The Watts Bar NAYGN provided approximately 45 University of Tennessee students with a glimpse into their potential future careers in nuclear power on Saturday, February 28.

UT Watts Bar Tour 2

Students participating in the American Nuclear Society Student Chapter toured Watts Bar’s construction and operating units to receive first-hand knowledge and understanding of what a nuclear plant looks and feels like.

“Many students never get to tour a nuclear plant prior to becoming employed at one, especially at an active construction project that allows access to normally restricted areas,” says Ryan Lisa, NAYGN chairman and start-up engineer.  “Opportunities such as this allow students to apply classroom knowledge to their future career in nuclear power.”

UT Watts Bar Tour 1

The tours were led by current Watts Bar employees and NAYGN members. The students learned about nuclear plant operations and Unit 2 construction and testing progress as they visited Unit 2 containment, the Turbine Building, the Main Control Room, and one of the first functional FLEX buildings in the industry. The group saw firsthand how systems, structures, and components are being made like new, and they heard about the challenges ahead for Unit 2 as it moves toward fuel load and delivering the nation’s first new nuclear generation of the 21st century. Being able to tour the site prior to fuel load provided the students with a rare opportunity to enter and view parts of the plant that are contained under normal operation.