Host of organizations strongly oppose privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority: Public power belongs to the people
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2025
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Christine Ho, christine.ho@sierraclub.org
Bri Knisley, brianna@appvoices.org
Daniel Tait, dtait@energyalabama.org
Sunrise Movement Nashville Team, team@nashville.smvmt.org
Host of organizations strongly oppose privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority: Public power belongs to the people
Tennessee Valley — Following recent public concern that the administration may be working to replace the Tennessee Valley Authority’s CEO with pro-privatization leadership, Energy Alabama, Appalachian Voices, Sierra Club, Third Act Tennessee, Sunrise Movement Nashville, Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light, Tennessee Alliance for Progress, Climate Nashville, Climate Reality Project: Memphis and Mid-South Regional Chapters, and Climate Reality Project: Nashville Chapter strongly oppose any effort to privatize the Tennessee Valley Authority, and condemn privatization as a reckless corporate power grab that threatens the livelihoods, security and financial well-being of millions of families, businesses and communities across the Southeast.
“TVA was originally created because the private sector failed rural America,” said Daniel Tait, Executive Director of Energy Alabama. “Turning TVA over to private, for-profit interests would mean higher electricity rates, destruction and loss of access to outdoor recreation areas, and other devastating consequences for families and businesses across the Tennessee Valley.”
“Any attempt to privatize TVA is a direct assault on the people of the Tennessee Valley, and flies in the face of the long-standing, bipartisan support for public power in this region,” said Bri Knisley, Director of Public Power Campaigns at Appalachian Voices. “No new TVA board nominees should be confirmed unless they have a demonstrated, verifiable commitment to the public power model, and the energy expertise that is needed to guide TVA under its mission. We thank Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty for committing to defend TVA from privatization, and urge them to block any board nominees who do not commit to keep TVA in the hands of the people it serves.”
“Privatizing TVA would be devastating to families all across TVA’s service region,” said Bonnie Swinford, Organizing Strategist at Sierra Club. “At a time when our communities can least afford it, hardworking families in the Tennessee Valley would see monthly bills go up while private energy companies and their millionaire CEOs pocket the profits. This sort of blatant and transparent wealth transfer would be nothing short of highway robbery. Our community will continue to make our voices heard and make it clear that our power belongs to us, not private companies.”
Background:
Privatization = higher rates, higher bills, less accountability
Privatizing TVA would hand over critical public assets, including power plants, transmission lines, dams, parks, lakes, trails and other recreational areas to corporations that serve shareholders, not communities. This would lead to skyrocketing utility bills, reduced service quality, a loss of local control over vital energy infrastructure and loss of access to free or low-cost recreational opportunities. Not to mention the loss of functional landscapes that save all of us money, along with the destruction of critical habitat for wildlife.
Investor-owned utilities routinely charge customers substantially more than public power utilities. Alabama Power, a private for-profit utility, charges its residential customers 40% more than Huntsville Utilities, which buys from TVA. TVA uses a portion of its revenue to reinvest into economic development, flood management, environmental stewardship and many other critical programs that would be lost or become much more expensive if the utility were privatized.
TVA is fully self-sustaining and does not add to the federal deficit
TVA’s sales of electricity fully fund TVA operations. TVA does not receive appropriations from the federal budget and its bonds are not a federal obligation. Privatizing TVA will not lower the federal deficit, but it will burden the 10 million people living and working in the Tennessee Valley with higher costs.
A dangerous national security gamble
Selling off TVA’s power and dam infrastructure is not only irresponsible, it is a grave national security risk. The Tennessee Valley is home to numerous critical military bases that employ hundreds of thousands of people, and TVA has underpinned America’s defense operations across the region. Selling TVA to the highest bidder would jeopardize the energy infrastructure serving missile defense systems, FBI operations and space missions, placing it in the hands of private interests who answer to shareholders, not the American people. Once that control is gone, we can’t get it back.
We paid for TVA, they want to steal it
TVA belongs to the people. Our communities paid for it and maintained it, and we rely on it every day. Privatization is nothing more than an attempt to steal public assets for private profit.
No confidence in nominees until TVA is protected
We also oppose all current and future TVA board nominees who are not committed to the public power model. We oppose any nominee who supports privatization, and refuse to support any leadership that would sell out our communities.
We urge residents across the entire Tennessee Valley to stand with us in defending public ownership of TVA. Public power belongs to the people and we intend to keep it that way.
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About Energy Alabama
Energy Alabama is a member-supported, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing Alabama’s clean energy future. Through education and advocacy, we empower Alabamians of all ages to embrace clean energy solutions. More at energyalabama.org
About Appalachian Voices
Appalachian Voices is a leading nonprofit advocate for a healthy environment and just economy in the Appalachian region, and a driving force in America’s shift from fossil fuels to a clean energy future. Visit appvoices.org.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
About Third Act Tennessee
Third Act Tennessee is a working group of Third Act, a national organization of elders 60 and older working to protect the climate and strengthen our democracy. More information is at https://thirdact.org/tennessee/.
About Sunrise Movement Nashville
Sunrise Movement Nashville is a local chapter of the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led climate justice organization working to stop the climate crisis and create millions of jobs through a Green New Deal. Sunrise is building a movement of youth standing up for their futures and has over 300 local hubs nationwide. More information is at https://sunrisemovementnashville.org.
About Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light
Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light is the state chapter of Interfaith Power and Light. Since the year 2000, IPL has partnered with thousands of congregations to address climate change by stewarding Creation. IPL inspires and mobilizes people of faith and conscience to take bold and just action on climate change. More information is at https://www.tennipl.org.
About Tennessee Alliance for Progress
Tennessee Alliance for Progress works to build a prosperous, sustainable economy that benefits all Tennesseans. Through community-based education, critical analysis and fostering solidarity among working people, they strive to support a growing movement that will transform Tennessee communities from the ground up. More information is at https://www.taptn.org.
About Climate Nashville
Climate Nashville is a groundbreaking group of faith based, social justice, environmental, and business partners that is leading the local charge to move the region beyond fossil fuels toward a 100% renewable energy economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution, and ensure climate justice.More information is at https://www.climatenashville.org.
About Climate Reality Project: Memphis and Mid-South Regional Chapter
Climate Reality Project: Memphis and Mid-South Region is a local chapter of The Climate Reality Project. Climate Reality is a diverse group of passionate individuals who’ve come together to tackle the greatest challenge of our time. They are advocates, cultural leaders, organizers, scientists, and storytellers from around the world, committed to building a sustainable future together. Their shared vision is for a swift, systemic, and just transition toward net zero emissions by the middle of this century, with major steps toward that goal by 2030. More information is at https://www.climaterealityproject.org.
About Climate Reality Project: Nashville Chapter
Climate Reality Project: Nashville is a local chapter of The Climate Reality Project. Climate Reality is a diverse group of passionate individuals who’ve come together to tackle the greatest challenge of our time. They are advocates, cultural leaders, organizers, scientists, and storytellers from around the world, committed to building a sustainable future together. Their shared vision is for a swift, systemic, and just transition toward net zero emissions by the middle of this century, with major steps toward that goal by 2030. More information is at https://www.climaterealityproject.org.
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