I’m working on a risk assessment for a planned refueling outage that is scheduled to start within a couple of weeks here in the U.S.🇺🇸
So, let's talk about what’s a refueling outage at a nuclear power plant.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Short answer: "An outage is a brief interruption in power production to swap out old fuel for new, and it happens on a schedule set years in advance." – @NEI
So, what happens during an outage? 👇
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Although NPPs generate carbon-free electricity 24/7, they must undergo maintenance, inspections, & refueling every 18 to 24 months, during which approximately 1⁄3 of the used fuel assemblies are replaced with new ones.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
These planned shutdowns increase the efficiency of nuclear plants since they provide workers with the opportunity to carry out certain tasks that would be more challenging if the plant were in operation.
The typical refueling outage duration for U.S. nuclear plants is 25 days.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
A PRA is done to analyze all the activities that will take place during the outage, what safety equipment will be unavailable & how we will mitigate risk if needed.
It's like having a backup plan & be a step ahead of every possible situation = Reliability & Redundancy! 😊
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
As I told you before, I’m a Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Engineer & I support risk analysis activities for different nuclear power plants around the world.
But, first things first: What is PRA? pic.twitter.com/IDl53sUoRR
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) is a method that is used to evaluate the risks involved in every stage of a complex technological entity, such as a spacecraft or power plant.
I currently use PRA to assess the potential risks associated with national & international NPPs.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
PRA covers all aspects of the NPP's life cycle, from the design phase, through the construction & operation phase, & goes up to the point when the NPP is removed from service.
It uses a comprehensive approach to identify & evaluate potential risks to ensure safety and security.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
PRA uses what I like to call the "risk trinity," which includes 3 questions:
– What could go wrong?
– How likely is it to happen?
– What are the consequences?By answering these questions, we can determine how concerned we should be about any situation & how to mitigate it.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Feel free to ask me any questions! 👇
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Time for lunch & more coffee!☕️
I will take this opportunity to share a bit about my background & how I got interested in the nuclear field (since I was 12 yo!), as it's a common question I receive.
So, buckle up! pic.twitter.com/IYELBIj6q3
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Ever since I was 12 years old, I began to notice the impacts of climate change and the urgent need for alternative energy sources. This is what initially sparked my interest in nuclear energy & its potential to provide clean, sustainable power to communities around the world. 🌎
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
My journey led me to pursue a B.S. in Sustainable Development Engineering from @Tec_CSF , where I had the opportunity to learn about the latest innovations in renewable & green energy technologies, including nuclear energy. pic.twitter.com/CQRD3MmeS4
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
I also obtained a specialization in Energy & Environment focused on nuclear energy at @IngenieursECE
Always looking for opportunities to contribute to our society & environment; or as I like to say: "Engineering a better world with nuclear energy"
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Upon graduating, I was fortunate enough to work as a trainee at the @iaeaorg
During this time, I was able to see firsthand the important role that nuclear technology plays in promoting global development & achieving sustainable development goals. pic.twitter.com/09J9WCpiMO
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Today, I work as a PRA engineer for @WECNuclear, to assess the potential risks associated with national & international nuclear power plants.
Nuclear energy is a vital part of our clean energy future, and I'm proud to be a part of this industry. pic.twitter.com/K3kU4dHFkZ
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
As a young professional, I want to encourage others, especially young generations, to pursue their interests in any STEM field.
The world needs more diverse perspectives & voices, & anyone can make a positive impact on the world through their work.🌎
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Feel free to ask any questions 😀!
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Now that we talked about Probabilistic Risk Assessment & the provided insights related to the strengths and weaknesses of the design and operation of a nuclear power plant – Let's talk about the different PRA levels👇 pic.twitter.com/mE7doxIfa6
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
PRAs in the nuclear power industry can be divided into 3 levels:
LEVEL 1: Models plant responses to challenges, like initiating events, resulting in accident sequences.
Event trees graphically represent sequences leading to safe recovery or core damage.— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
LEVEL 2: Models plant response to severe accidents resulting from Level 1 PRA sequences causing core damage.
Analyzes containment systems & their ability to withstand harsh accident conditions. Critical phenomena must be considered for accurate accident progression.— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
LEVEL 3 ( or consequence analysis): Estimates the impact of radioactive material release during severe accidents in terms of health effects and land contamination.
Risk is calculated by combining consequences with their respective frequencies.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
As you can see, safety and risk are connected; safety is ensuring things don't go wrong, and risk is understanding what happens if something goes wrong.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
It's crucial to understand that when making decisions based on a risk-informed approach, PRA is only one aspect to consider.
Other factors such as economics, deterministic safety analysis, performance monitoring, & defense in depth are also taken into account.
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Wow, time flies!
It's been a long day at the (home) office, and now it's time to enjoy the rest of the day with my husband & our furry "kid" – This is Pachis, & we are on our way to the park. We never miss a day, even if the weather is as cold a today 😅 pic.twitter.com/MNY6bGaRLg— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
And that's a wrap!
I'm back home & ready to prepare dinner! It's too cold in TX right now, so time to relax & prepare for tomorrow.
I hope you enjoyed this day in the life of @NuclearHazelnut 😊
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
Muchas gracias to U.S. WIN for sharing this platform with me & to everyone who followed along.
If you have any questions about PRA or anything nuclear-related, feel free to hit me up on Twitter or Instagram @NuclearHazelnut 🐿️
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023
And don't forget to check out the U.S. WIN outreach Instagram account @ uswomeninnuclear !!
Adios & buenas noches! pic.twitter.com/JA0XYs6x46
— U.S. WIN (@WomenInNuclear) March 20, 2023