[Senate Hearing 117-593]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 117-593
HEARING ON THE NOMINATION OF
WILLIAM J. RENICK, ADAM WADE WHITE,
AND JOE H. RITCH TO BE A MEMBER
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CLEAN AIR, CLIMATE,
AND NUCLEAR SAFETY
of the
COMMITTEE ON
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
SEPTEMBER 7, 2022
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Environment and Public Works
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
51-200 PDF WASHINGTON : 2023
COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware, Chairman
BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West
BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont Virginia,
SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island Ranking Member
JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma
EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois CYNTHIA M. LUMMIS, Wyoming
DEBBIE STABENOW, Michigan RICHARD SHELBY, Alabama
MARK KELLY, Arizona JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
ALEX PADILLA, California ROGER WICKER, Mississippi
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
JONI ERNST, Iowa
LINDSEY O. GRAHAM, South Carolina
Mary Frances Repko, Democratic Staff Director
Adam Tomlinson, Republican Staff Director
----------
Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety
EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts, Chairman
BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma,
BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont Ranking Member
SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota
JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon CYNTHIA M. LUMMIS, Wyoming
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois RICHARD SHELBY, Alabama
DEBBIE STABENOW, Michigan JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
ALEX PADILLA, California ROGER WICKER, Mississippi
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware (ex JONI ERNST, Iowa
officio) LINDSEY O. GRAHAM, South Carolina
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West
Virginia (ex officio)
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
SEPTEMBER 7, 2022
OPENING STATEMENTS
Markey, Hon. Edward J., U.S. Senator from the State of
Massachusetts.................................................. 1
Inhofe, Hon. James M., U.S. Senator from the State of Oklahoma... 3
Shelby, Hon. Richard, U.S. Senator from the State of Alabama..... 3
Wicker, Hon. Roger, U.S. Senator from the State of Mississippi... 4
WITNESSES
Ritch, Joe H., nominee to be a Member of the Board of Directors
of the Tennessee Valley Authority.............................. 6
Prepared statement........................................... 8
Responses to additional questions from:
Senator Markey........................................... 10
Senator Carper........................................... 11
Response to an additional question from Senator Wicker....... 12
McConnell, Hon. Mitch, U.S. Senator from the State of Kentucky... 13
Prepared statement........................................... 14
Renick, William J., nominee to be a Member of the Board of
Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority.................... 15
Prepared statement........................................... 17
Responses to additional questions from:
Senator Markey........................................... 19
Senator Carper........................................... 19
Response to an additional question from Senator Wicker....... 21
White, Adam Wade, nominee to be a Member of the Board of
Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority.................... 22
Prepared statement........................................... 24
Responses to additional questions from:
Senator Markey........................................... 26
Senator Carper........................................... 27
Response to an additional question from Senator Wicker....... 28
HEARING ON THE NOMINATION OF WILLIAM J. RENICK, ADAM WADE WHITE, AND
JOE H. RITCH TO BE A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TENNESSEE
VALLEY AUTHORITY
----------
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2022
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Environment and Public Works,
Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate,
and Nuclear Safety,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee, met, pursuant to notice, at 2:33 p.m. in
room 406, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Edward J. Markey
(Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding.
Present: Senators Markey, Inhofe, Whitehouse, Shelby,
Wicker, and Ernst.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS
Senator Markey. Good afternoon, everyone. I am pleased to
call the Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety
to order for a hearing on nominations to the Tennessee Valley
Authority Board of Directors.
Thank you to my Ranking Member, Senator Inhofe, and to the
Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Environment and
Public Works, Senator Carper and Senator Capito, for their
invaluable partnership in holding this hearing and for joining
us today. I also want to thank Senator Wicker and Senator
Shelby and Senator McConnell for joining us to help introduce
the nominees.
It is my pleasure to welcome my colleagues on the
Subcommittee, as well as our three nominees for leadership
roles at the Tennessee Valley Authority. We welcome them to our
Subcommittee today. The core mission of the TVA is just as
relevant today as it was when the Authority was created nearly
90 years ago.
In 1933, Congress created the Tennessee Valley Authority to
unleash the potential of the rich resources in the Tennessee
Valley region and improve the lives of the people who live
there. The TVA provides flood control, navigation, and land
management for the Tennessee River system. It assists local
power companies and regional governments with their economic
development efforts, and it provides electricity to 10 million
customers, making it the largest public utility in the United
States.
And as the Nation's largest public power provider, the TVA
serves as an example for public utilities across the country.
The TVA can and should foster the kind of innovation that can
clean up the region's energy resources, grow union jobs, reduce
consumers' energy burdens, improve energy reliability and
affordability, and protect the environment, all at the same
time.
Just last month, the TVA released its third quarter fiscal
year 2022 financial results, which detailed the important role
that zero carbon energy played in stabilizing TVA consumers'
energy cost, despite volatile fossil fuel prices caused by our
dependence on oil and gas that is priced on a global market.
According to the report, natural gas prices soared 141
percent in June compared to last year, following Russia's
unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Coal prices also increased
significantly. However, thanks to the affordable and more
stable zero carbon energy sources in the TVA's power system,
TVA's prices rose only by 11 percent this year.
A diverse, clean power mix brings a clear diversity of
benefits to customers. But despite the role that renewables can
play in lowering consumers' energy prices, only 3 percent of
TVA's energy portfolio is comprised of wind and solar. TVA has
to change.
In Massachusetts, not the sunniest commonwealth out there,
by comparison, 21 percent of our in State, Massachusetts,
electricity generation comes from wind and solar. Massachusetts
is not the perfectly sunny State. A lot of these TVA States are
sunny most of the year, but yet they are only at 3 percent for
wind and solar. How can Massachusetts be five times better?
Does that really make any sense at all?
The Authority has the opportunity to advance the
development and adoption of both utility scale and distributed
clean energy in the region, creating jobs, lowering customers'
energy bills, as renewable energy continues to outcompete
fossil fuels. By increasing the percentage of renewables in its
power system, the TVA can reduce pollution and the energy
burdens of the TVA customers who already pay some of the
highest electricity bills in the Nation as a percentage of
household income.
The TVA Board of Directors will make important decisions
about TVA's energy planning for years to come. And it is
critical that the Board is comprised of leaders who will ensure
that the TVA provides all Tennessee Valley households with
access to reliable, clean, and affordable electricity while
continuing to employ local workers in good paying jobs and
supporting economic development in the region.
