North Region
TVA/Tennessee State Parks Partnership
The North Region partnered with Tennessee State Parks to install an adult changing table at Fall Creek Falls State Park to ensure people of all ages and abilities can enjoy our beautiful state parks. In total, six Tennessee state parks now have adult changing tables, thanks to partnerships across the state.
Men 2 Be Gala in Hopkinsville, KY
TVA served as the presenting sponsor of the Men 2 Be Gala in Hopkinsville, Ky. with North Region Director of Community and Government Relations Gary Harris speaking. LPC partners from Hopkinsville Electric System and Pennyrile Rural ECC joined the TVA team at the event. The organization is dedicated to empowering youth and adolescent males to reach their full academic, social and personal potential by providing the necessary tools for success.
United Way of Southern KY Check Presentation
On Aug. 12, TVA and Warren RECC team members presented a check to the United Way of Southern Kentucky through TVA’s Community Cares Fund to further their mission of being “the leader in bringing together the resources to build a stronger, more caring community.”
Bowling Green Chamber Ambassadors
Gary Harris and Director of Customer Relations Ernie Peterson spoke to the Bowling Green Chamber Ambassadors at TVA’s Bowling Green Customer Service Center about TVA’s mission and impact across the seven-state region.
Inaugural North Region Nonprofit Mission Award Luncheon
The North Region hosted the inaugural Nonprofit Mission Award Luncheon on Aug. 15, recognizing five outstanding nonprofit organizations in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky. Each organization received a monetary donation to support their work and was gifted a custom promotional video to aid in fundraising and generating awareness of their cause.
The following organizations were recognized this year:
- The Education Equal Opportunity Group (EEOG) in Nashville, Tenn.
- Genesis Express, Inc in Cadiz, Ky.
- SALT Food Pantry in Lebanon, Tenn.
- The Pouring Spot in Pulaski, Tenn.
- Kentucky Kids on the Block in Bowling Green, Ky.
Genesis Express was named the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year, receiving additional funding, including money dedicated to networking and training for their staff.
Perfect harmony
TVA North Region Community Relations Manager Chris Smith presented the National Museum of African American Music a donation of $15,000 to further support Music Education at the facility.
Junior Achievement Awareness Breakfast
TVA’s North Region Community Relations staff, along with our partners at Middle Tennessee Electric and Nashville Electric Service, attended the Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee Awareness Breakfast at Bridgestone Arena.
East Region
6,000th Home Uplift Celebration
BrightRidge and TVA EnergyRight celebrated with U.S. Marine Mark Morton, who leveraged the Home Uplift Program to realize difference-making energy and money-saving home upgrades. The Morton’s home marked the 6,000th completed Home Uplift project across the Valley.
Across the region, TVA EnergyRight and our partners have provided an average of $10,000 worth of free home energy upgrades to thousands of income-eligible families since the program’s inception in 2018. Uplifts often include new or repaired HVAC units, attic and wall insulation, duct sealing, electric water heaters and more.
Home Uplift is a key element of the $1.5 billion Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Program that TVA launched last fall with the goal of offsetting nearly 30% of load growth and peak demand over the next decade.
TVA, TVARA & BVI support unique new interactive storyboard park
Over the last year, TVA employees along with retirees with TVARA and Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. (BVI) provided both funding and volunteer manpower hours to support the development of Angora Frog Farm and Dog Park in Powell, Tenn. After helping clear and prepare the site for the park, representatives from the three organizations joined a host of community leaders and partners at the park’s ribbon-cutting celebration on Aug. 21.
Angora Frog Farm and Dog Park sits on 14 acres of land donated to Legacy Parks Foundation by Arvin and Sabra Brown. The park pays tribute to the legacy of the Brown family and the folk tales passed down through the generations about the “hairy Angora frogs” grown on the family farm. Partnering with illustrator and author Daniel Wiseman, Legacy Parks crafted a story about the Angora Frog Farm and brought it to life with a story trail. The Angora Frog Farm was created for “little children with big imaginations” as the story of Arvin the Angora Frog leads children on the adventure of finding other Angora frogs. The trail has interactive play features like a lookout tower, a spider swing and a wobble bridge.
