Daily operation is entrusted to a highly qualified staff. The members of staff employed in the control room of a nuclear plant must hold a special qualification. This qualification is awarded after a specific intensive training programme (on a simulator, in particular), leading to an examination. Maintenance of the qualification is subject to legally required periodic retraining, exercises and tests.
Doel and Tihange have centres providing training and retraining specially designed for the operators. The latter are trained especially on full scope simulators (mirroring exactly the operation of the plant on the computer), both under normal operating conditions and in emergency situations.
Participation in international contact groups makes possible a systematic exchange of experiences with operators of nuclear power plants world-wide. Within the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), the members attain the highest standards for safe and reliable operation of nuclear plants through the continuous exchange of experiences, peer reviews, programmes of good practice, mutual assistance etc.
The 1,500 people at Electrabel directly involved in nuclear power, coupled with the nuclear competencies and know-how of the other 2,000 or so GDF SUEZ staff members, enable coverage of the whole nuclear value chain (design & construction, operation, maintenance, training, waste management and decommissioning). The specific nuclear competencies are divided up in this way between the following entities of the GDF SUEZ Group with (in alphabetical order): AXIMA France (HVAC of nuclear facilities), CORYS TESS (operating simulators), COYNE et BELLIER (civil engineering), Electrabel, ENDEL (technical assistance and maintenance), FABRICOM GTI (technical installations and services), INEO (expert in electrical installations), SITA (inspection and cleaning of elements of nuclear facilities), SYNATOM (management of Belgian nuclear fuel), TECNUBEL (logistics and technical management of nuclear facilities) and TRACTEBEL ENGINEERING (energy and infrastructure engineering).
GDF SUEZ Nuclear Trainees program:
Since 2006, GDF SUEZ has been developing training pathways specially dedicated to young engineers so as to provide for human resources needs. These pathways are a means to discover the different facets and activities of nuclear power within the Group and to build an extensive network of professional relations at the threshold of a career in the world of nuclear power.