I look forward to our conversation with the nominees today
on these important questions. I would like to congratulate Mr.
Renick, Mr. White, Mr. Ritch on their nominations.
I look forward to hearing from all of you today.
Let me now turn and recognize Senator Inhofe, the Ranking
Member, for his opening statement, before we will recognize
Senator Wicker for his introductory comments.
Senator Inhofe.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES M. INHOFE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
Senator Inhofe. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
While my home State of Oklahoma is not part of the TVA
region, having been a former Chairman of this Committee, I have
come to know and appreciate the vital role that the TVA plays
for the States of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky,
Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia.
The Tennessee Valley Authority keeps the lights on for
nearly 10 million Americans, and it does so with an all of the
above energy approach to power generation, which includes
nuclear energy and fossil fuels. Today, nuclear energy and
fossil fuels make up nearly 70 percent of the Tennessee Valley
Authority's electricity generation portfolio.
The calls to eliminate fossil fuel energy sources from the
power sector are foolish and would be devastating for the
American people by further increasing already sky high utility
bills and creating greater unreliability for the electric grid.
The Tennessee Valley Authority should continue to
prioritize reliable and abundant power sources that continue to
keep the lights on for the American people. It is my hope that
these nominees recognize the need for an all of the above
energy approach that includes nuclear and fossil fuels for the
power sector now and into the future.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. I thank the Ranking Member.
Now, let me turn to Senator Shelby for his introductory
comments.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD SHELBY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF ALABAMA
Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for holding this hearing.
I appreciate the opportunity to appear here today to introduce
Joe Ritch from Huntsville, Alabama.
A long time friend of mine, Joe Ritch was recently
nominated by the President to serve on the Tennessee Valley,
TVA, Authority's Board of Directors. He has been there before.
He has also served as Chairman of the TVA before, with
distinction.
Joe Ritch is a practicing attorney, a tax lawyer, business
lawyer, very good, good strong Democrat, where he focuses on
government contracts and corporate and tax law. He also served
as the Chair of the Redstone Regional Alliance, previously
known as the Tennessee Valley Base Realignment Commission. In
that capacity, Joe Ritch skillfully maintained and relocated
several thousand jobs to the Huntsville Madison County area in
Alabama. In light of this success, he received the Redstone
Good Neighbor Award, as well as the Huntsville Madison County
Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award.
He is no stranger to this process. As I mentioned, he has
been called upon before. He was previously confirmed by the
Senate, this Committee, to serve on the TVA Board from 2013 to
2017, including 4 years as Chairman of the Board of Directors
of TVA. Joe was the first Alabamian ever to serve as Chairman
of the TVA Board, a strong indicator of his ability to lead.
Joe Ritch has built his solid reputation not only in his
community, but around the State as a hard working, service
oriented and highly intelligent individual. He has been an
active member of several community organizations at home and a
leader in our State's business sector. He loyally served as a
member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Alabama,
and now serves as a trustee emeritus. And he was inducted in
the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 2021. He holds degrees
from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, from Cumberland
Law School, and from New York University Law School.
As a former Board Member and Chairman of TVA, I believe he
would be a great asset for TVA and its customers. He
understands the weight of this role. He understands the
interaction of the legislative body and the TVA, and I am proud
and pleased to be here to recommend him to the Committee
without reservation.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding the hearing, again.
Senator Markey. We thank you, Senator Shelby, and now we
will turn to Senator Wicker for his introduction.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ROGER WICKER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
Senator Wicker. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman.
I am delighted to be here today to say a word or two about
the importance that TVA continues to have for our region and
for my State of Mississippi and to congratulate all three
nominees; I am sure Mr. White and Mr. Ritch are absolutely
outstanding, but to give as ringing as an endorsement as I
possibly can for Bill Renick of Ashland, Mississippi.
A word or two about the history of TVA. In 1930,
Mississippi had electric power in 85 percent of its larger
municipalities, but only 1.5 percent of rural farms and homes.
Coming along in 1933, TVA was a game changer. The goal was
simple: To improve living and economic conditions in seven
southeastern States. And TVA has done that, and continues to do
that in new and different ways.
I grew up in the small town of Pontotoc, Mississippi. I now
make my home in my wife's native town of Tupelo, and we have
lived there for some decades. Tupelo is proudly known as the
first TVA city. It was the first to purchase electric power
from the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the TVA lights came on
in Tupelo in 1934. Today, TVA utilities are located in 36 of
our 82 counties and serve more than 359,000 households.
TVA has made significant contributions to our economic
development. Between 2017 and 2021, TVA created or retained
over 26,000 jobs in Mississippi and invested $3.6 billion in
our economy, so they are far, far more than a provider of
electric power. They are a job creator for places like Cooper
Tire and Steel Dynamics and Milwaukee Tools in north
Mississippi, which leads me to my enthusiastic endorsement of
Bill Renick to serve on the TVA Board.
I served with Bill Renick in the State Senate back in 1988
and forward. He is a great job creator. He has worked for Three
Rivers Planning and Development District, from which he is now
retired. And we have a wonderful group of planning and
development districts, but I can tell you, none finer than
Three Rivers Planning and Development District.
He was work force division director there, Mr. Chairman. He
currently Chairs the Commission on the Future of North
Mississippi.
Let me say a word about bipartisanship. And I think that
the Ranking Member, Mr. Inhofe, will agree with this. Senator
Markey is a dear personal friend of mine. Our wives are
cordial. We try to agree on things when we can.
Let me tell you about bipartisanship. Bill Renick was
elected as Alderman, Mayor, County Supervisor, and State
Senator as a north Mississippi Democrat back in the day. He
went right straight from that, Mr. Chairman, to being the
campaign manager for a statewide candidate for Governor on the
Republican ticket. He went right from there to being the chief
staff person in the Mississippi State Senate for a Republican
Lieutenant Governor of the State of Mississippi.
It wasn't very many years after that that a certain
Democratic Governor of Mississippi was looking around for
talent and a new chief of staff for his Democratic
administration, and he chose Bill Renick. So having managed a
campaign statewide as a Republican, having been a chief of
staff as a Republican and a chief of staff as a Democrat, we
need more bipartisanship like Bill Renick can deliver. Also, we
need the job creation and work training expertise that Bill
Renick will bring to this office.
