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TVA- The Tennessee Valley Authority

Having TVA's headquarters just a few minutes away, in downtown Knoxville, makes it very easy for TSA members to understand the effect TVA has on the local community. TVA is not just the federal agency that manages dams and sells electricity; it also has community outreach programs to conserve energy and provide power for the needy.

TVA began in 1933 for many reasons. The Tennessee River Valley desperately needed flood and agricultural control, conservation tips, river navigation, and jobs for the poverty-stricken area. Modern electrification also needed to be brought to the area; at that time, only three percent of households had electric power. President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to create the TVA, thereby adding another agency to the New Deal.

The first TVA hydroelectric plant, Norris Dam, was completed in 1939 on the Clinch River north of Knoxville, Tn. The construction of this dam created thousands of jobs and provided the power to begin electrification of the Tennessee Valley. The fact that the river valley was electrified attracted business and industry, thereby providing even more jobs for the area.

The construction of TVA dams in the 1930s and beyond resulted in electricity for thousands of rural Tennesseeans. TVA benefited the region in other ways; agricultural education improved farming techniques in the region. Also, the new lakes provided recreation sites; dams made the rivers navigable and controlled the many floods that used to plague the region. TVA provided the power needed for plants in Tennessee during World War II.

TVA now provides power to almost 150,000 towns, industries, and agencies with its coal-fired, hydroelectric, and nuclear plants. The TVA has had a significant impact on the environments of Tennessee and surrounding states because agriculture and manufacturing techniques have changed. For more information on the Tennessee Valley Authority, visit www.tva.gov.

Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) 

The Knoxville Utilities Board, or KUB, is no ordinary business. The organization was created as an amendment to the Knoxville City Charter in 1939. KUB is an independent agency of the city, providing electric, gas, and wastewater service to over 370,000 customers in the city of Knoxville and parts of its seven surrounding counties. The company has stated that their desire is to provide utility service that is so reliable that their customers take it for granted. It seems that they have achieved their goal, since they provide uninterrupted service 99.98 percent of the time. Reliability being one of the most important qualities in the product of any technology company, the members of TSA have much to learn. In addition to excellent service, KUB sponsors community events, including a chocolate festival, art exhibitions, and counseling and training on the subject of home owning to citizens. With passion for both excellence and the betterment of the community, KUB mirrors the values on which TSA was built. For more information on the community activities of KUB, visit www.kub.org.