Bernhard Capital-Backed Allied Power Acquires Radiation Safety & Control Services

Significantly Expands Maintenance and Technician Service Offerings for Radiation-Producing and Nuclear Power Customers

BATON ROUGE, La.July 14, 2022  — Allied Power Holdings, LLC (“Allied” or the “Company”), a full-service provider of power plant services, today announced that it has acquired Radiation Safety & Control Services, Inc. (“RSCS”), a leading provider of project management, technical and laboratory services to the nuclear power industry. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Allied provides a diversified range of services – from routine maintenance to outage services and management, capital construction and specialized support – for power plants across the asset life cycle throughout the U.S. In November 2020, the Company was acquired by Bernhard Capital Partners, a services and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm investing in middle market businesses providing essential services to owners of critical infrastructure.

For more than three decades, RSCS has established itself as one of the most innovative and efficient providers of radiological and environmental services and nuclear site staffing services to industries and government agencies across the country. With proprietary radiation monitoring products and laboratory services, RSCS will enable Allied to expand its relationships with existing and new customers, while simultaneously allowing the Company to capitalize on the growing market for nuclear plant decommissioning and radiation monitoring services.

“We are thrilled to welcome such an established and well-respected team in the industry to the Allied family,” said Ron McCall, Chief Executive Officer of Allied Power. “RSCS’s proprietary products and best-in-class monitoring and technician services will enable us to capitalize on new contract opportunities, enhance the on-site and supportive offerings we provide to our nuclear facility clients and maximize significant tailwinds in the decommissioning space. We look forward to working closely with the RSCS team and embarking on a new phase of growth together.”

“We share a deep commitment with the Allied team to provide efficient, quality radiological services to an expanding customer base, which makes this transaction a natural fit for our business,” said Jay Tarzia, Principal and Executive Director of RSCS. “The added scale and offerings will provide our employees and customers with significant long-term opportunities, and we are excited to partner with the Allied and Bernhard teams.”

“As the commercial nuclear energy market continues to play a pivotal, yet evolving, role – both domestically and internationally – in today’s clean energy landscape and transition, it will increasingly require specialized expertise and support,” said Mark Spender, a Partner of Bernhard Capital. “This transaction further solidifies Allied as the provider of choice for safe, mission-critical and cost-effective power services for the leading power generators across the country.”

About Allied Power Holdings

Allied Power is a diversified, full-service provider of power plant services spanning the entire asset life cycle. The Allied Power team and leadership has vast experience in the utility industry and expertise in power generation. Utilizing this expertise, Allied Power is able to provide customers with proven, practical, and innovative approaches that maximize the efficiency and cost effectiveness of utilities without sacrificing safety or quality. Allied Power provides a full range of professional, technical and craft services including routine maintenance, outage, and capital construction services. To learn more at Allied Power, visit https://www.alliedpwr.com.

About Radiation Safety & Control Services

RSCS provides project management, technical, and laboratory services to the nuclear power industry, the Government, and other companies that use radioactive material. RSCS actively manages and supports nuclear and radiological operations and decommissioning projects through its specialty services and staff augmentation. RSCS’s project services, ISO/IEC accredited laboratory, and its manufacturing division provide state-of-the art solutions to our clients to improve quality and efficiency. RSCS has a dedicated team of approximately 230 employees nationally. A group of its employees on a jobsite in CA recently announced their intent to join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. For more information about RSCS please visit http://www.radsafety.com.

About Bernhard Capital Partners

Bernhard Capital Partners is a services and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm established in 2013. Bernhard Capital Partners has deployed capital in three funds across several strategies, has approximately $2.5 billion of gross assets under management and is ranked as one of Private Equity International’s 300 largest private equity firms worldwide. Bernhard Capital Partners seeks to create sustainable value by leveraging its experience in acquiring, operating and growing services and infrastructure businesses. For more information, visit www.bernhardcapital.com.