Mr. Chairman, have I made it clear the enthusiasm I have
and the great fortune we have in this Nation and in the TVA
region for the fact that the President has nominated Mr. Bill
Renick? And I yield.
Senator Markey. That is about as ringing an endorsement of
any candidate which I have ever had the privilege of listening
to. I thank you for that.
Senator Wicker. And you have been in office these 3 years.
Senator Markey. For a long time.
Actually, when I think about bipartisanship, just the
Senator sitting next to you, with the preceding introduction,
back in 1985 and 1986 when I was the Chair over the Energy
Subcommittee on the Energy and Power Committee, Congressman
Shelby, then a Democrat from Alabama, wanted me to reauthorize
the Tuscaloosa Dam for an additional 20 years of operation to
help him in his campaign to win a Senate seat as a Democrat
from Alabama. Of course, I willingly worked with him.
Notwithstanding his change over to becoming a Republican
after he was elected, I still stand in admiration for Senator
Shelby, showing the bipartisan mood that we are creating in
this Committee today.
That is when, actually, that is when Senator Inhofe and I
began our conversation about climate change in that very same
era, over on the House side. Many of those animated
conversations, I wish had been captured on video for today, if
they could be preserved for posterity.
But the goal here, of course, is to be bipartisan today,
and to find a way of being able to make sure that the TVA gets
a full complement.
While we wait for Senator McConnell to arrive to give his,
I am sure, fulsome introduction of Mr. White, why don't we
begin with the first two nominees who have already been
introduced. So, if Mr. Ritch and Mr. Renick could move up to
the podium, we could have each of you begin with your opening
statements, and then after Senator McConnell arrives, why don't
you leave the middle one open for Senator McConnell, so when he
arrives, he can sit there.
Sir, if you could just leave Mr. McConnell's name in the
middle, so when he comes, he can just sit right there, and then
introduce Mr. White.
Let us begin, then, by welcoming you, Mr. Ritch, and
whenever you feel comfortable, please begin.
STATEMENT OF JOE H. RITCH, NOMINEE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Mr. Ritch. Thank you, sir.
Senator Shelby, I know you have left the room, but thank
you very much for that kind introduction. We are going to miss
you.
Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Capito, Subcommittee
Chairman Markey, Ranking Member Inhofe, and distinguished
members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to
appear before you today. My name is Joe Ritch, and I am honored
to have been nominated by President Biden to the Tennessee
Valley Authority Board of Directors.
The Tennessee Valley has been my home for almost 70 years.
Since 1976, I have practiced law in Huntsville, Alabama,
concentrating on tax and corporate law and private equity
transactions. I have also served on the boards of companies and
organizations engaged in research and development for hybrid
electric engines, power management, and cybersecurity.
My father, as a young engineer, moved our family to
Huntsville in 1954 to join the budding missile and space
programs located at Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville. While TVA
was taming the Tennessee River, they created a robust power
grid and a diverse generation fleet that set the stage for our
Nation to address some of its greatest challenges. Overcoming
those challenges created opportunities for many other
Americans, including, as I mentioned earlier, my own family.
The same reason that our Nation chose to locate the missile
and space programs on Redstone Arsenal are the same reasons so
many other companies continue to locate in the Tennessee
Valley. One, reliable and affordable electricity. Two, TVA's
river management operations that enable transportation of goods
and an abundant water supply, and plenty of open and beautiful
scenery.
I was privileged to previously serve on the Board of
Directors of TVA from 2013 until 2017, and as Chair of the
Board from May 2014 until my term ended in 2017. I also served
as Chair of the TVA's Board of Nuclear Oversight Committee
during the course of my tenure.
During my term on the TVA Board, in support of the
established missions of TVA, some specific priorities were
addressed. Those priorities included reducing the carbon
footprint of TVA, right sizing the work force and generation
assets, addressing the challenges related to the nuclear fleet,
significant debt reduction, and resolving some long term issues
related to the pension plan. Much has changed since my time on
the board, but I believe the prior experience will be of value
if I am confirmed.
In 1994, I was asked to Chair the Redstone Regional
Alliance. The Alliance is a coalition of 13 communities in
north Alabama and southcentral Tennessee that promote the
growth, the defense, and aerospace industry in our area. TVA's
active involvement has been critical to our success. In recent
years, I have seen first hand how the area's military and
Federal organizations partner with TVA to address energy
resiliency and reliability, smart city concepts, utility energy
service contracts, and implementation of innovative solutions
to energy challenges on these facilities.
The TVA Act directs TVA to provide low cost, sustainable,
and reliable energy, protect and promote environmental
stewardship, and facilitate economic development. TVA's
continued commitments to facilitate broadband infrastructure,
advanced nuclear projects, solar, and energy efficiency will
play a key role in the continued success. If I am confirmed, I
will fully support these efforts.
Clean and renewable energy in the Tennessee Valley is not
only good for the environment, but it is also the role it plays
in economic development. Many companies looking for economic
development sites demand an increasing portion of their energy
usage be from renewable and clean energy sources. Time and time
again, companies select the valley, knowing that TVA will honor
its commitments to potential industrial development projects.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with my fellow
board members, management, and employees to achieve these vital
objectives of TVA.
Thank you for allowing me to come before this Committee. I
look forward to addressing any questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Ritch follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Markey. Thank you, Mr. Ritch, so much.
We are now joined by the minority leader, the Senator from
Kentucky, Senator McConnell.
We welcome you and your comments for your introductory
remarks.
STATEMENT OF HON. MITCH MCCONNELL,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF KENTUCKY
Senator McConnell. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Inhofe.
I appreciate the opportunity to interject here for a moment
and talk about a good friend of mine that I have known and
worked with for many years, and that is Judge Wade White.
In Kentucky, we have a funny title for the CEOs of
counties. They are called County Judges. They are not judges,
really; they are like county executives, run county government.
Wade has been the county executive in one of our important
western Kentucky counties for many years, and has done an
incredible job.
Looking at TVA today, increasing energy prices, rising
inflation, and stagnant economic growth are all putting
pressure on American families. We need leaders who understand
that our electric system's primary purpose is to provide
affordable, reliable power to consumers, especially true of the
10 million people, many of them Kentuckians, who rely on the
Tennessee Valley Authority for their electricity needs.
