Day 4
There are two sides to the Technical Services Lab: nuclear energy and renewable energy. We have spent the past two days with the nuclear teams, but today we spent the day with renewable teams. While they still work with some nuclear plants, they also work for solar and wind sites. We were in the Reverse Engineering and Circuit Card Labs. CGD (the nuclear group I mentioned in my previous posts) creates individual parts used in larger circuits, whereas these labs create the entire necessary circuits/circuit boards. The Reverse Engineering Lab focuses on analyzing and replicating components, especially when original documentation or replacements are unavailable. Really old parts tend to have obsolete manufacturers. The whole goal of Technical Services is to save money for the company by producing parts in house rather than buying them at higher prices. With these nonexistent manufacturers, old parts are hard to come by unless you want to pay a ridiculous amount of money and wait a ridiculous amount of time. Something that would take months to be delivered can be created in days for tens of thousands of dollars cheaper. The Technical Services Lab overall saves NextEra the two most valuable things: time and money. This process in the Reverse Engineering Lab involves disassembling and studying parts to understand their design and functionality. Such efforts are crucial for ensuring the continued operation of energy systems and for developing compatible replacements that meet the standards.
Circuit Card Lab
The Circuit Card Lab specializes in the maintenance and repair of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and related electronic components. Technicians in this lab are responsible for disassembling, assessing, repairing, and testing PCBs, power supplies, and various electronic devices. Their work ensures that electronic systems function correctly and reliably. This is essential for all of the energy systems they have to deal with. As one of the largest clean energy companies in the United States, NextEra Energy relies on highly technical support like this to maintain the performance of its vast network of nuclear, wind, and solar facilities across the country. With a strong focus on innovation, reliability, and sustainability, NextEra’s technical teams play a key role in time management, reducing costs, and ensuring safe energy delivery to millions of customers. The work done in the Circuit Card Lab directly supports this mission by extending the life of critical components and helping to modernize the sites with efficient, hands-on solutions.
