During the fall meeting in October 2025 in Gatlinburg, Commissioner Tommy Barnes (R) –District 1 Colbert County, AL was elected President for the upcoming 2026 year of ATVG. Commissioner Barnes welcomes your questions and participation in issues affecting the Tennessee Valley Authority and TVA counties. Commissioner Barnes may be contacted at:
Commissioner Tommy Barnes (R) –
District 1 Colbert County, AL
3414 E 18th Ave. Sheffield, AL 35660
Phone: 256-284-5852
email: tommybarnes1958@gmail.com
The Tennessee Valley Authority’s application has been selected for a $400 million grant
from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to accelerate the deployment of the nation’s
first Generation III+ Small Modular Reactor at TVA’s Clinch River nuclear site in East
Tennessee. See complete story from TVA.gov here
The National Association of Counties recently published an article spotlighting Eastern Tennessee Counties of Anderson, Roane, and Knox regarding renewed interest in nuclear energy technology. See this interesting article here on the NACO.org website: Eastern Tennessee counties collaborate on nuclear energy ambitions , Article by Charlie Ban, NACO County News Digital Editor.
Executive Director Mike Arms recommends ATVG members planning to attend our Fall Meeting in Gatlinburg TN October 22-23, 2025 at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown Gatlinburg to please make reservations now! See the reservation link below for Hotel Reservations . We will post the agenda and registration form later this summer on our website.
Details will include an early arrival reception on Wednesday, October 22, at the Park Grill on Parkway, A special presentation on Black Bears will begin at 9AM Thursday morning and our annual meeting and election Thursday, October 23 at 11:00 am, followed by lunch and our afternoon program begins at 1PM. As always we will conclude with a social hour and group dinner on Thursday evening at 6pm. If you plan to attend please make reservations for your room before September 24. We have a $209 room rate during the Park’s peak color season…..So Rooms will go quickly!
Hotel special group rate:
Thanks,
Mike Arms, ATVG Executive Director
ATVG Summer Newsletter is full of interesting articles this month focusing on TVA’s push for increased generation capacity and the nations call for new generating technology and upgraded infrastructure to power the future. View our Summer Newsletter here.
ATVG would like to share two interesting opinion articles shared by the Tennessee Electric Municipal Power Association and published recently by the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Click on the article below to view.
Opinion: Protecting our investment in power – Doug Peters,
TVPPA
Opinion: TVA is the opposite of broken – Stephen E. Farner,
Laborers’ International Union of North America
Jeff Smith presents a slide stating that “TVA’s Clinch River SMR Site is the nation’s lowest risk and quickest approach to bring new nuclear onto the grid at a cost the system can afford.” at the summer Association of Tennessee Valley Governments meeting on June 11, 2025. Photo’s by Terry Frank
OAK RIDGE, TENN.—Anderson County, Roane County, and the City of Oak Ridge were on display as the Association of Tennessee Governments (ATVG) Conference showcased area assets and talent at the two-day summer ATVG Conference held in June.
Welcoming attendees from six of the seven states that make up the Tennessee Valley, the conference focused on energy, with a special emphasis on the history and future of nuclear. Continue reading
TVA is busy adding 6,200 megawatts of new generation with 3,570 megawatts currently under construction. See Release of TVA projects to meet demands of power in the Tennessee Valley Unleashing American Energy
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee recently had an editorial article published in the Wall Street Journal June 27, 2025. His article calls for the Tennessee Valley Authority to lead the country in new technology in nuclear energy and the race to AI. The article:
Let the TVA Power America’s Nuclear Future, Trump can appoint board members who actually want the U.S. to win the energy race with China, can be viewed here:
Please join us in Oak Ridge for our summer ATVG meeting on June 10th and 11th• We have an outstanding program with world class presenters sharing the status of TVA’s economic development activities, the ongoing “Nuclear Renaissance” in the Oak Ridge region, the progress of the small modular reactor, and the nations premier science laboratory (ORNL). We will have updates on TVA and the Seven States Power Corporation.
Our summer meeting will also include a tour of the DOE Complex and two networking receptions at the American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE). We will conclude with a dinner in the city’s historic Jackson Square.
You will not want to miss this event. Please complete your ATVG registration and hotel room booking early. See you in June! See agenda and registration form here.
Mike Arms, ATVG Executive Director