Contacts

Allied Power

Christy Fairchild

Vice President – Human Resources & Corporate Development

[email protected]

225-412-6435

Bernard Capital Partners

Ed Trissel / Erik Carlson

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

212-355-4449

SOURCE Allied Power Holdings

Seeking HR Assistant at RSCS | Seabrook, NH

We are seeking an HR Assistant to support the HR department, primarily with onboarding, electronic file maintenance/organization and benefit enrollments.  This person will also be the payroll back-up.

We offer competitive starting wages, flexible schedules, and benefits on day 1; see below for more details. 

Interested parties should email me directly at [email protected]

 The key responsibility of this position is to support the Human Resource department processes.  The Human Resource Assistant will perform administrative tasks and services to support effective and efficient operations of the organization’s human resource department.

Essential Functions:

*Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Conducts or assists with new hire onboarding process.
  • Maintains accurate and up-to-date human resource files, records, and documentation.
  • Answers frequently asked questions from applicants and employees relative to standard policies, benefits, hiring processes, etc.; refers more complex questions to appropriate senior-level HR staff or management.
  • Maintains the integrity and confidentiality of human resource files and records.
  • Performs periodic audits of HR files and records to ensure that all required documents are collected and filed appropriately.
  • Provides clerical support to the HR department.
  • Act as a back-up for payroll processing. Assists with payroll functions including processing, answering employee questions, fixing processing errors, and distributing checks.
  • Acts as a liaison between the organization and external benefits providers and vendors, which may include health, disability, and retirement plan providers.
  • Assists with planning and execution of special events such as benefits enrollment, company-wide meetings, employee recognition and celebration events.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Proficient with or the ability to quickly learn payroll management, human resource information system (HRIS), and similar computer software applications.
  • Self-starter with excellent organization skills to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

 RSCS Benefits Day 1

Medical-Anthem POS w/HRA or HSA option Company pays 75% of premium Dental-Principal High and Low options Vision-Principal FSA EAP Basic Life 1x Annual Salary Voluntary Life, STD and LTD 401k w/3% Match Paid Vacation, Sick and Holiday Flexible Schedule

 

RSCS Congratulates Heather Baxter for earning CHP

Heather Baxter began her employment with RSCS in June of 2022 as a Sr. Staff Health Physicist. She has a BS in chemistry and an MS in nuclear chemistry with over 18 years experience in radiochemistry, health physics and radiation protection. Her experience includes work at operating nuclear plants and soil remediation sites with radiological contamination. She was the chairperson for the NEI Radiological and Environmental Committee from 2016 to 2019 and is currently a member of that committee.

Heather worked at Duke Power/Progress Energy from 2006 through 2019 where she earned several performance awards. She is certified by NRRPT, OSHA certifications, waste-water licenses and is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) which she earned while working for RSCS. She is also a member of a variety of professional organizations.

Heather recently passed Part 1 and Part 2 of the exam administered by the American Board of Health physics and through this she has recently achieved the professional designation of a Certified Health Physicist (CHP). Our family at RSCS congratulates Heather for this important career achievement. She is now recognized as our organization’s 14th CHP

 

Eric Darois and Matthew Darois invited to present at the NRC’s Second Annual Subsurface Investigations Public Workshop

Eric Darois and Matthew Darois invited to present at the NRC’s Second Annual Subsurface Investigations Public Workshop on May 11, 2022, 12:00 PM to 05:00 PM ET.

This is a remote meeting and the second of its kind hosted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. During the first workshop, Matthew presented examples of subsurface evaluations that he managed for RSCS using GIS tools. For this second workshop, Eric will be presenting on “Subsurface Basement Modeling and Survey Methods” and Matthew will be presenting “Utilizing the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) 07-07 Industry Groundwater Protection Initiative as a Foundation for Addressing Subsurface Site Assessments”. Their presentation will begin around 2:10 pm and end at about 2:50 pm followed by a Q&A session. Additional information about this meeting is provided below.

