Alternative news and discussion for Scottsboro, Jackson County Alabama and the Tennessee River Valley as I see it. Responsible comments to articles welcome. As always, "Watch for Snakes," particularly those wearing suits.
JAMES MADISON QUOTE - 1822
"A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives."
TVA President/CEO Bill Johnson provides the Presidents Report to Board Board Members and Ratepayers Thursday, August 25, 2016. TVA Board Member Lynn Evans is on Mr. Johnson's right.
Several Ratepayers and citizens expressed their concerns with the TVA Board. The Majority of the citizen input involved Floating Homes on TVA waters. Information on the TVA's Floating Homes Policy may be found at this link: https://tva.com/Environment/Shoreline-Construction/Floating-Houses
Summary of the TVA Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Extended Power Uprate Problem compiled by Garry Morgan as presented to the TVA Board of Directors.
Presented to you are
comments of Mark Leyse, Nuclear Safety Advisor, for BEST/MATRR. The information presented to you in the enclosed
report to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board and the Chief Executive Officer, indicates there is an error
in the computer safety model analysis of the Extended Power Uprate (EPU) for
the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN).
This error undermines the
defense in depth safety requirements of the Browns Ferry Nuclear
Facility. This same report
has been presented as comments to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Non-conservative computer
safety model analyses were performed in order to justify the Extended Power Uprate (EPU) for the Browns
Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN). As explained
in the comments presented, experimental
data indicates that the EPU analyses under-predict the rates of the chemical reaction between
zirconium and steam that would occur in the event of a loss-of-coolant accident (“LOCA”). This means that the analyses under-predicts
the rates in which energy (heat) is
released, hydrogen generated, and zirconium fuel-cladding oxidized by the zirconium-steam reaction. The computer
safety model is supposed to over-predict temperatures in order to ensure an
adequate margin of safety.
By overlooking the
deficiencies of the computer safety models, the TVA and the NRC have undermined defense-in-depth safety
principles, requiring the application of conservative models in the computer safety model analysis.
The health and safety of citizens living in the
area surrounding the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant should not be
compromised by TVA using these
non-conservative safety models to help qualify for the proposed Extended Power Uprates at the aging Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.
TVA looking to sell Bellefonte property - Johnson say's "TVA needs to weigh merits of generation, development."
“As we consider this decision, it is important that we hear from interested stakeholders, potential site developers and the general public,” said TVA President and CEO Bill Johnson. “TVA has been investing at a minimal level to preserve the Bellefonte site for future generating use, should we need it.”
“The 2015 Integrated Resource Plan, completed with public input, indicates it may be two decades before additional large baseload generation is needed,” he said. “It’s time we answer the question of whether TVA is serving the public well by retaining control of the Bellefonte site, or if others could make more beneficial use of it. And with economic development as a cornerstone of our mission, TVA wants to know if there is an entity interested in investing and creating jobs at this location.”
The public comment period runs through March 18. There is no public meeting scheduled.
Rumor has been circulating locally that Tom Kilgore, former TVA CEO and Jackson Co. resident, will head up an effort to bring the facility into a power generation mode utilizing new and current assets financed by external players in a VIE, variable interest entity (sell-lease back), type of plan. Locally, EDA representatives are denying this plan.
My thoughts, Nuclear Power proponents are their own worse enemy, they do not look realistically at the truth about cost at the front and the end of such projects. Deceit has become a debilitating culture within the civilian nuclear power industry. There is a penchant for shortcuts to save money. This presents a serious problem in regards to safety, security and Human Reliability
TVA BOARD MEETING
Thursday, February 11, 2016 the Tennessee Valley Authority met in Chattanooga, Tn. for its 1st quarter board meeting.
Bellefonte 3 & 4, motion has been filed to abandon licensing of the AP1000 Reactor project."It's time to quit wasting money pursuing this project that TVA can't afford," said Garry Morgan, a Scottsboro resident and critic of the Bellefonte project... "We welcome TVA's decision to slow the financial hemorrhage at Bellefonte 3 and 4," Dr. Stephen A. Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said in a statement today. "We strongly encourage TVA to go ahead and close the books on the 42-year old Bellefonte 1 and 2 reactor units, which will never be completed, saving more money and allowing Northern Alabama to move into the 21st century with new economic opportunities like Google, energy efficiency and clean solar power."
TVA Wastes Their Time and Our Money - Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team/Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation, a chapter of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, presented a report on Friday showing TVA’s "waste of money on nuclear power." The group called for a withdrawal of the operating license for Bellefonte nuclear power plant in Hollywood, Al.
