The TVA, established in 1933 under the New Deal, is a federally owned corporation tasked with providing electricity, flood control, navigation, and economic development across a seven-state region (Tennessee, parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia). It operates as a self-funded entity, serving over 10 million people, and is the largest public power provider in the U.S. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, it manages 293,000 acres of public land and the Tennessee River system. Since its inception, the TVA has built hydroelectric dams, coal, nuclear, and natural gas plants, and recently incorporated renewables like solar to meet regional energy demands.
Historically, the TVA transformed the Tennessee Valley by electrifying rural areas, controlling floods, and creating jobs (over 9,000 by 1934). The most dramatic change in Valley life came from the electricity generated by TVA dams. Electric lights and modern appliances made life easier and farms more productive. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) provides the majority of Tennessee's electricity, up from near zero before 1933, now with over 90% of the state's power coming from TVA facilities. TVA operates a massive power system with nearly 34,000 megawatts of generating capacity, making it the largest government-owned electricity provider in the U.S.
However, its projects displaced communities and altered ecosystems, drawing criticism for prioritizing industrial progress over social and environmental costs. The agency’s lack of direct oversight, answering only to the U.S. President, has fueled accusations of unchecked power, a point emphasized in both podcast episodes and John Rich’s critiques.
In episode 349 of the Heartland Journal Podcast, Cheatham County Election Committee Board member Nanette Malher discusses local resistance to a proposed TVA methane gas plant in Cheatham County, Tennessee. John Rich, a Tennessee native, has been a prominent critic of this project, as highlighted in his X posts and interviews. He describes the TVA’s actions as a “David vs. Goliath” battle, accusing the agency of threatening residents’ land for a $1.2 billion methane plant to power Nashville, potentially benefiting big tech data centers rather than local communities. Rich alleges that TVA representatives arrived with armed security to survey private properties, intimidating residents, and calls for intervention from figures like President Trump and EPA nominee Lee Zeldin, noting the TVA’s lack of accountability.
The episode frames the TVA as a “Leviathan” operating with excessive authority, echoing Rich’s concerns about land seizures and environmental risks. Malher questions whether the plant serves residents or corporate interests, citing insufficient public consultation and potential ecological harm from methane emissions. The podcast encourages listeners to explore resources like the Heartland Journal website for further details on community opposition.
Episode 352 features Jared Sullivan, author of 'Valley So Low: One Lawyer’s Fight for Justice in the Wake of America’s Great Coal Ash Disaster', which chronicles the 2008 Kingston coal ash spill and its aftermath. The TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tennessee, released 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash slurry on December 22, 2008, covering 300 acres and contaminating Tennessee River tributaries. This was the largest industrial spill in U.S. history, costing over $1 billion to clean up by 2015. Coal ash contains toxic pollutants like arsenic, mercury, and radium, posing cancer and neurological risks. Sullivan’s book details how the spill damaged homes, polluted water sources, and left a legacy of groundwater contamination, with ongoing monitoring showing elevated toxin levels at TVA sites.
Coal Ash Mismanagement: TVA manages 56 coal ash dumpsites, with 29 regulated ponds and landfills holding 119 million cubic yards of waste. Industry data indicate 91% of U.S. coal plants, including TVA’s, pollute groundwater above federal health standards.
Dam Construction: Projects like the Tellico Dam (completed 1979) disrupted ecosystems, endangered species (e.g., the snail darter), and displaced communities, with farmland losses fueling resentment.
Air Pollution: TVA’s coal plants historically emitted sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, prompting a 2011 EPA settlement to retire 18 coal units and invest $3–5 billion in emission controls.
Sullivan’s discussion in episode 352 emphasizes the TVA’s negligence in maintaining the Kingston dike, citing a 2009 AECOM report that identified design flaws. The podcast critiques the agency’s slow response and inadequate community reparations, aligning with broader environmentalist concerns about TVA’s fossil fuel reliance.
'Valley So Low' and episode 352 detail the severe health impacts on workers cleaning up the Kingston spill. Hired by Jacobs Engineering, workers faced hazardous conditions without adequate protective gear, leading to illnesses like congestive heart failure, blood cancer, and respiratory issues, with some fatalities. Sullivan highlights legal battles led by attorney Jim Scott, who fought for worker compensation against TVA and Jacobs. By 2018, over 30 workers had died, and hundreds reported health issues, with lawsuits ongoing as of 2023. The podcast underscores TVA’s failure to ensure worker safety, accusing the agency of prioritizing cost-cutting over human welfare.
The TVA’s energy strategy, as discussed in episode 349 and related sources, focuses on meeting rising demand driven by population growth, industrial needs, and data centers. The Cheatham County methane plant is part of a $10.4 billion investment through 2029 to add 3,800 MW of gas-fired capacity and 10,000 MW of solar by 2035. TVA plans to retire coal plants by 2035, replacing them with gas, nuclear, and renewables to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. However, critics, including Malher and Rich, argue that gas plants increase methane emissions and question whether these projects prioritize corporate interests (e.g., tech giants like Google or Amazon) over residents.
The TVA also operates three nuclear plants (Browns Ferry, Sequoyah, Watts Bar) and is exploring small modular reactors (SMRs) to boost clean energy. Its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) projects a 50% demand increase by 2035, necessitating 1,000 MW of new capacity annually. Critics in episode 349 express skepticism about TVA’s transparency and environmental commitments, citing its coal ash legacy and the Cheatham project’s potential to disrupt local ecosystems.
The Heartland Journal Podcast episodes 349 and 352, alongside John Rich’s advocacy and Valley So Low, paint a critical picture of the TVA as an agency with a complex legacy. While it has driven economic progress, its environmental damage—exemplified by the Kingston spill—and harm to workers highlight systemic failures. The Cheatham County methane plant proposal reflects ongoing tensions between energy expansion and community rights, with Rich and local activists calling for accountability. TVA’s plans for gas, nuclear, and renewable growth aim to meet future demand, but skepticism persists about its environmental and social impacts, as voiced in these sources.
TVA's two nuclear power plants are major contributors, providing 48% of Tennessee's in-state electricity in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In a letter to the Wall Street Journal published June 27, 2025 entitled Let the TVA Power America’s Nuclear Future, Governor Bill Lee stated “The U.S. needs more energy and needs it fast. Electricity demand is projected to surge fivefold in five years, with data centers driving half that growth” citing TVA’s ability to meet that demand if President “Trump can appoint board members who actually want the U.S. to win the energy race with China”, encouraging him to leverage the TVA to power a nuclear future.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.
