Hello, my name is Alexandra King, but please call me Leksi, pronounced Lexi. I am the new Indiana REP Coordinator. I am from Northwest Indiana, where I was born and raised. I love spending my free time with my family, friends, and two dogs, Ellenore and Ruby. I have volunteered for Crown Points Emergency Management Agency since 2019. I completed my Masters in Public Affairs from Indiana University. To keep up the phenomenal work of our past REP Coordinator, Courtney Eckstein, now Radiation Program Director, I will continue to focus on communication and just-in-time training in 2023. Regular exercises with our nuclear power plants and Indiana’s ingestion pathway exercises have turned out to be a vital initiative.
I look forward to working with you all and hope we have a brilliant year ahead!
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National Emergency Preparedness Conference Recap
 Indiana hosted the National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference on April 3-6. The turnout was more significant than the committee expected. Dozens of first-timers attended the conference from all over the United States, myself included.
One of the last lectures of the week stated that health physicists have decreased by 33% in past years. Many established and successful radiation professionals will be retiring in the coming years. Approximately 1/3 of the guests were new to the industry, ready to dig their heels in and hit the ground running with the daily presentations, lectures, and peer conversations. The knowledge was passed on to conference attendees in various sessions.
The sessions ranged from a Nuclear Detonation Response and Recovery Workshop and Drill, to the Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT). The RAPT tool allows Emergency planners to gather population data, and Mock Media in exercises, this session provided guidance if you ever find yourself having to relay information to the public
We look forward to seeing you all again in 2024 at the National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference in Dallas, TX!
Georgia Nuclear Power Plant Vogtle
The Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant, located in Waynesboro, Georgia, has been projected to be a four-unit site upon completion. It is currently undergoing construction of two additional units, which includes the addition of a pressurized water reactor, making it the largest of its kind in the United States. The Southern Company is undertaking the project, and the addition of the new unit is expected to significantly boost the region's energy production capacity.
The new unit is expected to be in service during the late fourth quarter of 2023 or in the first quarter of 2024. Once fully operational, the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant will have a total capacity of 4,612 megawatts, providing electricity to millions of homes and businesses in Georgia and the surrounding region. The Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant remains a significant example of the ongoing efforts to diversify the United States' energy mix and meet the growing electricity demand.
Read the full article
 
One Year Later: The Impact of the Russian Federation's War in Ukraine on Global Energy Security
A year after the war in Ukraine that Russia initiated, policymakers are still grappling with its implications, including the impact on energy security in the United States. In a hearing led by Senator Joe Manchin, lawmakers heard from witnesses representing the Office of International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy, the Directorate-General for Energy at the European Commission, and the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.
During the panel discussion, concerns were raised about the potential disruption to energy markets in Europe and the United States. Witnesses highlighted the importance of diversifying energy sources and investing in renewable energy to mitigate the risks associated with reliance on a single source or supplier. The discussion also touched on the role of sanctions and international cooperation in addressing energy security challenges.
Those interested in learning more about the ongoing issue of energy security in the wake of the Ukraine conflict can watch the full hearing to gain insights from the experts who testified.
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