"TVA is not being transparent with the public about their debt and operational costs,” said Garry Morgan, BEST/MATRR treasurer. “They operate under a veil of fractured accounting making it very difficult to figure out their total financial status"..."As we move into a world of solar and wind energy, those sites could be used for safer economic alternatives without radioactive trash and with cleaner air and water for the health of our citizens,” said Gretel Johnston, BEST/MATRR member. "
TVA Finances - debt and liabilities are much higher than reported. All commitments listed on the TVA 1st quarter financial report below. (Click on image for an expanded view.)
VIDEOS
Listening Session - Selected Presentations
Chattanooga, Tennessee - February 11, 2016. TVA Quarterly Board Meeting, Listening Session, input from the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, and their local chapter, The Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team and Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation. We asked the TVA to stop wasting resources and our rate-payer dollars on the charade of Bellefonte Units 3 & 4, 2 proposed AP 1000 Nuclear Reactors estimated to cost between $12 & 15 Billion in today's dollars
Concerned citizens from various environmental groups in the Tennessee River Valley discuss issues with the TVA Board.
TVA BOARD PRESENTATIONS - Presidents Report - Financial Report - Engineer of the Year, etc.
TVA Board Meeting Intro, TVPPA
TVA Industrial Committee Report, Presidents Report, Engineer of the Year Award, Pension Issue.
TVA Board Meeting Bylaws, Regulatory Issues, Financial Report, Nuclear Oversight-CEO Appointed as WANO Chair, External Relations/People and Performance Committees, Appointment of Joe Ritch as Chair of TVA Board.
TVA Power Fist (Fair Use rights for non-profit news reporting and commentary.)
Chattanooga Times Free Press article
"TVA directors on Friday adopted a $10.7 billion spending plan for fiscal 2016 that will raise electricity rates by 1.5 percent. The rate hike, the same as in each of the past two years, will raise an extra $200 million from customers in TVA's seven-state territory."
TVA Widows Creek (photo by TVA - Fair Use for non-profit news reporting)
Top Story for Jackson County Alabama - TVA-in-lieu-of-taxes will be negatively impacted. Excerpt from the Chattanooga Times Free Press: "The Tennessee Valley Authority will shut down the last operating unit at its oldest coal plant in Alabama by the end of the year. TVA directors voted today to shutter the Widows Creek Fossil Plant near Stevenson, Ala., which TVA began building more than 60 years ago. TVA has previously idled all but one of the eight units at Widows Creek. The only remaining operating generator, Unit 7, is scheduled to be closed by the end of the year as part of TVA's efforts to meet stricter environmental rules," http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2015/may/07/tva-prepares-shut-down-widows-creek-coal-plant/302963/
Al.com article - "90 jobs to be lost - The Tennessee Valley Authority will by October close the last remaining unit at its Widows Creek coal plant in Jackson County.TVA officials said the closing, which will affect about 90 jobs, is in response to new federal regulations regarding the storage and monitoring of coal ash. Widows Creek has eight units. TVA shut down six units between May 2012 and July 2013 and it closed a seventh unit last October."
"As provided by the TVA Act and the TVA Bylaws, the principal responsibilities of the Board are to establish the broad strategies, goals, and objectives, long-range plans, and policies of TVA and to ensure that those are achieved by the TVA staff led by the Chief Executive Officer. Each Director takes an oath to faithfully and impartially perform the duties of office. Directors serve part-time."
February 12, 2015, TVA Board of Directors Meeting at Chattanooga, Tn. Listening session presentations by BREDL/BEST/MATRR members Sandy Kurtz and Garry Morgan.
February 12, 2015, TVA Board of Directors 1st Quarter 2015 Meeting at Chattanooga, Tn. Finance Report by CFO John Thomas,
February 12, 2015, TVA Board of Directors 1st Quarter 2015 Meeting at Chattanooga, Tn. Presidents Report by Bill Johnson. Engineer of the Year Award - Jeff Phillips.
Thursday, November 6, 2014 was the regular quarterly Board of Directors Meeting. This board meeting was held at the Music City Center in downtown Nashville. Board of Directors page, meeting video archives, future meeting schedule and bios on TVA's Board of Directors may be found at http://www.tva.com/abouttva/board/index.htm
LISTENING SESSION - CITIZEN PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD
Tree Cutting Issue - Citizens have been complaining about TVA's heavy handed tactics concerning tree cutting for many years. Citizen Testimony reveals allegations in which the TVA or their contractors may be violating law or TVA policy as described - intimidation by Right of Way Management; cutting of trees outside of line boundary; improper use of herbicides; poisoning of water sources; destruction of environment resulting in erosion and destruction of private property: contractors use of untrained and/or illegal labor for application of herbicides; cutting trees which fell on power lines.
