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Four general sessions and a celebratory dinner highlight next week’s Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit when the event returns to Oak Ridge to commemorate its 30^th anniversary.

Held for the first time in 1995 during the Memorial Day break for members of Congress, the event was the brainchild of newly minted Third District Congressman Zach Wamp. Tennessee had a new Governor (Don Sundquist), new U.S. Senator (Fred Thompson), and a new representative for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge operations, specifically Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Y-12 National Security Complex.

It was a vastly different time as both ORNL and Y-12 struggled with old facilities, and some would say unclear missions. Today, it is a much different time as both facilities are much stronger. There are new facilities like the New Hope Center where the formal sessions will be held.

The event begins with registration at 9 a.m. EDT on May 29, and the opening session starts at 1 p.m. with a focus on collaboration in the nuclear space. Titled “Working Together to Create the Nation’s Energy Hub,” it will be moderated by Mike Magill, newly named President of the Oak Ridge Corridor Development Corporation. Among the featured speakers are:

1. Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development;
2. Erik Olds, Acting Manager of DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management;
3. Ken Rueter, President and Chief Executive Officer of UCOR;
4. Ashley Stowe, Chief Research and University Partnerships Officer at ORAU;
5. Chris Whaley, President of Roane State Community College; and
6. Brian Wirth, Department Head of Nuclear Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK).

That session will be followed by another also focused on the nuclear energy sector. After presentations by Don Moul, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TVA, and Dena Volovar, President of Bechtel’s Nuclear, Security & Environmental global business unit, a panel discussion will be focused on “Powering the Future of New Nuclear.” It will be moderated by Tracy Boatner, President and CEO of the East Tennessee Economic Council, and feature:

1. Joel Duling, President of X-energy’s TRISO-X advanced nuclear fuel fabrication and development subsidiary;
2. Peter Hastings, Vice President of Regulatory, Quality, and Public Affairs at Kairos Power;
3. Brooke Morrison, Founder of Solestiss;
4. Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO and President of Orano USA;
5. Mike Rinehart, President of Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co.; and
6. Amir Vexler, President and CEO of Centrus Energy Corp.

The Summit resumes at 8:30 a.m. EDT on May 30 with a welcome and reflections from former Congressman Wamp. His comments will be followed by presentations by Dr. Stephen Streiffer, ORNL Director, and Chancellor Donde Plowman of UTK under the banner of “Leading the Nation in Science, Research & Space.”

After those speeches, Nathan Green, Vice Chancellor for Government and Community Relations at Vanderbilt University, will moderate a panel that includes: (1) Lori Mann Bruce, the newly named Chancellor of UT at Chattanooga who currently serves as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Tennessee Tech University; (2) Evann Freeman, Vice President for Government and Community Relations at EPB; (3) Dr. Shaun Gleason, Director of Partnerships at ORNL; (4) Dr. Robert Lindquist, Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the University of Alabama in Huntsville; and (5) Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power Corporation.

The 30^th edition of the Summit wraps up just after 12 noon on May 30 with a panel moderated by Sean Williams, President and CEO of C2 Labs. Serving on the panel focused on “Ensuring America’s Continued Security & Leadership” are: (1) Dr. Deb Crawford, UTK’s Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development; (2) Dr. Moe Khaleel, ORNL’s Associate Laboratory Director for National Security Sciences; (3) Ben Souther, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Environmental & Security at Bechtel; and (4) Dr. Craig Whittinghill, Deputy Director for Applied Research and Services for Auburn University’s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security.

Several members of Congress are also expected to speak over the two days.

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