Appalachian Voices urges senators to deny confirmation of Lee Beaman to TVA board 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2025

CONTACTS:
Chelsea Barnes, Director of Government Affairs and Strategy, chelsea@appvoices.org
Bri Knisley, Director of Public Power Campaigns, (865) 212-0691, brianna@appvoices.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, Dec. 3, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing to consider Lee Beaman for the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors. 

When: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, 10 a.m. ET

Where: Dirksen Senate Office Building 562, Washington, D.C., and livestreamed on the Environment and Public Works Committee website

The hearing for Beaman follows a previous hearing with four other nominees for the TVA board back in October, who have yet to be confirmed by the Senate. During the October hearing, senators’ questions focused on concerns about privatization of TVA, a debate which Beaman has been pondering publicly.

“All other things being equal, I generally come down on the side that private enterprise is more effective at getting things done than the government,” Beaman said in an interview with the Nashville Business Journal. “But in the case of TVA, part of their mission goes beyond the things that a private company could or should be asked to do. It might be that it needs to remain a government entity, so I haven’t fully concluded how I feel about that.” 

Beaman is a political mega-donor who owns a townhouse that he rents to members of Congress, and an auto executive who has a concerning personal history that raises questions about his integrity.

“The Tennessee Valley Authority needs leaders with integrity, expertise, and who are fully committed to the public power model,” said Bri Knisley, Director of Public Power Campaigns at Appalachian Voices. “We urge senators to prevent the confirmation of any board nominees with questionable character or who aren’t going to keep TVA in the hands of the public.”