Renewable - Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency vs Coal and Nuclear Power
TVA continues to insist that nuclear power is clean energy. This is a dangerous false mantra due to deadly, highly radioactive used nuclear fuel which must be safely and securely stored for centuries. Nuclear power is an expensive, high risk energy alternative.
Big News: TVA decreases its overall debt by $1.05 billion dollars for FY 2014, but the board approved a $3 billion increase in Power Bond sales - 2015 budget, $1 billion in nuclear power debt; a rate increase was approved at 1.5% ; energy efficiency budget slashed by 25%.
KEY PRESENTATION POINTS - TVA BOARD APPROVED:
1) a $10.7 billion budget for fiscal 2015; 2) a rate increase was approved at 1.5%; 3) increase debt by $3 billion-power bond sales; 4) TVA will spend $3.5 billion on new projects in fiscal 2015 -- the highest capital budget in TVA's history. 5) $1 billion approved for 2015 nuclear expansion; 6) TVA's debt increase by $1 billion next year, this will increase TVA's total debt obligations above $28 billion. TVA has a $30 billion statutory debt limit. 7) TVA will have eliminated 2000 jobs by September of 2014. 8) Reduce energy efficiency measures by 25%. This resulted in a comment from board member Dr. Marilyn Brown, an Energy Efficiency Expert from Georgia Tech. She said: "TVA Energy efficiency provides a significant benefit to TVA and its customers and I believe this cut is a reflection of a false economy, it is penny wise and pound foolish...co-generation and combined heat to power is an untapped asset."
Dr, Marilyn Brown
Although Dr. Brown raised questions, there was no stand for what is right. Justifying bad decisions with a speech does not provide confidence in the TVA Board. It is not Dr. Browns fault, at least she spoke up, all bare responsibility. Folks, slashing that which saves money for rate payers in order to make TVA Executives feel good is ridiculous and a dangerous precedent for those who are suppose to govern the TVA. This confirms the notion of "rubber stamp decision making," all has been discussed and approved before hand.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY GETS THE AX!
Why do leaders on this board, who should know better, vote for that which benefits executives instead of the people whom they serve. Did the CEO or any executive agree to cut their pay and bonuses by 25%???
TVA CEO
2015 PRIORITIES as expresed by TVA's CEO/President Bill Johnson
(CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW FOR AN EXPANDED VIEW)
OLD STORY FOR TVA
TVA rate increases were a primary reason for the closing of the Revere Copper Brass and Aluminum facility in Scottsboro, Alabama and the subsequent Scottsboro Aluminum. TVA refused to negotiate with the company, they closed their doors.
""Charles Chapman, group manager of energy and reliability at the Dalton, Ga. -based Shaw Industries, said TVA rates are higher for Shaw than those of Southern Co. or Duke. Shaw operates about 50 plants nationwide, including more than 30 in the Southeast. Three years ago, Shaw moved a plant three miles to relocate from TVA to Southern's territory to save more than 25 percent on its energy costs.In the past, TVA had more competitive rates, but we've seen a substantial ebb up over the past eight or nine years," Chapman said. "Bill Johnson has done a great job, but we'd like to see more."" http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/aug/22/tva-cuts-staff-spending-but-boost-rates-15/
TVA FINANCES
From the Chattanooga Times Free Press (link above)
By the numbers - TVA 2015 Budget
* $10.7 billion - Budget for fiscal 2015, down from the $11.2 billion budget in the current fiscal year when cold winter pushed up sales
* $199 million - Increase from 2 percent wholesale rate increase (1.5 percent at the retail level) * $3.5 billion - Capital budget, the highest in TVA history * $1.02 billion - Increase in TVA debt * $500 million - Amount of annual operating expenses cut from TVA's budget compared with three years ago *$594 million - Projected net income Source: Tennessee Valley Authority
Outstanding - the $634 million excess in the cash flow was utilized to pay down the debt.
