Newsroom Articles

How TVA Changed Lives

Forstner recalls how TVA spread prosperity to one of the poorest regions in the nation

Books for the People

Many rural residents borrowed their first books from a librarian employed by TVA.

The Enduring Legacy

Politically, TVA was one of the strangest hybrids in the “alphabet soup” of New Deal agencies. But FDR’s experiment in public power has stood the test of time.

New urban theorists are hard at work designing the towns of the future, which integrate residential, commercial and retail areas. But Norris, Tennessee — built by TVA in the 1930s to house workers building the nearby dam — beat them all to the punch.

The Great Compromise

A deal hammered out between free-enterprise Republicans and public-power Democrats gave birth to TVA as we know it.

TVA and the Appalachian Trail

The storied Appalachian National Scenic Trail touches TVA property in two spots: Fontana Dam and Wautaga Dam.

The Great Electric Tent Show Revival and Jubilee

Crowds welcomed Bob Rice and his group of orators and country singers who shared the good news of TVA electricity in rural areas of the region.

The Great Experiment

In a poetic 1933 article for Fortune magazine, author James Agee introduced TVA to the world at large.

Powering World War II

The thought probably never crossed the minds of Axis war planners, but America’s World War II arsenal included a secret weapon: TVA

Street of Dreams

Memphis’ November 6 St. stands in honor of the day the city’s residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of receiving public power – and all the benefits that came with it – from TVA.

The Great Porcelain Experiment

In the 1930s TVA was prepared to try anything to get the region back on its feet — even turning Tennessee Valley region's clay into fine porcelain.

Bringing the Land to Life

In the 1920s and ’30s, much of the soil in the Tennessee Valley region was worn out to the point of worthlessness. Potent fertilizers developed by TVA helped bring the land back to life.

The Cooperative Model

The roots of public power run deep in the Tennessee Valley region, where the electric cooperative was invented, took hold and brought power to farmers throughout the region.

Classroom for the World

TVA's model of integrated resource development has historically been one shared with developing countries around the globe. And it still is today.

Preserving the Legacy

As fossil plants are decommissioned, employees comb through materials in each facility, finding items to repurpose in other plants and creating a bridge to the future from TVA's past.

Winter Adventures Start with MapGuide

Chilly weather is a good time to snuggle under a blanket, but it’s an even better time to explore the wonders of the Tennessee River Valley. Use the MapGuide to plan your next winter activity.

Extreme Turbine Makeover

The recent outage at Kingston Fossil Plant offered a rare glimpse inside turbine and told the story of a rebuild that required more than 35,000 combined man hours from TVA’s precision craftsmen.

Memphis Leaders Attend Allen Tour and Info Session

Community leaders from all corners of Memphis gathered on a cold January day recently to get a first-hand look at the old Allen Fossil Plant site and its surrounding coal yards, now empty and quiet.

Group of people standing in front of construction equipment

Amazon Creating 1,000 New Jobs in Memphis with State-of-Art Facility

A new state-of-the-art Amazon fulfillment center in Memphis will create 1,000 new full-time jobs, thanks in part to the partnership between the State of Tennessee, local governments and organizations, economic development agencies, MLGW and TVA.

Questions and Answers on the Future of the Bull Run Fossil Plant Site

In 2019, TVA’s Board of Directors voted to retire the Bull Run Fossil Plant by the end of 2023. Read TVA’s answers to recent questions about the future of the site, including the storage of coal combustion residuals (coal ash and gypsum).