Looking Forward

McBath Shows People Possibilities

Justin McBath, a senior project manager, began his journey to TVA in the unlikeliest of places — his mom’s fried fish and green tomatoes food truck. 

But McBath wasn’t working at the food truck that day in Knoxville. His graduation photo was proudly displayed there in the window.

“A guy came by the truck for lunch and asked my mom about my degree, which was mechanical engineering,” McBath said. “After her shift, my mom found a business card on the windshield. I called, applied, interviewed and within two weeks got a job at Bellefonte Nuclear Plant.”

Now, as a manager for major projects at TVA, McBath is setting the tone for forward progress. He acts as the interface between equipment manufacturers, contactors and stakeholders to balance environmental integrity, enterprise planning and safety — all with the goal of building a cleaner tomorrow.

“I keep everyone playing in the sandbox nicely,” McBath laughed. “I want to make sure quality work is installed and ensure our safety culture is followed. Ultimately, I know I’m part of a bigger purpose.”

McBath is managing the New Johnsonville project, an undertaking that will add 500 megawatts of new, modern generation to the grid using aeroderivative technology. These gas turbines promote generation flexibility and rapid response power during extreme weather while also allowing TVA to evolve and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“Aeroderivative technology helps support intermittent power sources and can be rapidly dispatched to support generation gaps as we begin to grow and implement more wind and solar capabilities. It also creates a use for something that would usually be a waste material. Instead of releasing methane into the atmosphere, we are using it to make energy.”

McBath knows that his day-to-day is more than just orchestrating moving parts. From planning to completion, McBath’s projects are really about people.

“As a kid growing up in East Tennessee, I always heard the TVA acronym floating around,” he said. "And even though I didn’t fully understand what they did, I knew about its presence.”

At its core, that’s what service truly is — presence, showing up.

“I want to be there and listen to the challenges being faced,” McBath said when asked about his approach to uphill climbs. “I've always been called on for projects that are unusual, difficult or the first of their kind. I'd like to think that's on purpose. I like being the person that people can depend on.”

As a project manager, McBath can zoom out and see the bigger picture. He’s helping to build cleaner energy for tomorrow, and he’s not doing that alone.

“I want to be known for showing people the possibilities — what can happen when we work together.”

In addition to his day job, McBath also volunteers with the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy Exposure Program to talk with students about TVA — about how it can be a resource for everyday life. The program allows students to practice interviewing, get acquainted with financial literacy and learn about opportunities at TVA.

“It’s all about community outreach and representation,” McBath said. “I firmly believe that people can become what they can see.”

The next generation depends on a forward-looking mentality. From photos hung in food truck windows to the ones we’ve yet to take — we are looking at our future in full frame. And together, our visibility can be unlimited.