Bill McCollum, Chief Operating Officer of TVA

TVA's chief operating officer and No. 2 man, 60-year-old William R. "Bill" McCollum Jr., announced he will retire on June 30.

McCollum's retirement comes on the heels of a number of nuclear problems coming to light at all three of the utility's operating nuclear plants.

But during a conference call today, McCollum, noting the utility's nuclear performance "continues to improve every day," danced around a question of whether the problems prompted him to retire sooner than he might have.

"I'm making the decision for me as far as my retirement is concerned," he said.

McCollum, an electrical and nuclear engineer, joined the Tennessee Valley Authority in April 2007.

For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press. Follow the latest Chattanooga news on Facebook