Management

As President and Chief Executive Officer of UniStar Nuclear Energy (UNE), a Constellation Energy and EDF Company, George Vanderheyden is responsible for leading UNE's efforts to develop and deploy the first new generation of nuclear power plants in North America in more than 30 years.

Mr. Vanderheyden also serves as Senior Vice President, Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, overseeing Constellation's new nuclear interests, and President of UniStar Nuclear, LLC, a joint venture with AREVA, NP, to market a version of AREVA's EPR (evolutionary power reactor) technology, adapted specifically for the U.S. He joined Constellation Energy in 2003 as Constellation Generation Group's Vice President of Asset Optimization. Within a few months, he became Vice President at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant.

Mr. Vanderheyden holds a bachelor's degree from Northern Illinois University in nuclear engineering technology. He is a member of the Engineering / Engineering Technology / Electronics Programs Advisory Council for the College of Southern Maryland, and a Board Member for the USS Constellation Museum.

Prior to joining UNE in February 2008, Mr. West was Managing Director of the Engineering Centre in charge of the Conventional Island and Balance of Plant (CI & BOP) of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) for EDF’s Nuclear Engineering Division for three years. EDF, based in France, is Europe’s largest electric energy producer. In the field of CI and BOP activities and in his director’s role, Mr. West oversaw 560 engineers and was responsible for the maintenance of the 58 operating NPPs and for the design studies for the new European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) being constructed in Flamanville, France.

Mr. West was EPR Engineering Director with SOFINEL, a subsidiary of EDF and AREVA, from 2004-2005.  In this role, he was responsible for setting up, organizing and staffing the engineering entities that managed the detailed design of the Balance of Nuclear Island (BNI) for EPR projects in France and Finland. He oversaw 300 engineers and draftsmen, located in France and Germany.

From 2000-2003, Mr. West served as Head of the Engineering Department for the Engineering Centre for Decommissioning and Environment; for EDF’s Nuclear Engineering Division. In this role, he was responsible for the engineering studies for decommissioning of NPPs, nuclear waste management, back end of the fuel cycle and environmental impact of NPP radioactive releases.

Mr. McGough is a Senior Vice President of UniStar Nuclear Energy (UNE). He is responsible for the growth and development of new nuclear U.S. EPR (Evolutionary Power Reactor) power plants in the United States, under the proprietary UniStar business model.

Mr. McGough joined UNE in April 2007. He began his career at Westinghouse Electric Corporation as a sales engineer. Later he joined Quadrex Corporation where he held a variety of responsibilities supporting PWR and BWR engineering and start-up commercial contract activities. McGough rose to Senior Vice president and officer of this then publicly trade firm.

Mr. McGough also served as Senior Vice President of PCI Energy Services, later becoming president. Here, Mr. McGough was responsible for the growth and development of this world-leading specialty firm, which held 80% market share in steam generator replacement projects, mechanical services, and nuclear decommissioning of reactor internals. Most recently Mr. McGough was involved in the commercialization of systems and services to support the dry storage of spent nuclear fuel, as Sr. Vice President for NAC International and Vice President of EnergySolutions.

Mr. McGough has published and presented more than 30 technical papers on topics ranging from steam generator replacement projects to recovery efforts from the TMI-2 accident. He has a BS in Engineering (Physical Metallurgy) from Washington State University, MBA from the Katz School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg Management Institute.

Joe Turnage is a Senior Vice President of Constellation Energy Nuclear Group (CENG) and Senior Vice President, Strategy of UniStar Nuclear Energy. 

Prior to joining Constellation Energy, Dr. Turnage was Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s unregulated subsidiary, PG&E National Energy Group.  Prior to that, he was President of Tenera Energy LLC, a consulting firm for the power industry.
As a senior executive in competitive power generation companies and as the founder of two successful consulting companies, Dr. Turnage brings to Constellation over 30 years of experience working with companies in the electric power industry. 

Dr. Turnage holds a Ph.D. degree in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from MIT, and a BS in nuclear engineering from Mississippi State University.

Chris Colbert provides executive oversight to Unistar’s participation in US EPR projects as a development service provider and/or equity participant.

Mr. Colbert joined UniStar Nuclear from GenPower, LLC, where he was Vice President of Coal Project Development during 2001 – 2007, focused on the development of the $2.2 Bn,  700 MW Longview coal-fire power plant now in construction outside of Morgantown, WV.  Prior to GenPower, Chris held numerous positions within InterGen, and led or contributed to the development of over 6300 MW of fossil-fueled electricity generation projects during 1996-2000.  Of note was his role as lead developer for the AUS$1.4 Bn, 840 MW Millmerran Power Project and associated three million ton per annum coal mine located 200 km west of Brisbane, Australia.

Chris began his career at GE Aircraft Engines as an Engineering Development Program Trainee, where he participated in a series of six-month assignments through a number of engineering areas.  He then moved to General Electric Company as an audit manager, and later became a representative for Bechtel Financing Services, Inc., where he commenced work as a financial analyst, culminating in leading Bechtel’s participating in the $940 million project financing of the 740 MW Dabhol (Phase I) CCGT power project.

A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a B.S. in electrical engineering and a minor in computer science, Chris received an M.B.A. from the Walter A. Haas School of Business in Berkeley, CA.  He is also a chartered financial analyst.