 

The NRC is holding this second public workshop via webinar on the technical basis for development of interim guidance on subsurface investigations supporting license termination under 10 CFR Part 20. The public meeting notice purpose states, “This research effort focuses on survey design optimization methods, data analysis techniques, and recommendations for associated software development to support subsurface investigations at decommissioning sites. A draft technical report has been developed and feedback received during the workshop will be considered in finalizing the report. Taking into consideration workshop and technical report findings, interim guidance will be developed by NRC staff in late 2022. The objective of the interim guidance is to improve transparency regarding acceptable methods to assess, evaluate, and manage risks associated with residual radioactivity in subsurface soils and groundwater.”  This workshop will include participants from DOE, RSCS, EPRI, NEI and PNNL.  Meeting details can be found at the notice shown as follows:

 

Public Meeting notice:

https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg?do=details&Code=20220265

 

RSCS and EnergySolutions form Joint Venture to Decommission the N.S. Savannah

 

Salt Lake City, Utah – March 29, 2022 – Radiation Safety and Control Services Inc. (RSCS) and EnergySolutions, today announced a partnership to decommission the world’s first nuclear-powered merchant ship, the N.S. Savannah.

 

RSCS started working with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration in 2007 on Phase 1 decommissioning preparations and completed this phase in early 2021.  The RSCS-EnergySolutions Joint Venture (Nuclear Ship Support Services, LLC) is now conducting Phase II and Phase III decommissioning where remediation is expected to be complete mid-2023 and License termination expected to be completed by 2025.

 

“This ship is designed with a one-of-a-kind reactor and associated support systems,” stated Jay Tarzia, Executive Director, RSCS.  “The goal of the project is to safely and surgically decommission the ship, maintaining maximum ship integrity to preserve this national historic landmark.  To complete this job we have assembled a world-class team with our partners EnergySolutions to achieve this goal.

 

“This is a unique opportunity for EnergySolutions to apply our decommissioning experience to the decommissioning efforts of the N.S. Savannah and we value our partnership with RSCS on this important project,” said Ken Robuck, President and CEO of EnergySolutions.  “We are confident as a team we will safely decommission the Savannah applying lessons learned from our experience at commercial reactor decommissioning projects while at the same time preserving this national treasure.”

 

A National Historic, Nuclear Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the N.S. Savannah was commissioned July 20, 1956 under President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peach Program.”  The ship, originally constructed under a joint agreement between the U.S. DOT Maritime Division and the Atomic Energy Agency, is currently licensed with the NRC.  An 80 Mw reactor powered the ship, which weighs 9,570 tons with an overall length of 595 feet and was operated by a sixty-person crew.

 

Decommissioning activities include safely removing the control rod drive system, pressurizer, reactor pressure vessel, neutron shield tank, steam generators, primary system piping, reactor vessel and all primary system components.  All of this material is considered low-level waste and will be safely transported and disposed of at the EnergySolutions “Clive” disposal facility located in Utah’s West Desert.

 

Our joint team will carefully perform the decommissioning to preserve the ship for future use as a museum.

 

About Radiation Safety & Control Services (RSCS)

RSCS provides project management, technical, and laboratory services to the nuclear power industry, the Government, and other companies that use radioactive material.  We actively manage and support nuclear and radiological operations and decommissioning projects through our specialty services and staff augmentation.   Our project services, ISO/IEC accredited laboratory, and our manufacturing division provide state-of-the art solutions to our clients to improve quality and efficiency.  For more information about RSCS please visit http://www.radsafety.com

 

About EnergySolutions

EnergySolutions offers customers a full range of integrated services and solutions, including nuclear operations, characterization, decommissioning, decontamination, site closure, transportation, nuclear materials management, processing, recycling, and disposition of nuclear waste, and research and engineering services across the nuclear fuel cycle. For additional information about EnergySolutions visit http://www.energysolutions.com 

 

For additional information about this announcement please contact Mark Walker at [email protected] or 801- 231 -9194.

Project website http://www.nssavannahdecommissioning.com will be available in April to monitor project process.

