Courtney Tampas - Senior Reactor Operator, Surry Power Station

YPE Podcast

Courtney Tampas is a senior reactor operator (SRO) at Surry Power Station, a nuclear power plant outside Newport News, VA. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, host Sean McGhee talks with Courtney about her work as a nuclear risk analyst, the grueling training campaign to transition to operations, and the most rewarding parts of being an SRO. Show notes: 01:03 Courtney's background and how she got interested in nuclear power 03:46 What is probabilistic risk assessment (PRA); the process of constructing a PRA model 08:56 Reflecting on the VC Summer 2 & 3 effort, and eventual cancellation 12:46 Transitioning to a senior reactor operator (SRO) in training at Surry Power Station 21:09 A day in the life of a licensed SRO, and the biggest stresses that come with the job 26:55 The craziness surrounding planned plant outages 30:47 What excites and scares Courtney the most about the future of the nuclear industry? 33:52 Courtney's advice for other young professionals in energy Courtney's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-tampas/ More about Surry: https://www.dominionenergy.com/projects-and-facilities/nuclear-facilities/surry-power-station