All Reports

As part of our annual audit plan, we audited costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by Mesa Associates, Inc. (Mesa) under Contract No. 13191 for engineering, design, and construction support services in support of TVA's dam safety, generation, and transmission work. The contract provided for TVA to compensate Mesa for these services on either a cost-reimbursable or fixed price basis.

As part of our annual audit plan, we audited the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) utility-scale Solar Purchased Power Agreements (PPA). Our audit objectives were to determine if TVA has (1) approached Solar PPAs to better understand the industry and market trends being developed prior to entering into multiple agreements and (2) developed Solar PPAs to recognize positive financial value earlier in the term of the PPAs. The scope of our review was utility-scale solar PPAs in place as of December 31, 2020.

The Office of the Inspector General determined the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) industrial hygiene (IH) planning and assessment process had weaknesses that resulted in some hazards not being identified and evaluated. Specifically, we identified the following IH process weaknesses: (1) TVA relied on limited information to identify health hazards; (2) there was no formal evaluation of the risks posed by identified hazards; (3) IH plans did not prioritize hazards; and, (4) an incomplete monitoring process allowed for misalignment between plans and exposure assessments.

The Office of the Inspector General included an audit of contractor use of TVA’s purchasing cards in its fiscal year 2021 Audit Plan, based on the significant amount of charges made using TVA purchasing cards assigned to contractors. The objective of the audit was to determine if adequate controls were in place to ensure purchases made by TVA contractors using a TVA purchasing card were (1) for TVA business purposes and not the use of another entity and (2) not being billed back to TVA.

The Office of the Inspector General determined the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) industrial hygiene (IH) planning and assessment process had weaknesses that resulted in some hazards not being identified and evaluated. Specifically, we identified the following IH process weaknesses: (1) TVA relied on limited information to identify health hazards; (2) there was no formal evaluation of the risks posed by identified hazards; (3) IH plans did not prioritize hazards; and (4) incomplete monitoring efforts allowed misalignment between procedures, plans, and exposure assessments.

The Office of the Inspector General included an audit of TVA’s Federal Sustainability Report and Implementation Plan (SRIP) in its FY 2021 Audit Plan, based on the reputational risk of disseminating inaccurate information to the public. The objective of the audit was to determine if information in TVA’s SRIP has been validated prior to being disseminated to the public in accordance with any best practices. We found TVA did not perform procedures to validate data used to calculate nine of the ten metrics reported in the FY 2020 SRIP.

The Office of the Inspector General conducted a review of the Generation Services, Field Services organization to identify factors that could impact Field Services' organizational effectiveness. During the course of our evaluation, we identified many positive behaviors for engagement; however, we also identified needed improvements in behaviors in relation to first-line supervisors in three departments.

The Office of the Inspector General determined some requirements of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s procedures related to arc flash protection and engineering calculations were not performed. Specifically, (1) some arc flash hazard analyses were not performed, (2) arc flash hazard analyses were not periodically reviewed, (3) some arc flash hazard analyses were incomplete or inaccurate, and (4) some hazards were not accurately communicated on warning labels as required. In addition, we found arc flash hazard calculations were not formatted, approved, or maintained as required.

As part of our annual audit plan, we audited costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by The L.E. Myers Co. (LE Myers) under Contract No. 9070 for construction and modification services for TVA's Transmission and Power Supply Program. The contract provided for TVA to compensate LE Myers for these services on either a cost-reimbursable or fixed price basis. Our audit objective was to determine if costs were billed in accordance with the terms and conditions of Contract No. 9070.

The Office of the Inspector General found the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) industrial hygiene planning and assessment process had weaknesses that resulted in some hazards not being identified and evaluated.