ZACK T. PATE (1936-2022)

BY NEIL E. TODREAS, JAMES LYNCH, AND
JACOPO BUONGIORNO

Captain ZACHARIAH TAYLOR PATE served at Naval Reactors during the time of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident. In the wake of the incident, the President’s Commission investigating the accident proposed creating a unique self-regulatory institute to improve the safety and reliability of the U.S. commercial nuclear power industry. A CEO search committee subsequently selected Vice Admiral Eugene Parks “Dennis” Wilkinson (NAE 1990), the renowned first captain of USS Nautilus, to lead the newly established Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO). These events strongly piqued Zack’s interest, and he became Wilkinson’s first chief of staff. He went on to assume leadership of INPO in 1984 following Wilkinson’s retirement. His passion and drive to advance nuclear safety led to the development of rigorous standards of excellence for the U.S. civil nuclear industry.

Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, Zack took on a global leadership role in creating an international counterpart to INPO. Through his efforts, the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) was established - an organization that has succeeded in ways only Zack could have imagined. He served as WANO’s chairman for five years. In all, Zack was a tireless champion of nuclear safety for over four decades. His life’s work reflects a commitment to operational excellence in every endeavor – from Navy command to the leadership of two major civilian organizations, and in his contributions as a dedicated member of his community.

Born July 27, 1936, and raised in Georgia, Zack graduated from Leesburg High School and entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1954. Among the 10 classmates selected for the prestigious Admiral Arleigh Burke doctorate program, he graduated in 1958 and was commissioned as a line ensign.

After service aboard a destroyer in the Atlantic Fleet and qualifying as fleet officer of the deck, he attended submarine school, served aboard a diesel submarine, and completed nuclear power school. He went on to serve on four nuclear submarines, including duty as chief engineer aboard USS Henry Clay (SSBN-625). He later enrolled as a graduate student in the Nuclear Engineering Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning his doctorate in nuclear engineering in 1970.

He returned to sea duty as executive officer aboard USS Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618) and later commanded the fast attack submarine USS Sunfish (SSN-649), which was selected for and successfully carried out a “SINKEX,” an at-sea test of new weapons. Under his command, the submarine achieved a “Clean Sweep” of Squadron Awards. He was awarded a Legion of Merit, and each member of his crew received recognition for a top-secret mission.

Near the end of his command tour, he was deep-selected for promotion to the rank of captain and received orders as prospective commanding officer of USS Ohio (SSBN-726), the lead vessel of a new class of ballistic missile submarines. However, due to construction delays, he was reassigned in 1979 as a special assistant to Admiral H.G. Rickover (NAE 1967), USN, at Naval Reactors Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

That same year, the Three Mile Island accident near Middletown, Pennsylvania, became the first serious nuclear accident in the United States. The mechanical failures were compounded by serious shortcomings in operator training, human factors, and emergency response, shaking public confidence in nuclear power. President Jimmy Carter established the Kemeny Commission to investigate the causes and make recommendations. Rickover and his senior staff, including Zack, were briefed weekly on the Commission’s progress and findings. One major recommendation of the Commission was the creation of an independent, industry-led organization to oversee safety and operational standards in the commercial nuclear sector. In response, the INPO was formed later in 1979. Wilkinson, well known for his brief but historic 1954 message – “United States Ship Nautilus Underway on Nuclear Power” – was selected as INPO’s first CEO. With a longstanding interest in nuclear safety – the focus of his MIT dissertation – and a chance to work under Wilkinson, Zack retired from the Navy and joined INPO in 1980, relinquishing orders to command a nuclear submarine squadron.

At the time, INPO had a staff of about 30, many on loan from the commercial power industry. Wilkinson and Zack visited nuclear plants across the country and quickly concluded that performance and safety standards were far too low. Wilkinson often described what they found as “shoddy,” “shabby,” or “shameful,” and senior staff considered the challenge to be “of Biblical proportions.” Both men estimated it would take seven years to build INPO’s internal capabilities and another seven to bring the industry to acceptable standards – an estimate that proved accurate.

Wilkinson had pledged to serve no more than four years before returning to California, and he groomed Zack as his successor. People, including Wilkinson, later reflected that Zack was the ideal person to carry INPO’s mission forward.

Zack prioritized talent recruitment, especially from the Navy’s nuclear power program, but made it INPO policy never to actively recruit serving officers.

By 1986, INPO had 67 employees with Navy nuclear experience, and INPO helped place at least 20 retired senior officers in executive roles at utilities. Under his leadership, INPO began annual performance evaluations of every U.S. nuclear plant, adopting a 1-to-5 grading scale modeled after the Navy’s Operational Reactor Safeguard Examination boards. Training programs were also reviewed and accredited by an independent board in Atlanta. All this was done to enforce a culture of excellence in nuclear operations.

When performance lagged at member utilities, or when the nuclear program was not getting sufficient attention or support from senior management, Zack did not hesitate to act. During his tenure, he met with utility boards 42 times – 35 at INPO’s request – to advocate for leadership changes or strong nuclear program oversight to improve performance. Zack was always accompanied by two or three members of his senior staff. These meetings were almost always successful, thanks to Zack’s persistence and credibility. On rare occasions, a second meeting with the board was necessary, but Zack was relentless.

