Moving Mountains

The People Behind the Equipment

As a heavy equipment operator and coal yard foreman at TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant, Jeff Dalton begins his 10-hour shift at 6 a.m. He leads a crew of seven operators who expertly manage, blend and deliver coal to help fuel the Valley region.

Their main tools for the job are three Caterpillar D10 bulldozers – powerful, 77-ton machines with massive blades about 8 feet tall and 22 feet wide.

Even after more than three decades operating these machines, sitting inside the 14-foot-high cabin still feels like being on top of the world, Dalton said.

“This has always been my dream job, ever since I was a kid,” he said.

Keeping Kingston Moving

Dalton and his team start their day by carefully inspecting their machines.

They check the fuel levels, hydraulics and other components that are critical to safe and reliable operations.

On a typical day, Kingston burns about 7,000 tons of coal, though in peak conditions the plant can use up to 17,000 tons daily.

Using their dozers and a traveling conveyor system known as “the plow,” the team blends coal from two mountainous stockpiles at Kingston and feed the plant with the precise mix required for efficient combustion – six percent from one pile and forty percent from the other.

Thanks to modern technology, operating heavy machinery is less physically demanding than it used to be. But it still requires sharp focus.

“You can’t see a whole lot when you’re sitting behind the blade,” Dalton said. “You have to stay alert, constantly watching and constantly adjusting.”

Beyond dozers, Dalton’s team also operates cranes, locomotives, backhoes, loaders and excavators.

“Anything TVA has, my guys can operate,” he said proudly.

A Life Behind the Controls

Dalton grew up around heavy equipment, operating bulldozers as early as age 10.

“My grandfather used to log, and I would go to the woods with him and operate his dozers,” Dalton said. “I loved it ever since.”

After serving in the Navy, he entered road construction and expanded his skills before joining the International Union of Operating Engineers.

In 2005, he was assigned to Kingston for what was supposed to be a two-week job – it’s now turned into a 21-year career.

At TVA, Dalton found both a job that allowed him to operate the machines he always dreamed of, and a culture rooted in pride and service.

“I take ownership of this place,” Dalton said. “I love this place and the life it has provided for me and my family.”

To him, great operators are those who take pride in their work, build trust in their team and do things right the first time.

“I trust the workforce at TVA and that we’re doing the best we can for the people of the Valley region,” Dalton said. “We take a lot of pride in what we do.”

Dalton’s message for those looking to enter the trade: Heavy equipment operating offers stability, strong wages and essential work, he said.

With many seasoned operators nearing retirement, opportunities for the next generation are growing.

“Any construction project is going to start with a groundbreaking,” Dalton said. “There is always going to be a need for operators.”