TVA agrees to recommendations to improve safety, operations at Bull Run coal power plant
A federal oversight office is recommending the Tennessee Valley Authority address safety and operations concerns at the Bull Run Fossil plant if it plans to continue using the plant until its retirement in 2023, according to a report released this month.
Bull Run is an old TVA coal-fired power plant located near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that first started operation in 1967. As it reaches the end of life in 2023, the physical state of the plant can impact how often and how effectively the plant runs and how safe it is for employees to work there.
The TVA Office of the Inspector General, which provides independent oversight of the agency's operations, produced the report in an effort to identify factors that could affect Bull Run's operations, and to apply lessons about Bull Run's imminent shutdown to future coal-fired power plant closures.
TVA operates five coal-fired plants – four in Tennessee and one in Kentucky – and intends to close all of them to meet its goal reducing total carbon emissions by 80% below 2005 levels by 2035.
What concerns did the report raise?
The report identified concerns including: "excessive coal dust and flue gas, rotting fly ash and economizer hoppers, falling lagging insulation, and rusted ammonia piping. We confirmed with a (Bull Run) manager that certain areas of (Bull Run) are prone to excessive coal dust and flue gas when operating."
Coal dust and flue gas can cause health problems to people exposed to them without proper protective gear.
In addition to these concerns, the report also homed in on staffing issues.
The report said that Bull Run initially had 98 employees when it announced its closure in 2019. As of January 25, 2022, TVA had reduced the number to 65 employees. There also are 61 contract employees helping to run the plant, which burns coal to produce electricity.
The OIG credited TVA for transferring employees from retired plants to Bull Run. Some of these employees remarked that the conditions at Bull Run are worse than at previous sites.
However, the downside of having transfers is that these employees do not know how to operate Bull Run specifically and this knowledge gap creates an increase in safety risk, according to the report.
What is working well at Bull Run?
The report notes how effective TVA has been in communicating its closure of the plant to employees, as well as creating an environment for positive interactions between employees and plant management.
"As noted in the OIG’s report, we are pleased about the positive interactions that continue to occur between site management and team members, and our official management response included in the report details our efforts to address any areas for improvement," TVA spokesperson Jim Hopson told Knox News.
Additionally, the report noted that though operations at Bull Run have tapered off over the years, TVA is using Bull Run more than anticipated.
"Multiple employees expressed frustration with being requested to start (Bull Run's) unit when it was not ready to operate. Some employees also described (Bull Run) as not being able to operate more than 72 hours before equipment conditions cause the unit to shutdown, or indicated the unit frequently trips."
What is at the root of concerns?
"For many years, (Bull Run) has experienced significant cuts in funding of asset improvements," the report said.
Due to the imminent retirement of the plant, 16 projects that were scheduled were canceled while spending for operations and maintenance declined, according to the report.
"It is expected that retiring facilities would experience decreased funding and canceled projects. However, multiple individuals expressed concerns with the deteriorated plant condition at (Bull Run) with several indicating safety concerns resulting from the condition," the report said.
What are the recommendations?
The report detailed five actions TVA should take at Bull Run.
They are:
Continue to put a strategy in place for staffing at future plants that will be closed, and develop plans to mitigate risks from reduced staffing at plants that will be closed in the future.
Work with the executive vice president and chief people and communications officer to assess the need for on-site HR support for future plant closures.
Evaluate the operations and safety risks resulting from deterioration of infrastructure at the plant and declining staffing, and figure out ways to reduce those risks.
Address training concerns related to site-specific plant knowledge at both (Bull Run) as well as other plants that undergo closure in the future.
Ensure newly hired personnel are provided training necessary to be qualified (Bull Run) fire brigade members.
The report said TVA has agreed to all recommendations the Office of Inspector General has made. The hope is that TVA can use Bull Run's retirement as an example for the future retirements of Kingston and Cumberland Fossil Plants.
What does TVA say about the report?
Hopson, a TVA spokespero, told Knox News that "TVA’s focus remains on operating Bull Run Fossil Plant safely and reliably until the plant is retired.
"This includes maintaining necessary staffing levels and communicating information with employees around plant retirement; investing in safety and reliability maintenance projects necessary for the life of the plant, and continuing environmental reviews related to plant retirement and deconstruction for site reuse that benefits the local surrounding communities."
Anila Yoganathan is a Knox News investigative reporter.
Twitter | Anila.Yoganathan@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: TVA agrees to recommendations to improve safety at Bull Run power plant
