14.9. In Chapter 5 we introduced reactor kinetics and some features of the control system. However, in a nuclear power plant, we must deal with the control of the entire plant, not just the nuclear reactor component. All aspects of plant control emphasize safety, with all operations conducted according to written procedures approved by the NRC. Normal operations are those routinely performed, such as starting up and shutting down the plant, as well as changing power levels. In contrast, an abnormal condition is one in which an unplanned transient requires corrective action to prevent serious problems. Some of these were considered in Chapter 12. We will consider here only normal operations as a way of introducing some of the features of plant control. However, we will not deal with detailed plant procedures necessary to carry out the operations. Also, a description of corrective actions for a wide variety of abnormal conditions is beyond our scope.