Product & Service Directory–2016
101
Powering
Lives
By NaCherrie Cooper, Entergy Nuclear-
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station.
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station employees volunteering for Nuclear
Science Week
Promoting Careers by Fostering
Community Partnerships
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS)
is located in Port Gibson, Mississippi and
derives its name from the bustling river
port town that was once located in the
area until the early 19th century. After
theMississippi River floodedGrandGulf,
settlers set their sights on the neighboring
town of Port Gibson which has a wealth
of American history and sits along the
Mississippi Blues Trail and Natchez
Trace Highway. During the Civil War,
legend has it that, General Ulysses S.
Grant said that Port Gibson was “too
beautiful to burn.” Grand Gulf has been
committed to aiding in Port Gibson’s
economicdevelopment growthbycreating
community partnerships to help fill
employment opportunities at the plant.
Withcommercial operationbeginning
July 1, 1985, GGNS celebrated its 30th
anniversary this year. Three years ago in
June 2012, GrandGulf completed a robust
power upgrade that makes it the largest
single-unit boiling water reactor in the
country and fifth largest nuclear plant in
the world. The facility’s total electricity
output is nowmore than 1,440megawatts.
This action was part of Entergy’s overall
strategy tocloseagrowinggapbetween the
amount of power the company produces
and the amount that customers use. Today,
Grand Gulf is one of the most affordable
sources of electricity in Mississippi and
provides the state with 20 percent of its
energy needs.
Grand Gulf is licensed to operate
through 2024, but Entergy already has
submitted an application with the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission seeking
a 20-year license extension. The plant is
owned and operated by System Energy
Resources, Inc. (90 percent) and South
Mississippi Electric Power Association
(10 percent).
Grand Gulf’s vision is to be the
“world’s biggest, world’s best” nuclear
station.Thisvisioncannotbeaccomplished
without their most important asset—their
people. That’s why Grand Gulf has
developed partnerships with educational
institutions in surrounding communities
to attract future leaders toSTEM(science,
technology, engineering, and math)
careers within the nuclear industry.
Saturday Science
Academy
Alcorn State University’s Saturday
ScienceAcademy (SSA) programdirectly
addresses the lack of African Americans
seeking advanced degrees and careers in
STEM.TheSSAprogramis fundedby the
Department of Education Title III grant.
SSAisafiveyearprogramservingstudents
in fifth through the ninth grade and enrolls
125 students primarily from the Jefferson
and Claiborne county school districts.
Participants of this program observe and
explore science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics careers in real-world
settings throughout a five state area.
GGNSsupports the efforts of theSSA
program by hosting students for plant
tours, promoting employee volunteerism
opportunities within the program and
by monetary grants given on a yearly
basis. Director of the SSA program,
Mary Trimble said, “By GGNS hosting
educational tours for SSA program
participants, students are able to heighten
their interest in pursuing future careers
in science. It’s always an unforgettable
and enjoyable learning experience when
we visit GGNS. We are deeply grateful
that Entergy shares in our commitment
to providing an extraordinary learning
experience for fifth through ninth graders
of Jefferson, Claiborne counties andother
surrounding school districts. We look
forward to continuing our partnership
and promoting a quality education for
our future STEMinnovators and leaders.”
Nuclear Science Day
Recently, GGNS hosted an open
house for approximately 200 high school
teachers and students to help build
awareness of the many contributions of
the nuclear science industry and those
dedicated and highly-trained employees
who operate the facility safely, securely
and reliably.
Participating high schools included
Claiborne, Jefferson,Adams,Warren and
Rankin counties in Mississippi.
The event took place to recognize
National Nuclear ScienceWeek (NNSW)
- a national, broadly observed week-long
celebration to focus local, regional and
national interest on all aspects of nuclear
science. NNSW takes place each year in
the third week of October.
“It’s important that we promote
education and STEM careers among
Mississippi youth.We power lives among
our owners, customers, employees, and
the communities we serve. Providing