Benches and picnic tables along the trail bear plaques noting the support of TVA, TVARA and BVI.
Clean energy assets showcased for National Hydropower Day
In the week leading up to the National Hydropower Association’s National Hydropower Day on Aug. 24, East Region staff showcased some of TVA’s clean energy hydro assets by hosting several elected officials for tours.
Community Relations and River Forecast Center Manager Darrell Guinn hosted members of the Knox County Commission, Knoxville City Council, Knox County Mayor’s Office and Tennessee State Senator Becky Massey for a tour of Norris Dam.
That same week, Government Relations and East Region Executive Bert Robinson accompanied U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann and several congressional staffers on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tour of Chickamauga Lock, which is undergoing transformational upgrades aimed at enhancing commercial and recreational navigation.
South Region
Browns Ferry Nuclear celebrates 50 Years and prepares for the future
Browns Ferry Nuclear (BFN) Plant, TVA’s top generating asset and third-largest nuclear power producer in the U.S., reached an important milestone – 50 years in service. Browns Ferry generates up to 3,954 MW, about 20% of TVA’s total annual generation and enough electricity to power more than 2 million homes and businesses in the Tennessee Valley.
As BFN marks this 50th anniversary, TVA is making an investment of approximately $1 billion for each of the 3 nuclear reactors to help ensure the energy needs of the region are met for decades to come. An application for subsequent license renewal to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has also been submitted. The application would permit BFN to operate into the 2050s.
TVA Board gathers in Alabama 
We were honored to have TVA’s Board of Directors in the South Region last month. They accessed Huntsville’s cybersecurity expertise with a day and a half training hosted at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center that included visits to the FBI’s Kinetic Cyber Range and the Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering. From there, they traveled to Muscle Shoals for a public listening session and their quarterly Board meeting. They were able to see the impact of TVA’s investments and strategic partnerships throughout north Alabama.
Community partnerships help manage invasive eelgrass and maintain the reservoir’s economic impact
It takes strong partnerships and commitment by all of us to preserve the beauty and prosperity of the Tennessee River for generations to come. TVA’s Aquatic Plant Managers continue battling invasive eelgrass in Marshall and Jackson Counties. So far in FY 2024, they’ve surveyed over 12,000 acres, treated ~1,500 acres using EPA-approved herbicide, removed more than 640,000 cubic yards of aquatic vegetation, and cleared approximately 600 acres of public access areas and boat lanes. My Lake Guntersville, a key partner for years, is seeking additional funding to manage privately-owned shoreline areas, while TVA is committed to managing public areas.
TVA supports Drive Electric Alabama Summit and EV infrastructure growth
Research, automotive and energy industry experts gathered in Birmingham for the Drive Electric Alabama EV Summit that focused on barriers to electric vehicle adoption in the state. TVA sponsored the event, which included panel discussions about overcoming range anxiety through infrastructure growth. In recent years, TVA has partnered with local power companies to expand the fast charge network, which now includes eight charging stations (Decatur, Cullman, Fort Payne, Guntersville, Hartselle, Huntsville, Scottsboro and Tuscumbia) with a goal of having stations every 50 miles along major travel corridors.
Supporting Alabama farmers through partnerships and water management efforts
TVA celebrated a partnership with Sweet Grown Alabama, a membership program composed of more than 400 farms and businesses statewide. Supporting Sweet Grown Alabama aligns with TVA’s history and agricultural programs, including the development of fertilizers and improved management techniques adopted by farmers worldwide. Today, we manage the river’s water to ensure sustainable supplies for wildlife and agricultural lands.
One example is the Bridgeforth family, who’s been farming since 1877, through five generations. Today, Bridgeforth Farms encompasses 10,000 acres in four Ala. counties. The farm receives irrigation water from TVA’s Wheeler Reservoir and the Tennessee River. Learn more in the TVA Annual Report (page 13).
