Watts Bar Employees Honored For Receiving Operator Licenses
December 10, 2004
SPRING CITY, Tenn. - Twelve employees at TVA’s Watts Bar Nuclear Plant have been recognized for passing operator exams administered by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and receiving their operator licenses.
“These employees have achieved a commendable goal that requires long hours of study, hands-on training, dedication and determination,” said Watts Bar Vice President Bill Lagergren. “They have demonstrated their skills and talent in meeting the demands of being licensed nuclear operators, earned the confidence of the NRC and TVA, and now will be instrumental in helping TVA's nuclear program provide safe, reliable and affordable power for the Tennessee Valley.”
Five of the employees passed exams to become reactor operators, while seven others successfully completed exams to become senior reactor operators.
Watts Bar employees who passed exams to become reactor operators were Craig Barger, New Johnsonville; Shawn Hafen, Crossville; Wayne Ingle, Soddy-Daisy; Chris Rice, Dayton; and Vince Sumner, Sweetwater. Watts Bar employees who passed SRO exams include: Rick Bowling, Knoxville; Josh Bowman, Spring City; Ron Crews, Cleveland; Greg Evans, Englewood; Wes Daniel, Knoxville; Billy Johnson, Knoxville; and George Pickar, Lenoir City.
To earn an operator license under TVA’s program, employees must meet specific educational and experience requirements. They then must complete about 18 months of training in the classroom, in the plant and on the plant simulator, which is a replica of the control room.
At the end of the training program, the NRC administers exams for the operators to become licensed by the NRC, which oversees U.S. nuclear-power plants.
Lagergren said operators must complete at least 200 hours of training annually and take license re-examinations each year to ensure they maintain their expertise and level of knowledge.
TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider and is completely selffinanced. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve approximately 8.5 million consumers in seven southeastern states.
Media Contact:
Kay Whittenburg, (423) 751-7152
TVA News Bureau, Knoxville, (865) 632-6000
