Power struggle: TVA distributors want access to transmission lines to bring in outside electricity

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Local power companies in Tennessee—including Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Athens Utilities Board, Gibson Electric, and Joe Wheeler EMC—are petitioning the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to force TVA to open its transmission lines to allow them to purchase cheaper power from outside suppliers. TVA President Jeff Lyash opposes the move, arguing that allowing such access would strand costs on remaining customers and violate the 1959 TVA fence legislation. The dispute reflects broader tensions over TVA's wholesale rates and the potential exodus of local distributors seeking more competitive pricing.