 

 

Matthew Darois to Chair the ANS-2.32 Working Group

Radiation Safety and Control Services is excited to announce that our employee Matthew Darois, RSCS Environmental and Engineering Manager, has been requested to Chair the working group responsible for developing the proposed new standard ANS-2.32, “Guidance on the Selection and Evaluation of Remediation Methods for Subsurface Contamination”. In addition Mr. Darois has been invited to become an Executive Member of the American Nuclear Society, Decommissioning and Environmental Science Division. Mr. Darois has over 19 years of expertise in environmental science, hydrogeology, environmental characterization, Remediation, Final Status Survey (FSS) and CAD/GIS 2D and 3D modeling. His broad experience in the field of environmental science and hydrogeology has been applied to a wide range of projects for several industries including nuclear power & decommissioning, radiopharmaceuticals, radiotracer/research, property redevelopment/construction, waste management and disposal, and groundwater protection/remediation.

Learn more about how our Environmental Engineering services support the Nuclear Industry.

RSCS Regulatory and Technical Expertise Helps Nuclear Utility Avoid a NRC White Finding

In late 2020, RSCS was requested to assist the management of a Midwestern nuclear power plant in responding to a potential NRC inspection finding that was initially screened as White. NRC inspectors believed that during preparation of a radioactive resin shipment, plant personnel failed to meet regulatory requirements, resulting in a performance deficiency of low to moderate safety significance or White. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) estimates the cost to a plant in response to a White finding is about $1 M due to necessary corrective actions and supplemental NRC inspection activities. The RSCS Team coordinated a two-prong attack on this situation.

Ellen Anderson teamed with the regulatory staff and Radiation Protection Manager (RPM) to assist in their response to NRC. She provided regulatory guidance and recommendations to plant staff based on her many years of experience in this area. She addressed the regulatory aspect by researching past NRC precedence on similar industry performance deficiencies that NRC had previously screened as Green, or low safety significance.

In addition, Nasser Rashidifard demonstrated his technical expertise by performing independent Microshield dose calculations on the resin liner in parallel with plant staff. His calculations were 100% aligned with that of the client, concluding that dose rates on the resin liner did not meet the criteria for a White finding.

Based on their independent reviews on the two perspectives, both Ellen and Nasser concluded that this performance deficiency constituted a Green finding, not a White one.  They were able to provide additional information to the client which allowed a more complete assessment of the regulatory significance.

In late January, RSCS was notified by a very pleased plant management that the final NRC screening of this finding was determined to be Green rather than White.  The RPM noted that their success in overturning the White finding was due to the of the RSCS team. Not only did this maintain the client’s regulatory margin with the NRC but also saved them a considerable expense.

 

Advanced Radiological Assessment Technology Demonstrated at RSCS Technology Expo for Nuclear Decommissioning Decision Makers

RSCS sponsored a Technology Expo at our Seabrook NH facility to demonstrate several high technology solutions to nuclear decommissioning decision makers who are planning for the D&D of complex non-routine nuclear sites. We have been working with several vendors of cutting-edge robotics, imaging and in-situ sampling technologies to provide a comprehensive solution for assessing high radiologically impacted areas. Our integrated technology solution combined with our years of experience in decommissioning drove impactful discussions on how to best approach some of the most difficult decommissioning projects in the USA. 

RSCS 3DCDE model of high radiation area

Our Technology Expo provided a detailed overview and full demonstration of how new technology can provide data that enhances our advanced modeling capabilities. RSCS has built powerful 3D Building Information Models (BIM) from nuclear facility designs and standard operational survey data sets and have developed dynamic and interactive asset inventories for several nuclear sites. Imaging and data collected from advanced technologies augment these complex models which are coupled to site and regional Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in one Common Data Environment (CDE), resulting in highly detailed 3D maps of radiological conditions within nuclear plants, their subsurfaces, and surrounding regions. We have harnessed the power of robotics and remote detection and sampling technologies to provide this data through radiological assessments that are ALARA and low risk. Once a remote survey is completed and data is integrated into 3DCDE models, plant management has the information they need to determine areas that are safe to perform more comprehensive manned surveys to further enhance the data set. Final models can then be used for decision making on workflow and execution. As D&D efforts proceed, the dynamic models can be routinely updated to track the removal of assets and source term and make determinations on the appropriate waste classifications and demolition sequences and strategies. RSCS experience has confirmed that detailed front-end and in-process characterizations provide the most efficient means for effective work planning, which positively impacts cost, schedule adherence, regulatory compliance and worksite safety.

