The TVA virtual open house of the Bull Run Steam Plant will become available at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 23, through this link: tvavirtual.com/oakridge. Particpants may register and then walk around a virtual room to view the placards, but comments and questions may only be submitted after anyone exits the open house, and if a response were requested TVA would reply only later — so none of the comments, questions, or answers would be publicly heard. Gary McCormick, TVA communications program manager, said TVA wants to do an in-person open house when COVID-19 allows. He verified July 17, that TVA was going ahead with its one-way virtual-only Bull Run repurposing placard tour, saying the tour organizers hadn’t had time to switch to a Zoom-style two-way meeting as requested by members of TVA’s Bull Run Community Action Group. Also, Ellen Smith verified Friday that the city of Oak Ridge, which had originally requested the open house, had withdrawn its sponsorship. Pictured is a Community Action Group planning team meeting. From left are: Bob Hertwig, Axel Ringe, Kent Minault, Todd Waterman, Sharon Todd, Adam Hughes, and Shannon Newport. (Not pictured: Lloyd and Stacy Jollay, Bonnie Swinford, Bri Knisley, Jeanette Berry, Julie Bledsoe, Maggie Longmire, Jack Meyer, and Isabella Killius). The group said it will boycott the TVA virtual open house.
