When Ted Freeman Jr. was 13, the 1996 Summer Games brought Olympic whitewater slalom to the Blue Ridge Mountains of eastern Tennessee.
A rainstorm hit on the final day of competition, but it did nothing to dampen the zeal of the world-class paddlers.
Drenched, Freeman and his friends watched from the bank, local kids making a lifetime memory along this stretch of the Ocoee River managed by Tennessee Valley Authority.
Freeman knew nothing about TVA in those days.
"I grew up swimming in these rivers and I didn't know what TVA was," he said.
Today, as plant manager of TVA's three Ocoee dams, Freeman is an expert on some of the most historically rich facilities in TVA's power generation portfolio.
Reliability is always a top priority for operations crews across TVA.
Each plant and each mile of transmission infrastructure has unique maintenance needs, and the crews assigned to them are highly attuned to those needs.
Two of the three Ocoee dams are more than a century old. The Ocoee system also includes the world's longest wooden flume.
And as summer approaches in the Valley region, Freeman's Ocoee crew - like all operations personnel - zeroes in on ensuring TVA is ready to meet the demand spikes that can come with extreme temperatures.
"I think it's really amazing that infrastructure built over 100 years ago is still very much in use," Freeman said. "I take pride in caring for this equipment. I take it as a personal challenge to ensure our units are available when it counts."
Biggest-Ever Crane
Freeman left home after high school to join the U.S. Coast Guard. He later returned to Tennessee for a training program at TVA's now-retired Bull Run Fossil Plant.
Eventually becoming plant manager at Ocoee - locals pronounce it "O-coy," he notes - was a dream come true, because it allowed him to move home to Polk County, where his family goes back five generations.
Freeman's responsibilities include TVA's oldest dam - Ocoee No. 1, built in 1911 - as well as the 5-mile wooden flume that transports water from the dam at Ocoee No. 2 to a small reservoir high above the powerhouse. The diverted water then rushes down through two huge pipes, a 250-foot drop, turning turbines to generate power.
Once a week, crews inspect the full length of the flume, riding along the top in a car that looks like something out of a vintage railroad museum.
Occasionally, some of the tongue-in-groove wooden slats need to be replaced.
Freeman keeps a supply of replacement materials on site - treated wood that TVA has sourced from the same local lumberyard since the 1940s.
One extraordinary project this summer involves replacing the jib crane that sits just beside the flume and lifts the equipment needed for flume maintenance and repairs.
Crews will be digging an estimated 20 feet down to reach bedrock, then boring holes and pouring the concrete foundation.
The crane - 60 feet tall, with a 40-foot reach and a lifting capacity of 10 tons - is the largest of its kind ever built by the manufacturer, Freeman said.
"That is insane for a jib crane," Freeman said. "The engineering behind it is crazy."
'Making People Happy'
As hydro technician Keith Sparks makes his rounds at Ocoee 1, he reflects on the Ocoee dams' unique role generating power while also anchoring a vibrant local tourism industry centered on whitewater recreation.
"Here at Ocoee, we've got a few balls in the air to juggle - making megawatts and making people happy," Sparks said.
'I Feel Fortunate'
Ocoee hydro technician Ashley Griffith said it's a rewarding challenge.
"It makes you feel good knowing that our team can keep something old running as smoothly as possible," she said. "I enjoy learning how to operate, maintain and repair the equipment. There is always something new to learn or ways to improve your skills."
Knowing her work makes such a tangible impact gives her a deep sense of purpose, Griffith said.
"Every megawatt we produce supports the everyday lives of millions of people," she said. "I feel fortunate to be part of the TVA team that takes pride in maintaining the integrity of these assets, which have been serving communities for generations."
The Ocoee dams restrict generation during certain days and times so rafters and kayakers can run stretches of the river, including the 1996 Olympic course.
When summer heats up, Sparks and his fellow Ocoee dam operators keep a close eye on the oil levels, pressures and temperatures of critical equipment.
Temperature control is a huge part of summer operations at the three Ocoee dams, which include a total of eight units capable of generating nearly 80 megawatts.
By keeping all the units cool, operators can run them at full power even on the hottest of afternoons.
To accomplish that, the team vigilantly monitors all critical components while managing everything from the windows, louvers and fans that circulate air in the old powerhouses to the lines that carry the river water that cools equipment.
