Public relations professionals are typically expected to wear multiple hats – that of a journalist, communicator, advocate and problem solver. While the same can be said for a PR professional working in the nuclear industry, there are several other atypical responsibilities which encompass the role of a nuclear communicator.
Duke Energy has nuclear communicators at each of their nuclear plants in North and South Carolina. At each site, these professionals focus on internal and external communications, community outreach, energy education and building strong relationships with plant communities. They have a special obligation to be involved in their respective communities and to share and explain technical information with various stakeholders including neighboring businesses, educators and students, the media, community leaders and civic organizations. In addition, similar to a public relations professional serving in a corporate communications capacity, nuclear communicators provide the public and the media with clear, accurate and complete information about nuclear technology by developing and issuing press releases, conducting plant tours and giving presentations to various audiences. They also follow news coverage for each site and respond to media and public inquiries.
Sounds pretty standard, right? While not all communicators work inside the plant, they do spend a great deal of time inside the plant supporting work-related activites and conducting tours. While tours of the plant offer an exceptional view into the workings of a nuclear power plant for members of the public, they require communicators to learn how to interpret technical details and translate those messages into language the public can easily understand.
Another hat worn by nuclear communicators is that of an event planner. Many of Duke’s nuclear communicators work at the onsite energy education centers where they provide valuable information on energy and electricity to a variety of audiences and plan community events for plants neighbors and the general public. The energy education centers are also venues for community activities – everything from hunting and fhishing days to symphony concerts to art shows and family nature walks are hosted at the centers. For more than 40 years, Duke Energy’s nuclear outreach program has played a significant role in educating the public about nuclear issues. Community outreach helps to build strong, ongoing relationships with the local community and helps the public feel more secure about visiting a nuclear site.
Working in the nuclear industry requires rigorous and ongoing training. Duke Energy and its regulators, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, require nuclear communicators to pass a series of exams annually on radiation and plant safety as part of their jobs. Nuclear PR staff also participate in emergency response drills as part of their role in Duke’s emergency response organization (ERO). During each drill, they help manage the messages and flow of information to answer media inquiries, participate in mock press conferences, write press releases and work with company spokespersons. This past August, representatives from five counties, the state of North Carolina and Duke Energy were involved in a rigorous, graded exercise of a simulated nuclear event, which included the involvement of schools, hospitals, fire departments, a media center and the activation of several emergency facilities. As part of Duke’s ERO, nuclear PR staff also participate in an on call rotation. Because nuclear plants operate around the clock, the person on-call responds to calls at any given time of the day, even if it means responding at 3 a.m. This allows members of the communications staff to stay abreast of plant issue in the event after hours communications assistance is needed.
While it is true nuclear communicators wear many hats, they are committed to establishing and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, adhering to industry standards of excellence and providing the public with facts so they can better understand nuclear energy.