Zeringue returns, Fisher leaves TVA in executive shakeup

Thursday, February 9, 2012

photo TVA's Ike Zeringue

Former TVA nuclear chief Ike Zeringue is returning to TVA to head engineering and construction at the Unit 2 reactor at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant.

TVA announced today that Zeringue, a former president and chief operating officer for the federal utility, will help in the completion work at Watts Bar. That unit is more than a year behind schedule and is expected to cost more than originally forecast to complete.

Mike Skaggs, senior vice president in charge of TVA's nuclear construction, said Zeringue brings more than 30 years of experience in utility management to help focus on improving construction activity and planning at Watts Bar.

TVA announced the hiring of Zeringue as part of a management reorganization designed to help TVA save money. TVA chief of staff Joe Hoagland said the utility will not replace Bill McCollum when he retires in June as TVA's chief operating officer and president. Instead, nuclear, fossil and transmission executives will report directly to TVA CEO Tom Kilgore.

TVA also confirmed that Robert Fisher, senior vice president of TVA's fossil power generation group, has left TVA. Hoagland said other changes may be announced in the future.

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