A former chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority says the federal utility has had a “love affair” with nuclear power that should end. David Freeman addressed the board at its meeting Thursday morning.
The 86-year-old Freeman says TVA still feels compelled to be the country’s leader in nuclear power. But he says that’s not in the interest of its 9 million rate payers.
“Just recognize that there is an influence on you here that is not business-like, and I know it. I felt it when I was on the board.”
Freeman was appointed to head the TVA board by President Jimmy Carter, and ultimately oversaw the scrapping of plans for a fleet of reactors that would have been the country’s largest. TVA has since restarted work on a few, including Watts Bar Unit 2, which is a couple billion dollars over-budget.
Freeman says TVA should instead consider more natural gas plants, solar power and energy efficiency.
The TVA board also heard from supporters of atomic energy. They included economic development officials near nuclear reactors and an engineer from UT. The board is considering whether to go forward at Watts Bar despite its ballooning budget.
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