Appalachian Voices urges senators to probe privatization intent of TVA board nominees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 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, Oct. 22, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing to consider nominees for the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors. 

When: Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, 10 a.m. Eastern Time

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

The hearing comes after President Donald Trump fired three board members after they hired a new CEO for TVA, Don Moul. These firings left the TVA board without a quorum and unable to make decisions critical to the operation of the largest federally owned utility. 

Trump has proposed selling TVA assets in the past, but the proposal was rejected by Congress during his first term. This year, he declined to propose the sale of TVA assets to private companies in his formal budget proposal to Congress, but is expected to pursue such sales through the TVA board and CEO directly. 

Nominees that will be considered during the October hearing include:

• Arthur Graham; Jacksonville, Florida
• Mitch Graves; Memphis, Tennessee
• Jeff Hagood; Knoxville, Tennessee
• Randy Jones; Guntersville, Alabama

A fifth nominee for the TVA board, Lee Beaman of Nashville, Tennessee, is not included on the agenda for the upcoming hearing. He is expected to be considered at a later date.

Read more about these nominees here. 

“The Tennessee Valley Authority needs leaders who support public power,” said Bri Knisley, Director of Public Power Campaigns at Appalachian Voices. “We urge senators to use this hearing and other conversations with the TVA board nominees to ensure they intend to keep TVA in the people’s hands, and to reject any nominees who don’t prioritize the interests of the people of the Tennessee Valley over billionaires and corporations.”