TVA is the largest public utility in our country, and my
home State of Kentucky is uniquely impacted by decisions made
by its leaders. We are home to the longest hydroelectric dam
and its grid and to more than 215,000 households that rely on
TVA for their everyday power.
At the moment, Kentucky does not have a representative, so
that is why I am doubly proud to be here with my friend, Lyon
County Judge Executive Wade White. I know that, if confirmed,
he will bring both common sense and a unique bluegrass
perspective to his role.
As I indicated earlier, we have worked together on a number
of issues. We have had unusual issues. For example, the
species, Asian carp, invading our lakes and making them
inhospitable for tourism, Wade was the leader in getting focus
on trying to do something about this species that was literally
ruining our major lakes produced by TVA. So as TVA continues to
expand and modernize its power generating capabilities, Wade is
uniquely situated to make an important contribution to the
Board.
Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to come by and
offer my thoughts.
[The prepared statement of Senator McConnell follows:]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T1200.006
Senator Markey. We thank the minority leader for his
important comments. It is quite an honor to be introduced by
the minority leader for such an important post. We thank you,
sir.
We then welcome the nominee, Mr. White, up to the table, if
he would join with his other nominees.
Then we will just continue with the testimony and move to
you, Mr. Renick.
STATEMENT OF WILLIAM J. RENICK, NOMINEE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Mr. Renick. Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Capito,
Chairman Markey, Ranking Member Inhofe, and members of the
Committee, thank you all for the opportunity to appear before
this Committee.
I am truly honored and humbled to be nominated by President
Biden to serve on the Tennessee Valley Board of Directors. And
I am so appreciative to my two Senators and friends, Roger
Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, for their support throughout the
process of my nomination and for their support of TVA.
My name is Bill Renick, and I am from Ashland, Mississippi,
a beautiful little town about 45 minutes east of Memphis and
about 45 minutes west of Tupelo, which just happens to be the
first TVA city, the very first city to receive electricity from
TVA.
Both my parents were lifelong public school teachers. My
wife, Debbie, and I have been married for 48 years and have two
children, Will and Susie, and two grandchildren. I am a long
time member of Ashland Baptist Church, where I teach a Sunday
school class. My faith and my family are very important to me.
The public service bug bit me at an early age. The first
time that I could vote, I voted for myself. At the ripe old age
of 18, I was elected to the Board of Aldermen in Ashland. After
serving two terms, I was elected mayor. I then was elected to
the Benton County Board of Supervisors, where I served as vice
chairman, and subsequently to the Mississippi State Senate.
Following my time in the State legislature, I served as the
chief of staff to both Republican Lieutenant Governor Eddie
Briggs and Democratic Governor Ronnie Musgrove. In between
those two terms, I was President of the Mississippi Retail
Association and later, Administrator of Holly Springs Memorial
Hospital.
I have also spent a great deal of my career in economic and
work force development. After Governor Musgrove's term ended, I
was named Executive Director of the Marshall County Industrial
Development Authority and helped develop very successful sites
that are now home to companies such as Amazon, Volvo, ASICS,
McCormick Spices, Corelle, Cooper Tire, and Kellogg's. All are
powered by TVA generated electricity, which was a key component
to their locating in Mississippi.
I spent the last 13 years of my full time working career as
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, WIOA, Division
Director at Three Rivers Planning and Development District in
Pontotoc, Mississippi, retiring in June 2021. There, we
administered the Federal work force training funds for 27
counties in north Mississippi.
As exemplified by my background, I have lived and served my
entire life in the TVA service area. I was proud to be part of
helping with the development and location of those major
companies that I previously named, but would also like to share
an early experience from when I was a young alderman in Ashland
and a small, locally owned company, TCI, Torque Converters
Incorporated, was working to build their first facility in
Ashland.
We had one small area of need to close the deal: We had to
pave the parking lot so the employees could have a place out of
the mud to park and the trucks could get the finished product
in and out of the building. That need was filled by TVA, and 50
years later, that company, TCI, is still building torque
converters in Ashland.
The three Es of TVA, energy, environment, and economic
development, are all extremely important to the citizens of the
valley, just as they have been since 1933. The TVA mission of
providing safe, clean, reliable, and affordable power is a
mission that must continue to be achieved to ensure the
economic growth of the Tennessee Valley region.
Also important to the livelihoods of the 10 million
citizens that depend on TVA is their responsibility to manage
and maintain the beautiful natural environment and recreational
opportunities with which the region is blessed. It is a
tremendous responsibility.
I will commit to listen, to learn, to evaluate, and to
execute using the same common sense that has served me well in
over 50 years of public service. My dedication to the mission
of TVA and its millions of citizen users will be supported by
my ultimate commitment to treat and serve my fellow man as I
would want to be treated and served. I learned that Golden Rule
way of life a long time ago at Ashland Baptist Church.
Thank you again for this opportunity. If confirmed, I am
excited and anxious to go to work.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Renick follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Markey. Thank you, Mr. Renick, so much.
Now Mr. White, we are looking forward to your testimony.
STATEMENT OF ADAM WADE WHITE, NOMINEE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Mr. White. Thank you, Subcommittee Chairman Markey, Ranking
Member Inhofe, members of the Committee. Thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today.
I am honored to have been nominated by President Biden to
serve on the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors.
Thank you to the Committee for considering my nomination.
I know Senator McConnell has left the room, but he is a
good friend. I appreciate him suggesting me to the President. I
appreciate every time I have knocked on his door for problems
we are experiencing in my county, he has always opened it. So
he has been a good friend, and I appreciate him for that.
By way of introduction, I have been a lifelong resident of
western Kentucky within the footprint of the Tennessee Valley.
I grew up in Lyon County, Kentucky, enjoying the benefits of
fishing on Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake, where I fished below
Kentucky Dam, a TVA hydroelectric dam.
I graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of
Kentucky in 1995, and my wife, DeeDee, and I are the proud
parents of Brandon and Jenna White. In 2010, I won my first
term as Lyon County Judge Executive, and am currently finishing
my third term. Serving as Judge Executive has prepared me well
for this position. Lyon County is a small county nestled
between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. Lake Barkley is
controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Kentucky is
controlled by the TVA. Sixty percent of Lyon County is
controlled by a State or Federal agency.
