Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) contracted with another firm to provide scientific/technical support for PSE&G’s 316(a) application to re-permit their nuclear facilities.  In July of 1998, it became clear to the client that the firm selected was not able to provide the level of support necessary to meet the March 1999 316a submission deadline.  PSE&G appealed to Woods Hole Group (WHG) to assume responsibility for scientific/technical support.  The Woods Hole Group’s first responsibility was to put the field data collection program back on track.  Prior to our involvement, loss of instruments and low data return rates were common.  We redesigned the mooring systems and improved field procedures.  After the Woods Hole Group assumed responsibilities for deployment of instruments, field data acquisition, and data retrieval and handling no instruments were lost and a 100% data recovery rate was achieved.

As the project progressed it became clear to the client that additional assistance was needed in the areas of numerical modeling, data QA/QC, and overall project management and reporting.  Over the ensuing 7 months, our role included 20-unit survey data, hydrothermal and biothermal modeling, editing and writing major portions of the hydrothermal and biothermal components of the 316(a) permit submission, and coordinating scientific and legal rationales.  Fifteen Woods Hole Group employees, ranging from field personnel, to scientific and technical staff, to administrative staff, participated in the effort to bring this permit application to a successful and timely conclusion.

During the final push to bring the 316a permit submission together ten of our staff members were sequestered in the PSE&G “war room” located in New Jersey for the month of February.  The Woods Hole Group staff routinely worked 15+ hour days to ensure the quality and timeliness of the application.  The application (147 four inch binders) was completed and submitted on time.  PSE&G has been outspoken in their praise of Woods Hole Group.  PSE&G was commended by the regulatory agency for the timeliness, completeness and thoroughness of the report, and were quick to indicate the success was largely due to our role.