TVA's head-rolling TVA’s head-rolling for Kingston disaster – not!
February 9, 2009
The Tennessee Valley Authority fiefdom style of organization which consists of cross-
responsibilities, muddled lines of authority has now been “reorganized” according to TVA’s
statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, 2009. The heading of
that section of SEC’s report seems to ask for information on the “Departure of Directors or
Certain Officers” among other things. (See below Item 5.02 of the SEC report.)
What the TVA reports, however, appears to be nothing more than the shuffling of deck chairs,
nobody has been thrown overboard. Typically, that is the way in the federal government, nobody
ever gets fired.
Someone must eventually be held accountable for the billion-dollar Kingston dam break disaster.
By this so-called reorganization of some of TVA’s top management one is led to believe that
somewhere in the hat-changing procedure there is a culprit, someone who actually is
responsible for the dilatory action of the TVA by following their least costly option to repair the
looming rupture of the sludge pond earthen dam.
You might ask the question “Who’s in charge here?” Is it the engineers? No, I don’t think so
because they clearly reported the danger but their cost estimates to repair the dam led TVA
management to the least-cost option.
That failure to heed the warning of a clear and present danger of the dam collapsing is
negligence. From reports by competent professionals the finger-pointing swings back to the one
who is supposed to be in charge of the entire agency, the one who has been granted the
authority and responsibility to manage TVA, the CEO.
I would appreciate it if someone would supply me with the unraveled gobbledygook of the
following organizational changes in TVA management. There is an old axiom that says when
everyone is responsible then no one can be held responsible.
There must be accountability for the Kingston disaster, as frequently is heard, “some heads
must roll”. But the only thing that shows is old fashioned logrolling.
“Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.”
“On February 5, 2009, TVA announced that Preston Swafford, TVA’s Executive Vice President
of Fossil Power Group, was appointed Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President, TVA Nuclear. Mr. Swafford is replacing William R. Campbell, who was named Senior Vice President
of Fleet Engineering, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (“COO”). Anda Ray, TVA’s
Senior Vice President of Office of Environment and Research, was appointed the Project
Executive for the environmental remediation of the ash spill at Kingston Fossil Plant, reporting
directly to the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). Additionally, Bob Deacy was named
Construction Executive for the recovery at Kingston as well as ash and gypsum remediation
efforts at all coal plants. Mr. Deacy reports directly to the CEO on all issues related to
Kingston, and to the COO on all other matters.”
Clear enough?
Ernest Norsworthy
emnorsworthy@earthlink.net
http://norsworthyopinion.com