This is significant, and has given me a great understanding
of how large agencies can have both a positive and a negative
impact on local communities, and how important it is to always
work to serve the people first.
TVA provides a number of benefits to my county, aside from
hydroelectricity. It affords the natural resources of the lake
to locals and tourists from all over the country. During my
service as Judge Executive, we have benefited from a strong
tourism and fishing industry that has ripple effects all across
western Kentucky. My heart is in protecting, promoting, and
conserving these natural resources, our fisheries and wildlife.
Another impact TVA is having in my county is with economic
development. My county is a recipient of approximately $150,000
per year for use in economic development via TVA's payment in
lieu of taxes. A small county like ours could never generate
the tax base for such an endeavor.
TVA is also having an impact on my county's ability to
receive fast, reliable Internet. Fortunately, the southern
section of Lyon County is serviced by Pennyrile Rural Electric,
a TVA customer, our local power company. With the leadership of
Pennyrile president Alan Gates, my county signed a contract
with Pennyrile Rural Electric to service customers within their
footprint with fiber Internet.
Within a year, Pennyrile Rural has matched dollar for
dollar a large portion of the American Rescue Plan Act money
and a recent grant altogether totaling $2.8 million for a phase
one build out, which is going on as I speak. This was all made
possible because TVA made a way for their LPCs to invest in
Internet. I plan to support the further development of Internet
within the TVA footprint.
Lyon County is also the planned home to one of the largest
solar farms in Kentucky. The planned solar farm will cover 800
acres and is planned to start next year. In 2021, I was
appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to serve as a member of the
Kentucky State Electric Generation and Transmission Siting
Board. During my service, we were able to work out the
permitting for the RWE Group to build the solar farm.
I look forward to bringing this experience to the TVA Board
of Directors and assist with similar future projects.
It is an honor to be appointed by the President for this
position. I am thankful to be here today in this confirmation
process. I will work hard to educate myself on the issues we
face, and always use a common sense approach in making
decisions that affect the more than 10 million customers across
the Tennessee Valley.
Thank you all for considering my nomination. I would
appreciate the opportunity to serve as a Board Director for the
Tennessee Valley Authority.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. White follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Markey. Thank you, Mr. White.
I am going to ask you a couple of housekeeping questions,
and then yield to Senator Inhofe for his questions. Then I am
going over to make the roll call on the Senate floor and return
to continue the questions from myself and other members.
We are now ready to begin questions for the witnesses.
Before we start with individual questions, this Committee has
three standing yes or no questions that it asks of all nominees
that appear before it. I will ask the questions and work my way
across all of our nominees here today.
One, do you agree, if confirmed, to appear before this
Committee or designated members of this Committee and other
appropriate committees of the Congress and provide information
with respect to your responsibilities subject to appropriate
and necessary security protections?
Do you, Mr. Renick?
Mr. Renick. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. Do you, Mr. White?
Mr. White. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. Do you, Mr. Ritch?
Mr. Ritch. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. Do you agree to ensure that testimony,
briefings, documents, and electronic and other forms of
communication of information are provided to this Committee and
its staff and other appropriate committees in a timely manner?
Do you, Mr. Renick?
Mr. Renick. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. Do you, Mr. White?
Mr. White. I do, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. Do you, Mr. Ritch?
Mr. Ritch. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. And do you know of any matters which you
may or may not have disclosed that might place you in a
conflict of interest if you are confirmed?
Do you, Mr. Renick?
Mr. Renick. I do not, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. Do you, Mr. White?
Mr. White. I do not, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. Do you, Mr. Ritch?
Mr. Ritch. No, sir, I do not.
Senator Markey. We thank each of you for that.
Now I turn to Senator Inhofe for his first round of
questions.
Senator Inhofe. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
So that people know what is going on here, this happens
every once in a while, when they start, and we will keep the
meeting going. So we will kind of go back and forth in that
manner. It has worked now for 200 years, so it will work today.
First of all, I would say to all nominees is you know one
of the Tennessee Valley Authority's main responsibilities is to
ensure energy security to the Federal facilities that provide
power to over 10 million people living in the southeast region
of the United States. In 2019, the Tennessee Valley Authority
became the first utility in the Nation to receive an early site
permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to license small
modular reactors at the Clinch River nuclear site in Oakridge,
Tennessee. Energy security leads to electric grid reliability,
and Americans must continue to have grid reliability in the
future.
So I would say to all three of you, do you believe that the
nuclear should continue to be part of the power mix at the
Tennessee Valley Authority, and would you agree that nuclear is
vital to keeping the lights on and ensuring grid resilience?
Starting with you, Mr. Renick.
Mr. Renick. Thank you, Senator. I do believe that there
must be a mix of fuel to energize our grid. Nuclear needs to be
a part of that.
I do also believe that America has the ability and the
technology to produce safe, clean nuclear, along with other
fuels.
Senator Inhofe. Very good. Thank you.
Mr. White.
Mr. White. Thank you, Senator. I have read about the SMRs
that you are talking about in Clinch River. I am fascinated by
the thought of the new technologies that are coming our way. It
is something that I think TVA has the chance to be at the
forefront of leading that and learning new ways and seeing how
we can become more efficient.
I know they have done some updates recently at some of the
nuclear sites now, which has dramatically increased the ability
to produce electricity. So yes, I see nuclear as a strong part
of what we do in the future.
Senator Inhofe. Thank you.
Mr. Ritch.
Mr. Ritch. Yes, and thank you for the question. Advanced
nuclear projects I think are critical to the future of TVA and
the security necessary for our grid. So yes, I do agree.
Senator Inhofe. All right, thank you very much. And I would
say to the three of you, as you know, the Tennessee Valley
Authority has announced plans to close both units of the
Cumberland, Tennessee, coal powered plant, which generates
enough electricity each year to power 1.1 million homes.
Considering the coal plant's significant power output, in April
2022, the TVA announced its preferred replacement for the first
unit to be a natural gas powered plant. Despite the economical
and timely environmental benefits that natural gas provides,
this decision upset many climate alarmists who oppose any
fossil fuel generation.
So I would say to all nominees, do you agree that the
Tennessee Valley Authority's leading priority when deciding to
replace any existing power plant should be ensuring that
customers continue to receive reliable and low cost
electricity?
Yes, sir.
