The Tennessee Valley Authority recently named Mike Balduzzi its senior vice president and chief nuclear officer, effective Jan. 23.

Balduzzi will be responsible for leading, operating and optimizing TVA’s nuclear fleet as part of its diverse portfolio of energy generation.

“Mike’s effective leadership and strong operational experience have helped us focus on achieving operational excellence throughout the organization,” said Joe Grimes, executive vice president, generation. “His expansive industry experience and success in his prior role make Mike an excellent choice to lead the nuclear organization in achieving and sustaining top industry performance.”

Balduzzi joined TVA as the senior vice president of nuclear operations in January 2014 after serving as the senior vice president of nuclear technical services for Entergy Nuclear. With more than 34 years of experience in the nuclear industry, he has held numerous leadership roles in operations, maintenance, and oversight activities at a number of nuclear facilities, including Vermont Yankee, Nine Mile Point and Pilgrim.

Balduzzi has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has also completed the Senior Nuclear Plant Management Course at INPO and the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, while serving as a Director on the National Nuclear Accrediting Board.