Comments on TVA’s Draft Strategic Plan

By Don Safer, Chairman of the Board, Tennessee Environmental Council – May 9, 2007

TVA was born in 1933, a dramatic and creative response to the desperate situation that the Valley faced in the Great Depression. Today we face global warming, an environmental crisis of the highest magnitude. TVA is uniquely positioned to help fashion the national solution and ultimately, by example, a global solution. While the draft strategic plan does refer to global climate change and environmental issues, it does not place enough emphasis on mounting an aggressive response to this threat.

The document is crafted from a business as usual perspective that fails to comprehend the urgent need for dramatic and creative changes in TVA’s operations. “Fine tuning” the current business model is simply not an appropriate plan. Rather than blindly repeating “future growth” as a fundamental goal, TVA should be at the forefront of creating a sustainable society and economy in the Valley. Success should be evaluated from the perspective of our descendents, not just by current economic metrics.

The plan references the unforeseen changes in the market and regulatory environment since the 2004 plan but fails to account for even more profound changes which likely will occur in the coming ten years and beyond. It does acknowledge the uncertainty of the future of fossil-fueled generation because of needed CO2 emission controls (but not the destruction caused by mountain top removal mining). TVA’s apparent answer is to turn to the even more uncertain future of nuclear powered electrical generation. Out of the frying pan and into the fire!

TVA should make energy conservation and the development of safe energy alternatives its highest priority in supplying reliable and affordable power. TVA was given the flexibility and initiative of a private enterprise without the demands of stockholders and investors for short term gain. We, the people-the owners, ask TVA to once again take the lead in technological innovation for the good of all.

In the management of the Tennessee River System TVA has recently taken a very positive step in its land use decision to protect shoreline and other undeveloped reservoir lands. As a next step, I encourage TVA to step up its commitment to environmental protection of the waters of the Valley, specifically the biologically supportive qualities of the tailwaters of its dams.

I encourage everyone at TVA to take your own words from the strategic plan seriously. It sets bold objectives to work cooperatively to resolve many of the energy, environmental and economic issues facing the region. Some of the items listed in the agency’s values: seek new ideas, learn from your mistakes, listen to understand, value different perspectives, welcome and adapt to change, respond quickly to customer needs.
TVA will not be judged by the language it uses, but by the results of its actions. If you follow your own advice we should see future projects reflecting these high ideals that will be models for the world to follow to true energy independence in harmony with the Earth for generations to come.


Submitted by: Don Safer, Chairman of the Board, Tennessee Environmental Council
615 354 0505
4517 Price Circle
Nashville, Tn 37205
dsafer@comcast.net