Mr. Renick. Thank you, Senator. I do believe strongly in
the Tennessee Valley mission of providing low cost, safe,
reliable energy. I think back to those small companies like TCI
in my hometown. They must have reliable energy in order to
produce livelihoods for the people that work there. I am a big
believer in the mix. I can only commit to you that I will study
this as much as I possibly can, try to make decisions based on
facts, but also using that common sense that has served me
well.
Senator Inhofe. Yes. There is no rule that you can't use
common sense, in spite of some people who have tried. And I
appreciate your comments very much on that.
You are dealing with something here that is, it is life
threatening. This is not a little deal. This is important. This
is our ability to compete in the real world. You folks are in a
very good position, and you have excellent backgrounds, all
three of you, in pursuing this effort here.
I would ask the same question of Mr. White.
Mr. White. Thank you, Senator. I am looking at it from the
outside. I am not privy to all the information that has been
provided to previous boards. But I can tell you this, that when
I go to looking at how is our mix going to be, one thing I have
noticed is they plan out 10, 20 years in advance. So we have to
take into consideration everything, things from your staff,
hopefully, that you will provide us, TVA, all the different
things that we have to look at.
So I don't come into this with an agenda. But I want to
make sure that we are providing the lowest cost possible, and
it is clean, and it is reliable, and it is resilient, and it is
sustainable. When I match those things up, we can use our
common sense that we were talking about.
Senator Inhofe. I think that includes common sense. It is a
good statement. I appreciate that.
You have to keep in mind what this is really for. Also you
touched on something there I think, Mr. White, that is
significant, and that is this is, there may be things that are
popular today, and maybe those same things won't be quite as
popular 6 months from now. Nonetheless, the mission goes on.
And you have to keep providing. While some things will become
popular and unpopular to different Administrations, your
mission is obvious: You have to keep pumping out there so
people know that they are going to be able to live their lives.
That is all.
Yes, sir, Mr. Ritch.
Mr. Ritch. Thank you, sir, for the question.
The closing of the coal plants in the history of my time on
the board is because they are obsolete. So the need for
replacement power is obviously there.
So yes, I think we have to look at all types and forms of
generation of electricity because of our need to make sure we
have that reliable, safe, clean process in place. So I think
the main thing for TVA is always to evaluate the options and
make sure we are making the best case. And as directors, we
look at that, as was said, in a practical sense but also in a
way that reflects the mission of TVA.
Senator Inhofe. I think also the recognition that times
change and priorities change. And we have to have that common
sense that was referred to by Mr. Renick available to us at all
times.
All right, we have a vote that is taking place right now.
If something should happen that there is a delay in Senator
Markey getting back, I am going to have to go over and cast my
vote. It is one of the things that I was elected to do, and I
have to keep it up.
I appreciate very much your answers.
We will recess the Chair.
[Recess.]
Senator Markey. The Subcommittee will reconvene. We thank
everyone for their indulgence. We have little control over when
the roll calls on the floor are called. So we thank each of
you.
Let me begin my own questioning by first making a
statement, then asking some questions. In the United States,
the average cost, including building and operation cost, for
new solar and wind generation in 2021 was $36 and $38 per
megawatt hour, respectively. Again, that is for solar, $36, and
wind, $38 per megawatt hour.
In contrast, the comparable cost for some of the most
efficient natural gas generation was $60 for a megawatt hour,
and the coal generation was $108 for a megawatt hour. Let's go
back over those numbers again: $36 for solar, $38 for wind, $60
for natural gas, and $108 for coal So for coal, it is triple
the cost of solar and nearly triple that of wind.
Fossil fuel costs have spiked after the Russian invasion of
Ukraine. And since their price is set on a global market, these
hikes and disruptions are likely to continue. On the other
hand, renewables have remained reliable and affordable.
As highlighted in the TVA's recent financial report,
natural gas prices increased 141 percent in June compared to
last year, and coal prices also soared. While the TVA supply of
zero carbon energy helped keep costs down, TVA is falling
alarmingly behind the rest of the country in adopting renewable
energy into its grid.
Mr. Renick, do you believe that investment in low cost
renewable energy can help the TVA bring down consumer costs all
while supporting grid resilience and our climate and
environmental goals?
Mr. Renick. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do believe that
Tennessee Valley Authority, being the largest public utility in
the country, should be a leader in searching for renewable
energy. I do believe that renewable energy can possibly bring
down the cost of electricity.
Senator Markey. In addition to bringing down energy costs
for consumers, increasing the percentage of renewable energy in
the TVA power mix can also attract new businesses to the
Tennessee Valley.
Mr. Ritch, do you agree that increasing the proportion of
renewables in the TVA power mix could help draw more companies
to the region?
Mr. Ritch. I do, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Markey. Companies like Google, and other tech
companies, they like to have all renewables in terms of their
plants' operation. Do you agree that there might be actually
additional economic benefits, for example, in drawing these
companies to the cleanest and cheapest and most reliable
megawatt of energy, simultaneously reducing dramatically the
greenhouse gases?
Mr. Ritch. I do believe that, Mr. Chairman. I believe that
Tennessee Valley Authority should pursue all of those
opportunities. As I have stated, economic development is my
background and my passion. And meeting the needs and the
requirements of companies that could come into the Tennessee
Valley region, renewables will play a major part in that. I do
believe that.
Senator Markey. Mr. Ritch, could you answer those same
questions about the role of wind and solar and the jobs it
might draw, the reduction in the cost actually per kilowatt
hour, per megawatt hour, in installing new equipment?
Mr. Ritch. Yes, sir, thank you for the question. TVA has
said as a leader, it should be a leader in any kind of
technology in improving the cost, the megawatt cost. I think
that is something that is in the current plan of TVA. But as
you asked the question, as it relates to the job situation, I
definitely think companies respond to that, and they are
putting that as a requirement before they will consider
locating somewhere, that there be a significant amount of
renewable power. We have seen that in the case of several
situations in particular.
Senator Markey. Thank you. TVA has the worst efficiency
record among all utilities in the southeast, achieving only 1
percent in efficiency savings per year. It is the worst in the
entire region.
To all the nominees here today, if confirmed, will you
support energy efficiency programs that exceed this 1 percent
per year in efficiency savings so that there can be more energy
saved?
Mr. White.
Mr. White. Absolutely. Always looking for ways to keep
things efficient.
