TVA's Curtis talks nuclear power with Rotary

By Dewayne Patterson
The Daily Sentinel

Published February 28, 2008

Gary Curtis, the senior project manager for TVA's Nuclear Generation Development and Construction spoke with the Scottsboro Rotary Club Wednesday at Western Sizzlin. Curtis' main focus of the talk was the future of Bellefonte, near Hollywood.

TVA submitted its combined operating license (COL) application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for two new Westinghouse AP1000 reactors at Bellefonte last Oct. Currently, according to Curtis, there are 21 COL applicants in the United States. He added that Bellefonte has been selected as the best site in the country to build reactors.

"Bellefonte is in the heart of the nuclear renaissance in the United States," Curtis said. Curtis said TVA should be licensed to build the reactors in 2011. Then, completion should be in 2017 for one of the reactors and the other by 2019. "It will take five years for construction," said Curtis. One of the best parts, Curtis said, was the 2,500 construction jobs and 800 full-time jobs that will come with the building of the two reactors. "That's just the beginning," said Curtis. "It's very exciting."

The exciting part could be the economic impact nuclear power will bring. Curtis said nuclear power lowers the average cost of power. There will also be less dependence on gas and oil. "Nuclear power is a safe, economic operation," Curtis said. According to Curtis, one nuclear reactor will supply enough electricity for 740,000 households. "TVA is playing a key role ensuring that nuclear power is an important part of America's and the Valley's energy mix, now and in the future," said Curtis.

Curtis said he was a young engineer working at Bellefonte when construction was stopped in the early 1990s. At the time, TVA had spent $4.6 billion on the construction when it was stopped. "We've learned lessons," said Curtis. "One is you don't spend a lot of money on construction without a license." Curtis said the long process was to ensure safety and give confidence. "The deliberate process ensures the public's health and safety," he said. "For us, we save time, energy, and it gives us confidence as we go." To put it simple, Curtis said Bellefonte just makes good economic sense. "It's inexpensive for you," he told the crowd. "It's safe, reliable and inexpensive power."