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TVA Nuclear Program Lauded for Safety, Efficiency

January 6, 2003

Seventeen years ago, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nations largest public utility, closed its five nuclear reactors because they did not meet federal safety standards in the wake of Three Mile Island meltdown.

Today, with most of its plants back on line, the utilitys nuclear programwith the help of IBEW membersis winning accolades for its safety and efficiency, accomplishments all the more impressive considering the fact that all of its three plants were once shuttered.

"We are constantly assessing how we do things, and we are always looking to do better, faster and at a lower cost," said TVA spokeswoman Carol Ayers. "TVA nuclear employees continually make improvements that help us produce safe, reliable, low cost power."

A team of more than 150 experts evaluating every aspect of the plants operations gave the nuclear program the Tennessee Quality Award in December. They found that the utilitys three plantsat Sequoyah (outside Chattanooga, Tennessee), Browns Ferry (near Athens, Alabama) and Watts Bar (Spring City, Tennessee) generate power for less than the U.S. average for nuclear power plants. TVA officials will accept the award at a February ceremony in Nashville.

IBEW Local 721 represents nearly 60 percent of the workers at Sequoyah where those 200 members are electricians, instrument mechanics and operators, said Business Manager Tommy Floyd. He said the plants accolades are no surprise to him.

"Theres no trick to it," he said. "Our people just have an excellent work ethic and we pulled ourselves up from the bootstraps."

Also last month, trade publication Nucleonics Week found that the Sequoyah plant generated power over the past three years at the lowest cost of any nuclear plant in the country. Nucleonics Week found operating and maintenance costs at the twin-reactor plant were a third below the industry average from 1999 through 2001.

Floyd attributed better labor relations, particularly in the past few years, to the utilitys recent successes. "Without a doubt, the turnaround at TVA is due to better relations. We finally realized we have mutual goals."

By 2007 in Browns Ferry, the TVA plans to open its last reactor that remains closed. Today, only one of two units in Browns Ferry is in operation. Local 765, Sheffield, Alabama represents workers there. Local 1323, Rockwood, Tennessee represents workers at the Spring City plant.

Altogether, TVA employs 3,100 members of the IBEW in nuclear, coal-fired and hydroelectric plants across its service area, which includes Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

TVA Nuclear Program...