FINANCES - "The Tennessee Valley Authority ended fiscal 2013 with net income of $271 million on $11 billion in operating revenues despite a decline in sales, while record levels of low-cost hydroelectric generation helped offset higher fuel costs. TVA reported solid financial results in 2013 despite lower sales and revenues,” TVA President Bill Johnson said in the utility's annual report filed today." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/nov/18/tva-sales-drop-income-rises-fiscal-2013/?breakingnews
BELLEFONTE - TVA President Bill Johnson told TVA directors Thursday a new assessment projects that finishing just one of the two reactors would cost $7.4 billion to $8.7 billion. The earlier estimate was $4.9 billion...The numbers and the recent decline in TVA power sales mean there's no need to finish Bellefonte anytime soon. Johnson said a proposal from former TVA Chairman Dennis Bottorff and Haney to help the utility finance the work doesn't add up and won't be done in time to qualify for needed federal tax credits..."We'd either have to borrow a lot more money or raise rates and either of those, we think, would make it hard to continue our basic mission," Johnson said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/nov/15/bellefonte-costs-rise-again/
Big news - TVA debt continues to grow, executives give excuses and predict the debt will fall but offer no reasonable, sensible solution for debt reduction. Also, this is an old story that has been told for the past 25 years.
The Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors approved a $10.5 billion fiscal year 2014 budget at its meeting Thursday and a 1.5 percent retail rate increase.
Rate Adjustment
-The TVA board of directors approved a 1.5 percent retail electric rate increase, effective with the FY 2014 budget on Oct. 1, 2013.
-The increase will be about $1.50 a month for the residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
"Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) faces a challenging financial situation in the near future. The company is making significant investments to improve the condition of existing assets, bring new ones on-line, and comply with environmental regulations. At the same time, TVA is
approaching a statutorily imposed debt ceiling of $30 billion, a major impediment to making
needed investments. TVA currently projects that it will have accumulated approximately $27.4
billion in debt and debt-like instruments in fiscal year (FY) 2012. Furthermore, in light of the nation’s current weak economy and TVA’s increased borrowings being considered part of the
federal deficit, TVA could have difficulties in getting the debt ceiling raised."
The TVA OIG Report gives a historical accounting of TVA debt which I summarize as follows: (A) 1996- $26 billion debt, Executives stated they would reduce the debt by half to $13.2 billion in 10 years, they failed. (B) 2004 and subsequent years up to 2011 there were several attempts to reduce debt, all failed. History listed on page 6 of the OIG report at the above link.
TVA's CFO John Thomas, Aug. 22, 2013, makes more debt predictions.
TVA Raccoon Mountain 1600 Mega Watt Pumped Storage Facility Update
VIDEO Part 1 Presidents Report
VIDEO Part 2 Financial Report
TVA Board Chairman Bill Sansom
TVA OIG Report as mentioned in the Quarterly Report, ( Aug. 5. 2013 OIG Report, link: http://oig.tva.gov/reports/audit-inpsections.html ) no conflicts of interest, concerning Mr. Sansom's Director positions with other private corporations doing business with the TVA. (Full Report)
Chairman of the TVA and on Bank Corporation Board of Directors (resigned in 2012), page 6 of the OIG Report, TVA paid over $6 million dollars to the Bank in 2010. The OIG reports no conflicts of interest but leaves it up to the public to determine if there was the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Other companies did provide products to the TVA in which the Chairman served on the board. However, it was stated that the chairman was not involved in any of the transactions, which were small in size.
Information gathered and presented at the last TVA Board Meeting, and to the OIG for their disposition of choice, was public information available and accessible on the web about the public and private corporate offices held by Mr. Sansom, including his reportable financial holdings.
Individual employed by TVA is not Mr. Sansom's relative although the the name is the same as his relative.
"A potential sale is part of a “strategic review” of the Knoxville, Tennessee-based nonprofit, which faces increasing capital costs, according to the administration’s fiscal 2014 budget proposal released yesterday. A sale may yield $30 billion to $35 billion in cash and reduced government debt obligations, said Travis Miller, a Chicago-based analyst for Morningstar Inc. (MORN) "
TVA leadership welcomes debt review: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/apr/19/tva-leaders-welcome-debt-review/ "President and CEO Bill Johnson and board Chairman Bill Sansom said they believe TVA is "a good business model" that is funded totally by ratepayers, not taxpayers.
"We'll cooperate and participate, and we're glad to see the review. In the meantime, we've got to focus and direct management's attention on running the place right," Sansom said at a board meeting Thursday in Columbia, Tenn."
