Watts Bar protests drag out TVA board meeting

The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Thursday, October 19, 1995

Tennessee Valley
Energy Reform
COALITION

Paul Efird/News-Sentinel staff

Stephen Smith, head of the Tennessee Valley Energy Reform Coalition, speaks out Wednesday against the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant to the TVA board. After exceeding his allotted five minutes three times over, he left the lectern when a TVA security guard approached. At left is TVA spokesman Gil Francis.

Watts Bar protests drag out TVA board meeting

By Jerry Dean
News-Sentinel staff writer

Even as TVA began fueling its Browns Ferry 3 nuclear reactor in Alabama on Wednesday, a score of anti-nuclear activists at a marathon TVA board meeting loudly denounced plans to fuel another TVA plant.

Speakers urged the board to shelve plans to load fuel in November at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant near Spring City.

TVA Chairman Craven Crowell said he hoped Wednesday's meeting was the last before Watts Bar is fueled. The plant is to begin operating in 1996.

Activists consider Watts Bar a target because it's the last U.S. nuclear plant under active construction. Some said comments Wednesday were last-ditch efforts to convince the board of a lack of Watts Bar economy and safety. Others predicted Watts Bar Unit 1 would never operate.

Some activists threatened directors with jail for TVA Act violations or predicted dire health consequences for grandchildren if TVA fuels Unit 1.

Ashley Gilbert, who lives on a solar-powered farm, sang, urging board mem-

Please see TVA, page A7