Tennessee Valley Authority Case Study

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) provides electric power to millions of families in the southeastern U.S. at reasonable prices. It is a government corporation founded during the Great Depression. The TVA does not run off taxpayer money and does not make profits from its services. This corporation is helpful with flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee river system. The TVA also helps with economic development in the seven southeastern states.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt founded the TVA during the Great Depression as one of the solutions for bringing the nation out of its great debt. The TVA proved to be one of his greatest creations. The TVA was intended to provide jobs for the southern US while boosting

the economy. He asked Congress to create “a corporation clothed with the power of government but possessed of the flexibility and initiative of a private enterprise.” The corporation took an innovative step towards resource management that had yet to be implemented in America. The act for the foundation of the TVA was passed in May of 1933 after the government assessed every possible weakness it might have. After its foundation, the TVA ranked the issues it planned to address by importance. Some of these issues included power production, navigation, flood control, malaria prevention, reforestation, and erosion control.
The TVA kept its strategy of weighing issues long after its establishment as problems changed.

The Great Depression took a toll on the Tennessee Valley region and the land was hardly fruitful. It had been farmed for too long using insufficient management techniques and was basically barren. The TVA developed fertilizers and taught farmers the proper techniques to yield from the land while keeping it sustainable. It promoted great wildlife and fishery management methods so that the ecosystem would flourish. The greatest benefit of the TVA was the generation of electricity for rural homes, bringing the south into the modern generation. The power it provided brought industry to the Southeast and the jobs that came with the new industries. During WWII, the TVA was part of the massive effort to construct aircraft and other war materials. The huge production efforts brought the TVA to its peak of nearly 30,000 construction

workers.
When WWII ended, the TVA created a navigation channel that ran the length of the Tennessee river and supplied electricity by water. This became the largest supply of electricity in the nation. In 1959 the TVA became a self-financing entity. Economic growth skyrocketed in the 60’s thanks to the Tennessee Valley Authority. Following the war, the TVA built nuclear plants to feed the nation’s growing demand for power. In the 70’s, an oil embargo made fuel costs increase and the TVA responded by improving the efficiency of its workforce and cutting power prices.
In the 80’s, the TVA had countered the rise in power rates and set the standard for rate stability that would last.

They produced a cleaner, more environmentally friendly way to produce power. The new methods encouraged even more economic growth. The focus remained on environmentally friendly service in the early 2000’s, but the TVA seamlessly adapted to changing business and marketing demands.

In the year 2010, the TVA unveiled their plan to become a leading provider for low-cost, clean energy at the end of the decade. TVA is currently working towards this goal by meeting three specific sub goals; Lead the nation in improving air quality, increased nuclear production, and lead the Southeast in increased energy efficiency. The corporation is meeting these goals currently while keeping their promise to remain affordable and promoting excellent economic development. The TVA spans across seven states in a massive service region. They provide efficient power for millions of

residents.
The TVA began as a desperate attempt to save the Southeastern US during the Great Depression. It grew from a humble beginning to a leading national competitor for clean power and cost affordable energy. It brought agricultural success and modern conveniences to the rural southern states. It helped America win WWII by aiding in the building of Warcraft. The TVA brought jobs to unemployed men and women and put food on their family’s tables. The corporation jumpstarted economic growth in the Southeast and drove them into the new century. The TVA has changed the framework of our nation for the better and will continue to do so through reliable and efficient service.