PPL Susquehanna - Berwick PA

PPL : Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant>Berwick, PA

• Emergency Information
• Emergency Preparedness
• Information Sources
• Nuclear Energy Info Center

Wildflowers in Bloom
Sunday, April 29
1:30-3 p.m.
Presenter: Jim Montgomery, Ph.D.

Nothing says spring more than the appearance of the first big bloom of wildflowers. Take a stroll through the Riverlands with Dr. Jim Montgomery as he discusses wildflower identification, natural history and folklore. We will meet at the Energy Information Center and head out to the trail from there. The path is reasonably flat and easy, but weather-appropriate clothing and waterproof footwear are strongly recommended. For more information, please call 1-866-832-3312 or email pplpreserves@pplweb.com.

Visit the Susquehanna plant
If you are looking for a free, fun and educational activity for the family, stop at the Susquehanna Energy Information Center on Route 11.

The Information Center is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

As a corporation, and as individuals, we understand our responsibility to do the right thing. Read PPL's Corporate Responsibility Report.

Bus tours available
The public is invited for free guided perimeter bus tours around PPL's Susquehanna power plant, offering a unique look at how the plant works and how it generates electricity reliably without fossil fuels or greenhouse gas emissions.

Tours last about 45 minutes. Guests meet at the Susquehanna Energy Information Center.

Stop in or call toll-free 1-866-832-3312 in advance to arrange a tour. Arrangements should be made in advance for large group tours.

Did you know PPL offers hundreds of free environmental education programs each year at its preserves? Keep track of what is going on in your area by following us on Twitter or check out the calendar of events at www.pplpreserves.com.

The technology is complex, but the basic premise is simple: make steam to turn a turbine that spins a generator to make electricity. The Susquehanna plant uses the energy released by splitting atoms to make steam. Click here to see an animated view of how it works.

The Susquehanna plant uses the energy of nuclear fission to make steam. The heat produced when uranium atoms are split causes water in the reactor to boil.

Steam produced in the reactor passes through turbines. Each turbine has rings of fan-like metal blades. As steam passes over the blades, the turbines turn very fast.

The turbines are connected to a generator, where an electromagnet spins inside a ring of copper wire to produce electricity.

When the steam has done its work, it is cooled, turning back into water that is pumped back into the reactor to begin the cycle all over again.

Nuclear Energy Seminar for Teachers marks 30th Anniversary

Teachers from around the state have been obtaining the hours needed to meet their continuing education requirements at the Susquehanna Energy Information Center for decades through professional development workshops such as the Nuclear Energy Seminar for Teachers (NEST). This year’s NEST workshop, scheduled for July 30 through August 3, will mark the program’s 30th anniversary.

Students learn about radiation and the safety practices PPL uses while working on plant equipment. Pictured here, students dressed in the protective clothing workers use while in certain areas of the plant.

NEST is a five-day course offered each summer for teachers of grades K-12. Experts from the Susquehanna power plant and Bloomsburg University provide educators with objective, up-to-date information about the fundamentals of nuclear power, emerging use of nuclear isotopes in the medical field, and the safe and secure operation of PPL’s Susquehanna nuclear power plant.

“Teachers for all grades levels have told us time and again how useful the program is with helping them to better educate students on a variety of energy-related topics,” said Alana Roberts, PPL community affairs specialist and program coordinator.

Activities include experiments and hands-on activities that can be easily transferred to your classroom. The course also includes tours of the plant perimeter and several buildings, the plant’s control room simulator, PPL’s emergency operations center at East Mountain Business Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. and its environmental lab.

Take advantage of the seminar and join an alumni network of over 1,200 NEST graduates. You also will meet industry experts including David Allard, the director of the Bureau of Radiation Protection, which is part of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection.

Seating is limited so register now by calling the Energy Information Center at 1-866-832-3312 or email Alana Roberts at aroberts@pplweb.com.

Other free summer educational opportunities are available to teachers. To find out more about programs for all teachers, visit www.pplpreserves.com and view the calendar of events.

Tim Rausch, PPL's chief nuclear officer, is a firm believer in the benefits of a strong relationship between the community and the Susquehanna nuclear power plant. "I appreciate the support we have in this community," Rausch said. "I also believe in giving back to the community. PPL and its employees have had a long history of being involved in these communities and that will continue."

A 25-year veteran of the nuclear power business who has worked at plants in New Jersey and Ohio, Rausch values support from plant neighbors, and how the plant and its employees contribute to the economic and social well-being of the community.

Rausch credits the employees of PPL Susquehanna for being a positive presence in the community, whether it's through United Way or volunteering with local charitable organizations, youth sports and scouting organizations.