Meet Alumni: Hank Hoelscher
Graduated from Purdue: May 1979 BS Nuclear Engineering
Executive Masters in Business Administration - University of St. Thomas, May 2004
Certified Project Manager – Project Management Institute (PMI) – September 2005
Registered Professional Engineer – Wisconsin (current)
BS Nuclear Engineering – Purdue University, May 1979
Xcel Energy
2015 – Present
Manager Nuclear Analysis and Design
• Responsible for the nuclear fuel supply and reactor core design process for all Xcel nuclear facilities (aprox. $50 M/cycle)
• Managed the department software QA program and the corporate IT interface agreement
• Managed Fuel Transition Projects (aprox. $20 M/project)
• Member Electric Power Research Regulatory Technical Advisory Committee for Nuclear Fuel Reliability
2007 – 2015
Supervisor Fuel Design and Analysis (PWR/BWR)
• Responsible for the technical aspects of the nuclear fuel supply and reactor core design for Prairie Island/Monticello Nuclear Plant
• Managed Fuel Transition Projects for PWR and BWR
• Member PWR Owner Group Analysis Subcommittee
• Acting Manager, Prairie Island Design Engineering (2009)
• Acting Manager, Prairie Island System Engineering (2012-2013)
Nuclear Management Company
2004 – 2007
Manager Fleet Projects
• Established a fleet project management office
• Key projects included Pathfinder Nuclear Plant decommissioning, plant uprate projects, and a new back-up Emergency Operating Facility
• Fleet Lead – Procedures, Records and Document Control
2002 - 2007
Fleet Project Manager for Vessel Head Replacement Project
• Managed the first multi-site capital project ($200 M) to replace 6 reactor vessel heads
• Achieved cost, schedule and quality objectives
• Established a global project team of more than 60 people with offices in Japan, Canada, Michigan, Minnesota & Wisconsin
• Project was named one of the Seven Engineering Wonders for 2006 by the Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers
• Awarded the 2007 PMI Minnesota “Project of the Year”
• Highlighted in a feature article in Nuclear News, October 2006
2000-2003
Manager Business Planning – Business Development Section
• Created and developed the strategic and planning process to support growth strategy for NMC. Growing it to be the 6th largest nuclear fleet.
• Provided business analysis support including financial modeling, business cast development for a variety of growth scenarios including natural gas, international partnerships, utilities and venture capital.
• Provided support and analysis of due-diligence reviews
Wisconsin Electric
1994 - 2000
Supervising Engineer - Business Unit Planning
Coordinated corporate business planning, strategic planning, performance monitoring, management services and scheduling for the Nuclear Business Unit.
• Business plan received outstanding rating by independent external assessment group among top rated nuclear plants.
• Part of recovery planning strategy team that brought the Point Beach from regulatory scrutiny to improved performance.
1992-1994
Project Engineer - Safety Evaluation Group
Team leader responsible for nuclear plant independent safety assessments
• outage safety assessments helped Point Beach achieve nationwide leading outage performance
• 50.59 process ownership
• reduced outage time by 50% while improving outage safety
1990-1992
Evaluator Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, Atlanta, Georgia
• peer-reviewed engineering organizations of 15 plants
• facilitated industry workshop on reducing design cost
• edited industry standard on system engineering
1984-1990
Senior Engineer - Plant Engineering, Point Beach Nuclear Plant Lead mechanical engineer for on-site design and technical support
• designed/managed a modification producing $10,000,000 savings
• designed/ managed approximately 100 modifications
• Senior Reactor Operator Certification/Shift Technical Advisor – October 1987
Public Service Indiana
1979-1984
Senior Engineer - Mechanical Construction Engineering
• Design, procurement, project management and construction experience of a 2400 MW nuclear plant
• Part of a team that achieved the first ASME “N stamp” held by a utility