The full Senate will consider the nomination of Lyon County Judge-Executive Wade White as a member of the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors after his nomination was approved Thursday by the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works.
In a statement, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said with Thursday’s vote, the Senate moved one step closer to placing his friend Judge White on the TVA Board of Directors and finally adding a Kentuckian’s voice to an organization with significant influence over Kentuckians’ lives. He went on to say the 215,000 Kentucky households that rely on TVA for their everyday power needs deserve a representative who understands the importance of affordable, reliable power. He said, as proven by his successful tenure as Lyon County Judge-Executive, White is just that leader. McConnell said he looks forward to the full Senate approving this highly qualified nominee and adding a commonsense, Kentucky perspective to the TVA Board.
Senator McConnell recommended Judge White to President Biden for this position on the TVA Board of Directors and introduced him to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety earlier this month.
TVA distributes electricity to 28 counties in Kentucky through local cooperatives and manages energy projects in the state including the Kentucky Dam, the Shawnee Fossil Plant, and combustion turbines in Marshall County. White would be the only Kentuckian serving on the board if confirmed by the Senate and McConnell says a Kentucky perspective is needed on the board.
The nine-member TVA board currently has five members. President Biden selected four nominees last year, but their confirmation process dragged on for more than a year. Another nominee took his name out of the confirmation process.