Senator Markey. Yes. My mother always said she was going to
donate my brain to Harvard Medical School as a completely
unused human organ. She said that because, she said, Eddie, you
just have to learn how to work smarter and not harder. And that
is energy efficiency in a nutshell. That is just working
smarter.
A lot of people want to build more facilities, but if you
don't need them, it is not a megawatt, it is a nega-watt. Just
a nega-watt, we never needed it. It just a savings. So that is
pretty much from my perspective what we really need to focus
upon more.
Given the reliability, cost savings, and climate benefits
that renewable energy brings to consumers, it is shocking to me
that only 3 percent of TVA's electricity is generated from
solar and from wind. As I said earlier in my opening statement,
in Massachusetts, which is neither particularly windy nor
sunny, 21 percent of our electricity is generated from wind and
solar. That seems astoundingly high, doesn't it, that
Massachusetts is 21 percent wind and solar? We are just getting
started, by the way. Our goal is to go to 30, 40, 50, and more
percent. We just shouldn't be that far ahead of all these
States that you represent, which are much more sunny than we
are.
So if the rainy day Bay State can figure this out, I would
hope that each of you as you serve on the TVA are able to get
those same benefits for your consumers.
Mr. Ritch, as someone who has experience on the TVA board,
do you think the TVA could do more to prioritize renewable and
affordable energy resources, including rooftop solar and energy
efficiency in its planning?
Mr. Ritch.
Mr. Ritch. Yes, sir, I think energy efficiency and all
those different options you mentioned are extremely important
to the future of TVA and should be reviewed. And as a board
member, I assure you that I will look into that and get back to
you as to whether or not we are taking advantage of all the
opportunities that are available.
Senator Markey. Mr. White, Mr. Renick, same question.
Mr. White. I appreciate the question, Mr. Chairman. One of
the things that struck me when you were talking back on solar,
the way I understand it, looking in from the outside, I am not
privy to all the information, but they have a plan right now
for about 10,000 megawatts of solar. And when I was watching
the board meeting the other day, they were talking about how
they are moving forward to this but they can't get the
equipment. It can't be installed.
I understand that; I am from Lyon County, we have an 800
acre one that was supposed to go in this year. We are way
behind on that. So that is going to be something that I want to
learn more about, why we can't move forward. Is it simply
because of the backup that everybody is experiencing throughout
the country?
Another thing that you brought up earlier about businesses,
I think businesses are pushing for renewables just as much as
anyone. That is one thing that TVA is doing with the Green
Invest. The city of Knoxville, in Kentucky, they worked with
Corvette, Ford, all these are requiring or requesting the
ability to have renewables. With Green Invest, that is what
they are doing. I think it is a great idea.
Senator Markey. Yes. And in Georgia, a Korean company is
going to come in, they are already there, and they are going to
expand and expand and expand and expand and expand their solar
component part capacity to a point where they will be able to
produce components that are upwards of 15,000 megawatts of
equivalent per year.
So they are kind of anticipating it, and Georgia is right
down there, similarly situated in terms of the ability to use
this equipment in all the TVA States.
Again, ultimately, long run, we just have to break this
dependence upon oil and natural gas. We can see how the prices
are skyrocketing for families. Some of the poorest, lowest
income families in America live in the TVA region. So they
become subject to crazy price hikes that are caused in this
case, in this instance, because of the Ukrainian war. What does
that have to do with someone who is a low income resident of
the TVA region, when the sun and the solar is going to be there
independent of any foreign power in the years ahead? So just
moving in that direction I think makes a lot of sense.
The Biden administration has already called for a zero
carbon electricity grid by 2035. And it is deeply discouraging
that the TVA, the Nation's largest public power provider, does
not intend to achieve net zero carbon emissions until 2050. On
top of that, TVA has even implemented rate spikes to discourage
consumers from using rooftop solar. Instead of replacing its
largest coal plant with a low cost zero carbon energy source,
TVA has instead proposed building a new natural gas plant that
it plans to run for years to come.
TVA is putting up blockades for clean, cheap energy, while
rolling out the red carpet for polluting facilities that are
going to blow through our clean electricity targets. Because of
all the nuclear that is already in the TVA region, you have a
big lead toward meeting President Biden's goals by 2035.
Instead, you are moving in a different direction. Again,
nuclear gives you a baseload capacity. You don't have the
excuse that other regions might have to need some additional
natural gas to provide baseload. You already have that with the
nuclear.
So it just doesn't make any sense. From wildfires to
floods, the Tennessee Valley region is deeply affected by the
climate crisis. Climate change has already threatened economic
development and the environment and reliable energy production
in the region.
It is real, it is caused by human activity, and it is
something that you could really lead on. My father always said,
Eddie, try to start out where you are going to be forced to
wind up anyway, because it is prettier that way.
So I would just say to you, try to start out looking at
where you are going to be in 10 years anyway. You will be
surrounded by everyone who has surpassed you when you had a
running head start to be the leader. It just will not be a good
legacy to look back up on if you had the technological capacity
to move forward.
So to all the nominees here today, do you agree that
climate change threatens the Tennessee Valley region? Do you
all agree with that?
Mr. Ritch.
Mr. Ritch. Yes, I agree.
Mr. White. Senator, since I became a judge 12 years ago, 2
years before that we received a 100 year ice storm. Since then,
I have had two 100 year floods in my county, which has had a
tornado cut through in December that destroyed a lot of the
homes in our county. So I have seen climate change.
Senator Markey. Is that a yes?
Mr. White. Yes, sir.
Senator Markey. OK, thank you.
And Mr. Renick.
Mr. Renick. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I do believe that
climate change is taking place.
Senator Markey. OK. Do you believe that we should be
adopting strong renewable energy targets, Mr. Renick?
Mr. Renick. I think, Mr. Chairman, that the TVA should be a
leader in seeking out solutions to these problems in
efficiency, not only at the generation of electric power, but
also at the user end of efficiency. I think Tennessee Valley
Authority should be a leader in supporting weatherization
programs for the consumer, along with the renewable support
that they should be leading in in the generation of electricity
at the front end.
Senator Markey. Mr. White, Mr. Ritch, we will each allow
you to answer, then I can recognize Senator Whitehouse for his
questions.
Mr. White.
Mr. White. Thank you, sir. Everything is on the table for
me. I want to see all the information that TVA has, I want to
see all the information that you would be willing to provide.
