Governor Lee Announces Appointments to His Newly-Formed Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council

Governor Bill Lee recently announced appointments to the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council, which was created in May under Executive Order 101.

The advisory council consists of 15 members, including members of the Lee administration, the Tennessee General Assembly, Tennessee’s Congressional Delegation, and stakeholders within the nuclear industry.

The council was created to “build upon the state’s legacy in nuclear innovation and drive continued investment to create a nuclear energy ecosystem for the future of Tennessee,” according to the governor’s office.

The TN Nuclear Energy Advisory Council will ensure TN leads America’s energy independence & delivers continued economic growth with safe, reliable & clean energy for the future. https://t.co/yBhk80bQdO

— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) July 13, 2023

Lee appointed the following members:

• Commissioner David Salyers – Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
• Braden Stover – Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
• Director Patrick Sheehan – Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
• Dr. Loong Yong, Ph.D., Spectra Tech – Congressional Delegation Designee
• Adam DeMella, ADG Strategies – Congressional Delegation Designee
• Don Moul – Tennessee Valley Authority Representative
• Jeff Smith – Oak Ridge National Laboratory Representative
• Dr. Wes Hines, Ph.D., University of Tennessee – Higher Education Representative
• Tracy Boatner, East Tennessee Economic Council – Workforce Development Representative
• Mayor Terry Frank, Anderson County – Local Government Representative
• Chris Jones, Middle Tennessee Electric – Utilities Representative
• Jennifer Stone, Thompson Engineering, Inc. – Energy Production Representative
• Dr. Hash Hashemian, Ph.D., Analysis and Measurement Services – Nuclear Industry Representative
• Michelle Amante-Harstine – Member At-Large
• Blake Harris – Member At-Large
• Steve Jones – Member At-Large
• Maria Korsnick – Member At-Large
• Dr. Padma Raghavan, Ph.D. – Member At-Large
• Ken Rueter – Member At-Large
• Lang Wiseman – Member At-Large

Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and House Speaker Cameron Sexton have appointed the following members:

• Chairman Ken Yager, Tennessee Senate – Lieutenant Governor Appointee
• Chairman Clark Boyd, Tennessee House of Representatives – Speaker of the House Appointee

“Tennessee can lead America’s energy independence and deliver continued economic growth with safe, reliable and clean nuclear energy for the future,” Lee said in a statement. “I am confident that these appointees will use their unique industry expertise to ensure that Tennessee is the top state for nuclear energy companies to invest and succeed, creating quality jobs and greater opportunity for Tennesseans.”

Nuclear energy produces more electricity on less land than any other clean-air source while producing minimal waste and protecting air quality as a zero-emission, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Tennessee plays a big part in the nuclear energy conversation, as the state is home to the Y‑12 National Security Complex, which is one of six production facilities in the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) Nuclear Security Enterprise.

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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Bill Lee” by Bill Lee.