Nuclear Decommissioning - NRC's out of date plan and policy: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/decommissioning.html TVA Funds - Nuclear decommissioning trust fund balance at the end of fiscal 2012 (Sept. 30, 2012) $1,165,216,096; 2011 was $945,961,913; 2009 was $660.5 million. Information provided via request to TVA.
TVA's Nuclear Decommissioning Fund status in its annual SEC 10K report will not be found and the report listing is confusing. TVA's 2012 10K Annual Financial Report reflects deferred costs, page 98. No where in the financial report are the actual decommissioning funds on hand listed. Pg 73 contains a discussion. http://investor.shareholder.com/tva/secfiling.cfm?filingID=1376986-12-43
"GAO investigated 12 reactors’ trust funds, comparing company-prepared site-specific decommissioning cost estimates to NRC’s formula. For nine reactors, NRC’s formula resulted in funds below the companies’ estimates. In one case, a company believed it needed $836 million, which was $362 million more than NRC’s formula figure. GAO also noted NRC’s funding formula was more than 30 years old." http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i13/Nuclear-Retirement-Anxiety.html
TVA's nuclear decommissioning funds on hand are not sufficient and rely on NRC's 30 year antiquated policy. Current TVA nuclear plant decommissioning fund status below as reported to the NRC.
Nuclear decommissioning trust fund balance at the end of fiscal 2012 (Sept. 30, 2012) $1,165,216,096.
Current long operating nuclear plant decommissioning costs per plant are estimated to be $800-$900 million per reactor. TVA is seriously lacking in their decommissioning fund. (Decommissioning Trust Fund Balance provided by TVA. The table reflects the official report provided the NRC.)
Silly "AFP" - here is the You Tube address: http://youtu.be/paxDogM6MjU they post this video on You Tube, a Google entity, but AFP will not allow a You Tube video to be played on Google Blogger?
Facebook has permanently suspended my account, CENSORED, for telling the truth about Donald Trump's criminal history and disclosing facts about racial discrimination in Scottsboro and our nation. Garry Morgan : 03/15/2025
Copyright Info
All Rights Reserved for writings, video, photographs and art by Garry L. Morgan.
U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Rule: "Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, nonprofit educational purposes and research. Link: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
Total "In the Boro" Pageviews
Scottsboro Police Department Web Site
""The police are the public, the public are the police. The police are the only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties that are incumbent on every citizen in the interest to community welfare and existence." - Sir Robert Peel, 1829 https://www.scottsboropd.org/
The Sunlight Foundation uses cutting-edge technology and ideas to make government transparent and accountable. Click on image to learn more.
THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY
"I can say with confidence that the federal government needs a major overhaul. Don’t get me wrong, most public servants in government are highly educated and dedicated professionals who are committed to “the greater good.” At the same time, the government has become a bloated bureaucracy that is based on past conditions and in too many cases, federal programs and policies can’t demonstrate that they are generating real results that benefit the American people."
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David Walker President and CEO The Peter G. Peterson Foundation http://www.pgpf.org/ ; former, recently served for 10 years, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
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NPR's story on David Walker: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124460237
"public intelligence"
"What is Public Intelligence? Public Intelligence is an international, collaborative research project aimed at aggregating the collective work of independent researchers around the globe who wish to defend the public’s right to access information." http://publicintelligence.net/
A Nuclear Engineer's Report on the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant
Danger Zone: Aging Nuclear Reactors
Incident at Browns Ferry (PBS 1977)
History of nuclear power safety issues which the 1975 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant fire brought forward. This video has been censored by the nuclear industry. The trillion dollar multinational nuclear death industry prefers to keep you the citizen in the dark and feed you crap.
Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio and others. Click on image for a tour. Left click & hold mouse to move image.
Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team/Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation http://www.matrr.org/
"TVA at the Crossroads" a SACE Film.
"America is at an energy crossroads and the Tennessee Valley Authority has a choice to make: Will it cling to old coal power because of its historic significance or will it retire its oldest, dirtiest and least efficient plants and lead America into a clean energy future?" TVA At The Crossroads from SACE.
****************************I'm GARRY MORGAN, a Christian, U.S. Army (AMEDD) retired, Race Relations/Equal Opportunity Specialist (U.S.Army, Retired DOD-DRRI-DEOMI) a citizen of Scottsboro Alabama, a Baylor University grad-Go Bears, a political activist and a political Independent as I believe political parties divide the citizenry whom they are suppose to represent. We must learn the lessons of our history or we will surely repeat our mistakes. I think the greatest problem facing our nation is the massive national and personal debt.