Three unique initiatives led by Zack were of very significant importance in advancing INPO’s mission. Early in the 1980s, he conceived and directed the development of a set of performance indicators (PIs) designed to collectively measure a nuclear plant’s performance and enable trending, goal setting, and comparison and emulation among plants. These indicators were defined with extensive input from across industry, then implemented with performance goals established for each plant and the industry as a whole – first in 1990, and subsequently in five-year increments. These PIs are now used worldwide. In the mid-1980s, Zack collaborated with Quentin Jackson, CEO of a mutual insurance company, Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited (NEIL), to establish a program linking INPO performance ratings to insurance premiums. Under this arrangement, plants earning an excellent rating benefited from substantial insurance cost savings. Finally, in 1990, the INPO Board approved plans to build a dedicated, customized facility in Atlanta. The 12-story building – intentionally designed as a “Center of Excellence” for the industry – is owned by the industry and hosts numerous industry meetings and training programs. Nearly all plant managers receive instruction there before assuming their roles.

By the late 1980s, the nuclear power industry had fully embraced INPO as a critical partner in achieving safety and reliability. By Zack’s retirement in 1998, the U.S. nuclear fleet had gone from being an international laggard to a world leader.

Following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, INPO leaders began discussing what, if anything, INPO should do. Key figures in these conversations included Zack, Duke Energy CEO and INPO board member Bill Lee (NAE 1978), and INPO international programs head Rear Admiral Stan Andersen, United States Navy (retired). They concluded that an international safety organization was needed – but it could not be an extension of INPO, could not be headquartered in the United States, and could not be led by an American, given that the Three Mile Island accident was still fresh in global memory.

A committee of key people was established to quietly plan an international safety organization. The plan soon evolved to include four regions, with the regional centers located in Moscow, Paris, Atlanta, and Tokyo. Utilities would join regions primarily based on geographic location. A Coordinating Center would be based in London. Each region would have its own board, and a main governing board would consist of two members from each region plus a chairman drawn from any region, forming a nine-member body. The search for a non-American chairman led to Lord Walter Marshall (NAE 1979), then chairman and CEO of a major utility serving the entire U.K. Although he initially declined – declaring the idea was doomed to fail – Marshall ultimately agreed to serve as the first chairman. He proved to be an excellent choice, known for his commanding presence and considerable influence in both Europe and Japan.

Marshall chaired a planning meeting in Paris in 1987, where senior representatives from 26 countries endorsed the principle of forming an international safety organization based on the proposed model. Zack was deeply involved in every phase of the planning and implementation. The inaugural meeting of the WANO was held in Moscow in 1989. At that event, top executives from 28 countries came down to the stage and signed a charter, officially becoming WANO members. The first meeting of the WANO Governing Board, chaired by Marshall, took place the following day in Moscow. Zack pledged and delivered the full support of INPO.

Although WANO adopted many of INPO’s programs, it initially resisted the implementation of peer reviews – arguably INPO’s most impactful initiative – due to concerns about the rigor and perceived severity of evaluations. Zack proposed conducting multinational pilot peer reviews led by INPO but staffed by international teams. Seven pilots were conducted over the next year, and the feedback from participating plant managers was overwhelmingly positive. The WANO Board unanimously approved the addition of peer reviews as an official WANO program – a critical step that significantly shaped WANO’s long-term impact and success.

By 2000, every country generating nuclear electricity was a member of WANO. Zack served as WANO chairman for five years, the longest-serving chair to date, and participated in 41 of its first 42 board meetings. Upon his retirement in 2002, the board unanimously elected him chairman emeritus.

INPO celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019. At that time, roughly 100 U.S. nuclear plants were operating at an average capacity factor of 93.4 percent, generating about 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. The U.S. nuclear industry was widely recognized as the world leader in safety and reliability. That same year, WANO marked its 30th anniversary with 451 operating nuclear plants in 29 countries and 52 more under construction.

Through creative and determined leadership, Zack brought about major improvements in the safety and reliability of nuclear electric generating plants, not only in the United States but around the world. He consistently demonstrated the highest standards of moral, ethical, and courageous performance throughout his dedicated service to both the national and international commercial nuclear power industry, as well as during his distinguished career as a United States Naval Officer. He and his wife, Bettye, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2019. She has been his steadfast partner and counselor throughout his Navy and civilian careers serving as a role model and friend to many other spouses.

Among his many honors, he received the 1998 William S. Lee Award for Industry Leadership and the 2002 Henry DeWolf Smyth Nuclear Statesman Award. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Navy ‘E’ Ribbon, and National Defense Service Medal. He was also elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1997.

Outside of his professional achievements, Zack was an avid sportsman, outdoorsman, and pilot. He cherished time with friends while hunting game and at his shooting club. A precise marksman, dedicated gardener, and committed conservationist, Zack relished his time spent in God’s creation.