FARO Trek robot with 3D mobile scanning for remote and autonomous data capture in challenging environments

Following a series of presentations, decision makers where provided with hands-on live demonstrations of the technologies discussed, which included the Trek robot that integrates LIDAR-scanning to provide comprehensive 3D models of an area, and the WARP robot that provides radiological dose rates, air sampling, smear data and gamma distribution and isotopic identification, imaging and mapping using H3D’s CZT detectors. Finally, our WARP was equipped with a Viridian Scope laser extraction system that sampled the surface layer of concrete for radioactive contamination. These remotely operated robots and assessment technologies can safely enter high radiation areas to provide data on the current conditions inside the impacted areas. This assessment solution provides our clients with the ability to investigate areas with ambient dose rates up to 100 R/h that are impractical to characterize using traditional techniques.

WARP robot with Viridian Scope laser extraction sampling for in-situ analysis of surface contamination

The robotic platforms demonstrated are industrial strength, can withstand harsh environments, fit into confined and constrained spaces, and navigate successfully around obstacles. The Trek robot was designed and built to perform complex navigational operations such as walking up stairs. WARP performs diverse analytical operations using a custom designed and built payload management system that allows for efficient room or cubicle entries. To test and demonstrate the capabilities of these robotic platforms and technologies, a full scale realistic shielded equipment room was built including components, radiological conditions and entry challenges. The mock-up environment provided an ideal backdrop for demonstrating the power and capacity of this next generation integrated technology solution.

RSCS is proud to offer this state-of-the-art technology to the nuclear decommissioning industry.  After our participants observed several full-scale live demonstrations, they were convinced of the readiness and utility of this technology for their sites and are already envisioning new ways to use this assessment technology to benefit their decommissioning efforts. RSCS looks forward to deploying this fully integrated and functioning capability and incorporating future technologies to our platforms to adapt to the needs of our clients across our industries.

Live Demo Videos:

MARSSIM Training Provided to Nuclear Professionals

Recently, RSCS delivered our first MARSSIM class in Omaha NE to fifteen experienced nuclear professionals. Our instructors Eric Darois and Heath Downey conducted the course and were able to relay their first-hand experiences in implementing the MARSSIM processes for characterization and final status surveys in support of decommissioning projects. 

One of everyone’s favorite topics, ‘Statistics’, was covered in great detail.  We hope that this module was able to help demystify some of the more confusing concepts. In addition, the course presented details on using specific statistical software products as well as some helpful tips on using EXCEL for data manipulation. 

Our team had a great week in Omaha and unexpectedly enjoyed some great seafood! Thanks to All in Attendance!

Ellen Anderson Appointed to HPS Power Reactor Section Board

Ellen Anderson - RSCSRSCS Director of Radiological Services, Ellen Anderson, was recently appointed to the board of the Power Reactor Section (PRS) of the Health Physics Society. This appointment recognizes Ellen’s extensive experience with the nuclear power industry in the areas of radiation protection, emergency preparedness, regulatory affairs, nuclear oversight and security, including a ten-year tenure as the Director of Radiation Safety and International Liaison for the Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI).

The PRS was formed in 1982 with the goal of exchanging technical, regulatory, and business practice information amongst professionals in the nuclear power industry. Over the years, the mission of the board has expanded to include outreach and educational materials on radiation science and nuclear plant electric power generation for educators. In addition, the section provides scholarships to students pursuing two and four-year degrees in radiation science.

Congratulations Ellen on this appointment to the board of the Power Reactor Section!