Florence City Leaders & TVA Team Up to Enhance the River Heritage Trail
Have you visited the River Heritage Trail? This area is s a partnership between TVA and the city of Florence and is great for walking, running and biking. Considered an easy route, this multiuse 1.2-mile trail begins at River Heritage Park. Following the shoreline, this trail continues to the Singing River Bridge, connecting to the TVA trail complex on the south side of the Tennessee River. TVA’s trail complex hosts over 17 miles of trails including a newly constructed adaptive mountain bike trail. Next time you’re in the Muscle Shoals area, check it out.
Southwest Region
Meeting with Governor Reeves
CEO Jeff Lyash was joined by Senior Vice President of Customer and Community Relations Dan Pratt and Southwest Regional Executive Amy Tate in meeting with Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves to discuss TVA’s efforts in that area. The discussion included the Governor’s appreciation for TVA’s economic development partnership on several recent projects and the work with the Mississippi Development Authority on site preparation for local communities. The Governor also mentioned his support for the New Caledonia plant and support for new nuclear.
Jeff met with customers in Mississippi
Jeff and Dan met with the General Managers of four local power companies in the southern part of the region and with Michael Callahan, CEO of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi, in Jackson. The meetings were appreciated by the stakeholders and had a consistently positive tone.
New Caledonia open house
TVA hosted an open house in Steens, Miss. for the proposed New Caledonia Gas Plant. This project proposes constructing six dual-fuel frame combustion turbines (CTs) capable of generating approximately 500 MW at TVA’s existing New Caledonia (NCG) Site. The overall sentiment of the community members was neutral to positive.
Caledonia tour for elected officials and LPCs
The Southwest Region recently hosted representatives from 4-County EPA and Starkville Utilities along with local elected officials to tour the Caledonia Gas Plant. The group was able to get a firsthand look into how we reliably power our communities.
Mississippi Inaugural Women’s Summit
The Southwest Region participated in the first Mississippi Women’s Summit, hosted by Attorney General Lynn Fitch at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. Regional Executive Amy Tate joined a panel discussion on Empowering Voices: Women’s Impact in Public Service.
Basecamp Coding Academy Graduation
Amy recently attended the Base Camp Coding Academy Graduate Institute graduation ceremony and provided the keynote address. TVA is a proud sponsor of the Base Camp Coding Academy and funded their Graduate Institute in Water Valley, Miss. through our Connected Communities program.
Presentation to Northeast Mississippi Community College for Fiber Kits
The Southwest Region presented the Northeast Mississippi Community College with a $12,000 grant for fiber splicing toolkits for students. The Community College has a training program with instructors from Alcorn County Electric Power Association. Each student receives a $500 kit that they can keep following graduation.
West Region
Memphis Chamber meeting focuses on energy’s role in economic development
Jeff spoke in a meeting of the Chairman’s Circle of the Greater Memphis Chamber about how the electric industry plays a key role in economic development. About 300 leaders from the largest companies in Memphis attended the event.
MLGW visits East Region
TVA welcomed about a dozen executives and board members of Memphis Light, Gas and Water to tour several TVA facilities and learn more about our operations. The group got a first-hand look at the Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility, the System Operations Center and Trading Floor in the Chattanooga Office Complex, Watts Bar Nuclear Plant and the new System Operations Center in Georgetown, Tenn.
Carroll County Inclusion Park
On Aug. 10, the West Region joined Carroll County Electric for the grand opening of the Inclusion Park for physically challenged children and adults. TVA and Carroll County Electric partnered to provide lighting for the venue.
Supporting back-to-school
TVA sponsored a back-to-school event for educators and staff of Memphis Shelby County Schools. Regional executive Mark Yates spoke at the event.
TVA Allen Restoration Project, in partnership with Republic Services, provided school supplies for two school supply drives.
Boxtown Neighborhood Association tours TVA Allen Restoration Project
TVA Allen Restoration Project hosted a site tour and presentation for 26 members of the Boxtown Neighborhood Association.
Apartment reveal with Minerva Little
TVA Allen Restoration Project, in partnership with Republic Services, provided food and household items for a family in need that recently moved to the community.