Danny is originally from Franklin County, Virginia, but spent most of his childhood in Charlotte County. He worked in construction prior to coming to Dominion Energy. A neighbor who was a Dominion Energy employee encouraged him to apply.

'I was looking for a career not a job,' Danny said. 'I had several interviews and missed opportunities before being hired into Clover Power Station.'
Danny was selected thanks in part to his electrical training from Southside Virginia Community College. He worked his way through the operator development program and completed the required coursework before accepting a control room operator position.

The company's operator development program includes 39 months of training for operator responsibilities around the station. Participants learn about the safe operation of the boiler, turbine and generator, as well as how to operate the scrubbers and baghouses according to our environmental controls and how to operate the station's electrical power systems. This program consists of on-the-job training, classroom instruction at the Power Generation Technical Training Center (TTC) in Chester, Virginia, self-studies, and oral boards that test participants on the operation and responsibilities in all areas.

Qualified operators also participate in control room operator training, which consists of five weeks of simulator training at the TTC, onsite training and operation at the station, switchyard training, and after approximately three months, an oral board evaluation.

'Training doesn't stop after completing the programs though,' said Gil Jones, supervisor of Power Generation operations and maintenance (second line) at Clover Power Station. 'Every day presents another opportunity to learn something new and become better as a control room operator.'

Danny typically works 13 days a month monitoring all of station's operations to ensure everything is working properly. However, he has worked more hours during the pandemic.

'The best and most challenging part of my job is the schedule,' said Danny, who also enjoys diagnosing equipment issues at the station and pinpointing solutions.

Shifts are 12 hours and rotate every week between days and nights. Danny's wife of 17 years, Tracy, has been supportive of his career over the years, even when he has had to miss family activities due to work.

'My wife has been there through it all,' Danny said.