Any time there is something before us that you can provide, I
would love to see that, and I will work with you the best I
can.
Senator Markey. All right.
Mr. Ritch.
Mr. Ritch. Yes, sir, I agree. I think that that is one of
the issues we need to continue to address. I think the TVA has
an obligation as one of the leaders in innovation and should be
addressing that issue. So yes, sir, I agree.
Senator Markey. Great, thank you.
Senator Whitehouse.
Senator Whitehouse. Thank you, Chairman.
Welcome, it is good to be in touch with all of you again.
You look pretty good in 3-D. Last time I saw you, you were a 1
inch by 1 inch square on a Zoom screen. It is nice to have you
here in person.
I would like to ask each of you the same question, which
aligns with the questions that Senator Markey has been asking
you. We are seeing really dramatic climate consequences playing
out. We have had huge companies like Cargill talk about massive
drops in midwestern grain production as a result of climate
change. We have had firefighters fighting wildfires in seasons
where it was never a thing before, and it is months outside of
traditional fire season. We have seen astonishing ocean warming
and acidification, which isn't a big TVA thing. You guys aren't
very near the coast. But for those of us who are costal, it is
a big deal, as particularly folks who are in the aquaculture
industry find their entire crop killed off by acidified oceans
that degrade and erode the shells of the oyster spat and clams
and so forth that they are trying to grow.
Over and over again, there is almost no place in America
right now that isn't being immediately touched by adverse
consequences of climate change. It is hitting people hard in
their pocketbooks. It is about a $5,000 per family cost, and
that is a lot. And a lot of it comes from power plants, and TVA
runs power plants. You even have plans to build a new natural
gas plant.
So what specifically can each of you tell me about your
decarbonization goals as a board member of TVA? Let me start
with Mr. Renick, and then go right across, Mr. White, and then
Mr. Ritch.
Mr. Renick. Thank you, Senator, for that question. If I am
confirmed to this board, I am going to do everything that I
possibly can to educate myself to the point that I will know
how to make sound decisions. I do believe, having seen just in
this past summer, many days of over 100 degree temperatures in
Mississippi, which led to a major problem for the consumer, and
I believe that the TVA should be a leader in searching out
those renewable energies so that we can address those climate
changes that we know are occurring.
It is not only a consumer issue; it is a humanitarian
issue, and I take it very seriously.
Mr. White. Thank you, Senator. Obviously, renewables are
going to be a part of the mix. It is coming; it is being pushed
by even the companies that come into the TVA valley. So it is
going to be part of that.
The amount the mix is going to be and how much we are going
to do over the course of a few years or a lot of years is
something that I am completely open to. I look forward to
working not only with TVA but also with you, with your office,
with your staff, to learn the things that you know. I want to
know what you know about these things, and make sure that we
make the right decision.
One thing I have learned watching the TVA board meetings,
reading material, is the decisions that we are going to make
now are going to impact what they are able to do in 20 years.
So I know that is a serious thing. We have to consider
everything. Everything must be on the table. I look forward to
doing that if confirmed.
Mr. Ritch. Thank you, sir. I think one of the things,
because it is such a complicated issue, that we have an
obligation to study, reevaluate and look at the plans at TVA
once we are confirmed and be able to get back with you on some
of the questions that were raised. It is critical to us and the
country that we do this right.
Senator Whitehouse. And right includes decarbonizing the
mix, as fast as prudently feasible, correct? Doing this right
includes decarbonizing your energy mix as rapidly as is
prudently feasible, correct?
Mr. Ritch. Yes, sir, as rapidly as feasible. Yes, sir, I
agree with that.
Senator Whitehouse. Yes. Let me just say one last thing,
and then I will let you go. I don't need you to respond,
because I don't want to be pulling any surprises. But for many
years, particularly from 2001 to 2019, the TVA paid a group
called the Utility Air Regulatory Group, which was an anti-
climate industry lobbying group that opposed clean air
regulations, opposed climate legislation, climate regulations.
They were a hostile force in the efforts to solve this problem.
They had enough of a credibility crash, I suspect, that
they disbanded in 2019. But lawyers who were a part of that
UARG program continued to be supported and paid by TVA.
So I will be continuing to pursue whether the way in which
TVA funds its influence operation is aligned with the kind of
values we have been talking about today. Unfortunately, I live
in a world in which, forget TVA, big American companies, banks,
insurance companies, retail companies, talk with one side of
their mouths about climate change to the public, to their
shareholders, to consumers, but then they come here to this
building and their lobby groups are either AWOL or hostile to
the very ideas that those companies are claiming to espouse to
those other audiences.
That has to be cleared up. It is really bad for a company
to be caught speaking out of both sides of its mouth on an
important public issue. And I think TVA needs to have
credibility and integrity in the way it deals with its
customers and the way it deals with Congress and our support
for you.
I think it is really important that you make sure as board
members that what you are saying and what your values are are
actually the ones that are being broadcast through the
influence operation that TVA funds.
I commend that thought to you as you begin service. We are
certainly going to continue to look at that.
Thank you.
Senator Markey. I thank the Senator from Rhode Island very
much.
There are no other members who have joined us today, so we
thank all of our witnesses.
I think what you are hearing from Senator Whitehouse and
from myself is just kind of a frustration with TVA, real
frustration. You guys figure out nuclear power plants, brag
about it, but energy efficiency, wind and solar, eludes the
scientists, eludes the management of the TVA. It is kind of
disgusting, actually, at a certain level.
So when you say you want all of the above, what we want TVA
to stand for is total voltage access for every energy source,
wind and solar, and energy efficiency. We haven't been seeing
it. At 3 percent, it just hasn't happened.
So before we adjourn, some housekeeping. I would like to
ask unanimous consent to submit for the record a variety of
materials that include letters from stakeholders and other
materials that relate to today's nomination hearing.
[The referenced information was not received at time of
print.]
Senator Markey. Senators will be allowed to submit written
questions for the record through the close of business on
Friday, September 9th. We will compile those questions, send
them to our witnesses, and then would ask each of you to give
us the answers by Wednesday, September 14th. We will get you
the questions by the end of this week.
We thank each of you for your willingness to serve. We are
looking forward to working with you in the years ahead to make
sure that TVA is the cutting edge for the planet in terms of
their technological advancement.
We thank you all so much.
With that, this hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 3:48, the hearing was adjourned.]
[all]