Oak Ridge Today

Norris Dam celebrates 80 years this weekend with food, fun, music

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Norris_Dam_June-15-2015

The Tennessee Valley Authority is celebrating the 80th anniversary of Norris Dam with food, family-friendly fun, music, and self-guided tours of Norris Dam. (Photo by TVA)

 

The Tennessee Valley Authority is celebrating the 80th anniversary of Norris Dam with a food, family-friendly fun, music, and self-guided tours of Norris Dam.

“It’ll be a birthday party to remember…and TVA is giving away all of the presents!” a press release said.

The party is scheduled from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 29 and 30, at the dam.

No reservations or tickets are required, and admission is free.

“Come bring your family and friends for an experience to remember,” the press release said.

Full details are at http://www.tva.com/norris80. [Read more…]

Mother receives free home energy upgrades through city, TVA program; more spots available

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MORE2 Home Improvements Quilliams Heat Pump July 20 2016

Brittany Quilliams of Oak Ridge stands next to a new heat pump installed as part of the Make Oak Ridge Energy Efficient program, which is funded by a $2.9 million Tennessee Valley Authority grant announced in September 2015. Quilliams’ home on Bunker Lane is one of the first three improved in Oak Ridge, and she shared her story with media and officials on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:15 a.m.

A single mother of two received free energy upgrades to her home through a program funded by a $2.9 million Tennessee Valley Authority grant, and more spots are available for qualified Oak Ridge residents interested in the free energy efficiency improvements.

During a ceremony at lunchtime Wednesday, Brittany Quilliams said the improvements to her home on Bunker Lane in west Oak Ridge include a heat pump, which replaced her old heating and air-conditioning system; ductwork under her house; insulation in her attic; and new vents at the back of her house. The updates were completed about a month-and-a-half ago.

Quilliams said she has noticed that her home, one of the first three to be upgraded in Oak Ridge, is cooling quicker. Though she’s only received one utility bill since the upgrades, she has noticed a change in the bill.

“I think more people should take advantage of it,” said Quilliams, referring to the energy efficiency program. “It saves me money. It’s a great program.”

The program is called Make Oak Ridge Energy Efficient, or MORE2. There are 200 spots left in the program, which is available to residents who meet income requirements and live in homes that have electric heat and are at least 20 years old, among other qualifications. Participants can either own or rent the qualifying home, which must be within the city limits.

[Read more…]

Kids in the Creek outing on Emory River on Saturday, June 25

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Photo courtesy Tiffany Foster

Photo courtesy Tiffany Foster

 

Looking for a fun and educational summertime activity for the kids? On June 25, a Kids in the Creek outing will be held at Reister Access on the Emory River. The event will start at 10 a.m. with a welcome and safety talk, followed by two breakout sessions on fish and insects, and will conclude between noon and 12:30 p.m.

The event is free and open to all kids who are rising third-graders or older. Children must be accompanied by adults at all times; no unaccompanied minors will be permitted, a press release said.

Adults must be prepared to sign liability waivers on behalf of children. Participants should be prepared to get wet, and should wear shoes that are river-ready. Snacks are advisable, along with dry clothes, sunscreen, and bug spray. [Read more…]

TVC honors Earl Gohl, Wayne Cropp for commitment to region

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Earl Gohl

Earl Gohl (Submitted photo)

 

Two long-time supporters of the Tennessee Valley Corridor were presented the organization’s top award at the TVC’s National Summit held June 1-2 on the campus of Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Federal Co-Chair Earl Gohl and Chattanooga attorney J. Wayne Cropp were honored with the Corridor Champion Award in recognition of their leadership to enhance the TVC’s national visibility, high-tech economic development, and collaborative efforts within the five-state region, a press release said.

“Wayne Cropp chaired the TVC first two Summits in 1995 and 1996 in Oak Ridge and Chattanooga and has been an active leader since,” said Board Chair Steve Cope from Tullahoma. “He has been a true champion for our region’s efforts to promote its federal missions and to leverage those investments for high tech economic development. [Read more…]

State housing grant of $500,000 will be used to renovate more than 60 homes

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THDA Check Presentation to Oak Ridge June 8 2016 Slider

The Tennessee Housing Development Agency awarded the City of Oak Ridge a $500,000 grant on Wednesday, June 9, 2016, that will be used to renovate more than 60 single-family homes. Pictured above are THDA Executive Director Ralph M. Perrey, third from left, with other state and Oak Ridge officials. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The $500,000 state housing grant that Oak Ridge received Wednesday will be used to renovate more than 60 homes, officials said.

