Alexander’s Reasoning For Keeping TVA In Federal Hands: It Has All The Tritium

Tritium is produced in the unit 1 reactor at Watts Bar. Currently, TVA is completing unit 2. Credit: Stephen Jerkins

Sen. Lamar Alexander is now raising national security concerns over the possible sale of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The two-term Republican has been trying to head off the privatization of TVA, which is contemplated in President Obama’s budget released earlier this month.

In a hearing, Alexander asked Neile Miller of the Energy Department if the country could find another source for weapons-grade nuclear material.

“Defense needs would have to be taken into consideration before any movement could be done,” she said.

The country’s only source of tritium – at the moment – is TVA’s Watts Bar nuclear reactor, south of Crossville. The National Nuclear Security Administration has been producing the exotic gas at the Spring City plant since 2004.

“Is tritium not important in the development of nuclear weapons?” Alexander asked.

“Very important,” Miller said.

Sen. Alexander says the Obama Administration should have sought more input before floating the idea of selling TVA. He calls it a bad option.

But the budget document says spinning off the power utility could help put the country on a more “sustainable fiscal path.”