Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2023)

Timothy (Tim) Rausch

Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer

Tennessee Valley Authority

Tim Rausch, executive vice president and chief nuclear officer, leads TVA’s robust nuclear organization, and is responsible for oversight of seven reactors at three nuclear sites: Watts Bar, Sequoyah and Browns Ferry, which together generate enough carbon-free power for more than 4.5 million Tennessee Valley homes and businesses. TVA operates the third largest nuclear fleet in the nation.

Rausch has more than 30 years in commercial nuclear operations. His background includes leadership roles in operations, maintenance, engineering, training, quality, process re-engineering and project management.

Drawing from all of his experience, he is intensely focused on continuing to improve overall operational performance to make the TVA fleet the best in the nation by the end of 2025.

As performance strengthened, reaching top quartile in 2022, Rausch pivoted to a Continuous Improvement Culture (CIC) for the TVA nuclear fleet. The CIC has five components: setting long-term direction, leadership and talent development, excellence standards, continuous learning, and self-awareness /self-correction. Our People, Our Culture, and Our Reliability are the three foundations of our nuclear operating model, chosen because of their inclusive nature and ability to stand the test of time.

Under his leadership, TVA completed a multi-year, 465 megawatt uprate on the three units at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. This uprate provides enough additional generation to power 280,000 homes from the current plant footprint.

Prior to joining TVA, Rausch served as senior vice president and chief nuclear officer at Susquehanna nuclear plant from 2009, first with PPL Corporation and subsequently with Talen Energy, until accepting the chief nuclear officer position with TVA. At Susquehanna he led the team that developed and executed a business plan to reduce costs by over 25 percent while producing best-ever safety, reliability and generation results in 2017. He had responsibility for corporate executive leadership implementing governance, oversight and support for safe, reliable and cost-effective nuclear company performance.

Additionally, Rausch served as site vice president of Exelon Nuclear Corporation’s Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station and plant general manager at First Energy’s Perry Nuclear Plant, where he advanced through positions of increasing responsibility.

Rausch has senior reactor license certifications on a Boiling Water Reactor-2 and a Boiling Water Reactor-6. He received an MBA from Cleveland State University and earned a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He supports careers for the next generation in the nuclear industry by serving on the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga College of Engineering advisory board and the executive advisory board for the United States Women in Nuclear organization.