Addressing employee concerns about welding in a nuclear power plant

A leading utility contracted with EG and G Idaho to perform a comprehensive, independent evaluation of the utility's welding program with respect to the safety-related welds made at one of its nuclear power plants. The purpose of this paper is to review a number of the employee concerns and the technical basis for the disposition of these concerns. In addition, recommendations are presented that may help to prevent the recurrence of employee concerns in future nuclear power plant construction, and thereby costly delays may be avoided and welding productivity and quality improved.