The HOME Program grant is from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, or THDA. It’s funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered in part by the THDA in Tennessee.

“The HOME dollars will be of good use in making these homes safe, sound, and affordable,” said Ralph M. Perrey, THDA executive director.

The city plans to use the money to renovate 63 owner-occupied, single-family homes in the Manhattan District Overlay zone. Oak Ridge created the zone, which includes so-called “legacy homes,” mostly in the center of the city, to improve the development that is carried out in its oldest neighborhoods, a press release said.

The HOME grant money will allow Oak Ridge to replace electrical wiring systems and wall insulation, and install double-paned windows for the targeted homes, which date back to the World War II era, when the city was involved in the Manhattan Project. The city’s work under the HOME grant will be carried out in conjunction with Make Oak Ridge Energy Efficient, or MORE2, a project that is performing energy retrofits for 229 homes in the designated neighborhoods, the press release said. [Read more…]

Norris Dam added to National Register of Historic Places

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TVA Norris Hydoelectric Project

TVA Norris Hydoelectric Project (Submitted photo)

 

Norris Dam is one of three Tennessee sites added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 20, state officials said Wednesday.

The Tennessee Historical Commission announced the addition of the three sites. Besides Norris Dam, the other two sites are Jefferson Street Historic District in Brownsville in Haywood County and Kenner Manor Historic District in Nashville.

Norris Dam is referred to as the Norris Hydroelectric Project. Built in Anderson and Campbell counties between 1933 and 1936, the Norris Hydroelectric Project was the first project for the newly established Tennessee Valley Authority, a press release said. Named after Nebraska Senator George Norris, who advocated for public power facilities, the dam and associated properties provided electricity to the rural areas of Tennessee and the surrounding states, helped with seasonal flood control, and provided power for wartime industries.

Norris Hydroelectric Project had a dramatic impact on the landscape since people were displaced when Norris Lake was flooded, recreation areas were created, and the community of Norris was built, the press release said. [Read more…]

Reminder: Kickoff meeting for home energy-saving program is today

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The Make Oak Ridge Energy Efficient, or MORE2, program will be hosting a kickoff event for Oak Ridge residents on Tuesday, April 26, from 4-6 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Civic Center Social Room. The event is an opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about this new program for qualified, low-income residents in the community, a press release said.

Information on other energy-saving programs will also be available for those who do not qualify for the MORE2 program.

The City of Oak Ridge is kicking off the MORE2 program to perform “whole-home, deep energy retrofits” for 229 qualified residents in homes that are at least 20 years old. The project goal is to reduce electrical energy usage in all-electric homes to improve the quality of life for lower income residents and homeowners by significantly increasing the efficiency and comfort of their homes. [Read more…]

Small modular nuclear reactors not likely before mid-2020s

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The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to apply by May 12 for an early site permit that could allow small modular nuclear reactors at the Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge, possibly as soon as the mid-2020s. Pictured above at a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission meeting to discuss the early site permit on Tuesday, April 12, 2016, is Dan Stout, TVA senior manager for small modular reactors. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The small modular nuclear reactors being evaluated for the Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge could provide an emissions-free fuel source, but it could be a decade or so before they start operating. And that’s assuming all goes according to plan, officials said Tuesday.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is evaluating the possibility of building the small modular reactors, or SMRs, at the 1,200-acre Clinch River Site. To help prepare for the project, TVA plans to apply for what is known as an early site permit, or ESP, for the Oak Ridge project from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission by May 12.

The NRC had two public meetings at Oak Ridge Associated Universities on Tuesday to discuss the safety and environmental review process related to the TVA permit application.

The early site permit application will allow the NRC to evaluate site safety, the environment, and emergency preparedness for future SMRs at the Clinch River Site. That site is in west Oak Ridge just north of the Clinch River and Interstate 40, south of Heritage Center (the former K-25 site), and between Highway 95 and Highway 58 in a bend of the Clinch River.

