Five questions with Glenn McCullough, Jr.

Glenn McCullough, Jr. was appointed Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) chairman by President George W. Bush in July, 2001. Prior to joining TVA’s board in 1999, McCullough served 2 years as mayor of Tupelo. McCullough has extensive economic development experience, having been appointed as the Mississippi director of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in 1992 by Governor Kirk Fordice.

McCullough is leading TVA into the 21st century with a focus on achieving corporate excellence in the generation and transmission of electric power, stewardship of the Tennessee River system and the environment, and regional economic development.

McCullough, a sixth-generation Mississippian, is married to the former Laura White of Tupelo. They have two sons, Vance and Glenn Thomas.

1. What is the scope and mission of the Tennessee Valley Authority?
For more than seven decades, TVA has improved the quality of life in Mississippi and the Tennessee Valley by delivering affordable, reliable power, cleaner air and water, progress through resource development, leadership for a Valley economy, operational excellence and financial strength.

2. What are your responsibilities as TVA Chairman?
My responsibility is to ensure that TVA performs at a high level of achievement for the benefit of the people we serve. With more than 8.5 million consumers throughout the Valley depending on us, this takes top priority for everyone. TVA employees, our public power distributors, economic development professionals, the Administration, Congress, and the TVA Board all have important roles in TVA’s meeting the energy, environmental and economic development needs of the people in the Tennessee Valley. My energy and resolve is spent working with the men and women of TVA and our power distributors to achieve excellence in our business performance and public service for the people in 300,000 homes and 73,000 businesses we serve in Mississippi and the 8.5 million people throughout the Tennessee Valley.

3. How has our state benefited by having a Mississippian at the helm of TVA?
I’ll leave it to others to say specifically. However, the people in our Mississippi service area, our power distributors and economic development partners are valued as vital to TVA’s business and public service interests. My goal is for the people in 36 Mississippi counties and the entire Tennessee Valley to be well served by TVA. Our commitment is evident through the tax-equivalent payments we make to state and local governments. TVA paid $18 million in tax-equivalent payments to Mississippi last year. These funds help communities fund hospitals, roads and schools among many other important services.

4. Do you have any future political plans?
Opportunities for me after TVA, in large measure, depend on TVA’s performance. Through setting high goals and working to reach them, I am intent on TVA delivering value for the people we serve.

After TVA I want to use my experience in business and public service in a productive way toward a noble purpose.

5. What does energy deregulation mean for TVA?
To prepare for a more competitive electricity market, TVA has implemented a strategic planning process that analyzes how the new market may function, what competitive pressures TVA will face, and how TVA must prepare now for success in the future. According to the plan, preparing for a more competitive market requires TVA to begin working with distributors to develop new, more highly differentiated prices for power, unbundled services, and new contract terms. TVA will also assess the way it provides and prices transmission service to its customers and decide whether to integrate its transmission system into a larger regional market.

These challenges are not unique to TVA. Fiscally and strategically, the federal government, corporations, and the utility industry are dealing with cost pressures, competition for customers, the need to develop new technologies, and the need the efficiently manage all resources.

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