Sen. Carper Praises Senate Confirmation of Tennessee Valley Authority Board Nominees

WASHINGTON, DC – Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, released the following statement praising the Senate’s confirmation last night of four nominees to the Board of the Tennessee Valley Authority:

"Last night’s vote by the Senate to confirm four TVA Board members is welcome, if long overdue.  After months of operating shorthanded, the TVA Board can now move forward with its important work on behalf of the 9 million citizens in its seven-state territory.  I am grateful for the willingness of these new board members to serve, and to my colleagues in the Senate for reaching consensus on their confirmation."

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)  is a corporation owned by the U.S. government that provides electricity for utility and business customers in most of Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia – an area of 80,000 square miles with a population of 9 million. TVA operates 29 hydroelectric dams, 11 coal-fired power plants, three nuclear plants and 11 natural gas-fired power facilities and supplies up to 33,700 megawatts of electricity, delivered over 16,000 miles of high-voltage power lines. TVA also provides flood control, navigation, land management and recreation for the Tennessee River system and works with local utilities and state and local governments to promote economic development across the region. TVA, which makes no profits and receives no taxpayer money, is funded by sales of electricity to its customers. Electricity prices in TVA’s service territory are below the national average.