The review of TVA’s application for an early site permit could take about three years, and maybe longer if any groups raise legal challenges, said Scott Burnell, NRC public affairs officer. [Read more…]

Reminder: NRC has public meetings on small nuclear reactors today

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The small nuclear reactors that could be built along the Clinch River could provide enough electricity to power several cities the size of Oak Ridge. The Bear Creek Road entrance to the Clinch River Site, where the reactors could be built by the Tennessee Valley Authority, is pictured above on Sunday, March 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Reminder: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will have two public meetings in Oak Ridge today (Tuesday, April 12). The meetings are to discuss the safety and environmental review process related to a Tennessee Valley Authority permit application for small modular reactors at the Clinch River Nuclear Site in west Oak Ridge.

TVA expects to submit what is known as an early site permit, or ESP, application by May 12.

One of the topics to be discussed today is how and when the public may participate in the NRC review process, if desired, a NRC meeting notice said. “The public is encouraged to ask questions about the NRC review process for this ESP Application,”

Two sessions are scheduled in the auditorium of the Pollard Technology Conference Center at 210 Badger Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The first is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, and the second is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Prior to each formal session, there will be an informal one-hour open house to give the public an opportunity to speak informally with the NRC staff. [Read more…]

Calhoun’s opening on Oak Ridge waterfront

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Riverside-Grille-Closed-Feb-1-2016

The Riverside Grille was closed Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, and developers and businessmen Rick and Ryan Chinn announced the property on Melton Lake Drive has been sold to the Copper Cellar restaurant family. On Wednesday, March 30, the sign announced that the restaurant will re-open soon. (February 2016 file photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:27 p.m.

Calhoun’s is opening a restaurant on the Oak Ridge waterfront. The restaurant will be on Melton Lake Peninsula, where Riverside Grille and Flatwater Grill used to be.

Calhoun’s has applied for a beer permit from the Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, which will consider the application on Wednesday, April 6.

The restaurant will be owned by the Copper Cellar Corporation, which purchased the property from businessmen and developers Rick and Ryan Chinn in February.

It’s not clear when Calhoun’s will open. The beer permit application said the restaurant will open in April. Restaurant executives were not available for comment Wednesday. [Read more…]

Small nuclear reactors on Clinch River could power several cities the size of Oak Ridge

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Clinch-River-Site-Bear-Creek-Road-Entrance-March-27-2016

The small nuclear reactors that could be built along the Clinch River could provide enough electricity to power several cities the size of Oak Ridge. The Bear Creek Road entrance to the Clinch River Site, where the reactors could be built by the Tennessee Valley Authority, is pictured above on Sunday, March 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The small nuclear reactors that could be built along the Clinch River could provide enough electricity to power several cities the size of Oak Ridge. They could also be, depending upon the timing, the first commercial reactors of their type in the United States.

They’re known as small modular reactors, or SMRs. They could generate 80 to 200 megawatts each. One hundred megawatts is enough to power about 60,000 homes. Oak Ridge has about 12,000 homes.

Several companies are working on SMR designs, but so far none have been certified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said Jim Hopson, public relations manager for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

By May 12, TVA plans to submit an application to the NRC for what is known as an early site permit to build SMRs on the Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge. Hopson likened an early site permit, or ESP, to a pre-approval for a home loan, although he said that is an oversimplification.

“It’s similar to pre-approving yourself for a loan,” Hopson said Friday. “You get the preliminaries out of the way.” [Read more…]

NRC to discuss TVA application process for small modular reactors in Oak Ridge

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TVA Clinch River Site

The Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge, where small modular reactors could be built. (Photo courtesy TVA)

 

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be in Oak Ridge in April to discuss the safety and environmental review process related to a Tennessee Valley Authority permit application for small modular reactors at the Clinch River Nuclear Site in west Oak Ridge.

TVA expects to submit what is known as an early site permit, or ESP, application by May 12.

“A key topic to be discussed is how and when the public may participate in the NRC review process, if desired,” a NRC meeting notice said. “The public is encouraged to ask questions about the NRC review process for this ESP Application.”

Two sessions are scheduled in the auditorium of the Pollard Technology Conference Center at 210 Badger Avenue in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]