All Reports

We audited $59.5 million of costs billed to TVA by a contractor for the supply of ammonia and urea for TVA's Selective Catalytic Reduction systems. In summary, we found TVA (1) overpaid the contractor $188,231 due to invoice payment errors and the contractor's use of incorrect unit prices, (2) paid $12.4 million for certain charges that could not be validated because of inadequate or missing compensation provisions, and (3) site personnel at a certain fossil plant processed payments for ammonia before the ammonia had been received.

At the request of the Chief Executive Officer, we initiated a review of records retention policies and practices at TVA. The objectives of our review were to determine (1) whether records are being maintained in accordance with TVA policies and procedures and (2) if opportunities exist to improve records retention and disposal activities in light of office space consolidation initiatives.

We completed agreed-upon procedures to assist the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) in determining TVA's compliance with the annual reporting requirements of CRS' Green Pricing Accreditation Program for the year ended December 31, 2009. The required information on TVA's renewable energy initiative, "Green Power Switch," was provided to CRS. Summary Only

We audited $61.92 million in costs billed to TVA by a contractor, under two contracts for performing engineering services between October 2004 and December 2008 and found TVA had been overbilled $683,122 as follows:TVA was overbilled $70,838 because labor costs were billed using hourly billing rates instead of cost reimbursable payment terms as required by the contracts.TVA was billed $558,463 in ineligible and excessive temporary living costs because (1) short-term daily travel rates were paid to employees instead of (lower) long-term temporary living allowances, and (2) unauthorized local

As part of our annual audit plan, we reviewed the process for postponing and cancelling fossil capital projects. Our objective was to determine whether fiscal years 2007 and 2008 project postponements and cancellations were properly approved, effectively communicated, and monitored to prevent inappropriate charges. We determined that Fossil Generation (FG) projects were approved by the appropriate levels of authority and contained a capital classification designated by Fixed Asset Accounting (FAA).

As part of our annual audit plan, we reviewed the process for postponing and cancelling capital projects. Our objectives were to determine whether fiscal years 2007 and 2008 project postponements and cancellations for River Operations (RO) were properly approved, effectively communicated, and monitored to prevent inappropriate charges. We determined all sampled cancelled capital projects reviewed were approved by the appropriate levels of authority and contained a capital classification designated by Fixed Asset Accounting (FAA).

As part of our annual audit plan, we reviewed the process for postponing and cancelling Power System Operations (PSO) capital projects.

As part of our annual audit plan, we reviewed the process for postponing and cancelling Nuclear Power Group (NPG) capital projects. Our audit objectives were to determine whether fiscal years (FY) 2007 and 2008 project postponements and cancellations were (1) properly approved, (2) effectively communicated, and (3) monitored to prevent inappropriate charges.Based on our review, we determined that NPG's postponed and cancelled projects contained a capital classification designated by Fixed Asset Accounting (FAA) and that justifications for postponing/cancelling projets were valid.

We audited $4.27 million of costs billed to TVA by a contractor for providing preemptive full structural weld overlays on Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2. In summary, we found the contractor billed TVA $320,700 in unsupported and ineligible costs including (1) $271,200 of unsupported delay costs, and (2) $49,500 of ineligible billings for the cleaning and handling of equipment that was contaminated before it was shipped to TVA. We recommended TVA management recover $320,700 in unsupported and ineligible costs from the contractor. Summary Only

The Tennessee Valley Authority continues to live under the cloud of the Kingston ash spill of December 2008. The Office of the Inspector General is reminded of this shadow every day through our continuing review of TVA's efforts to return the Kingston area to its former state. We see TVA making steady progress on the physical cleanup; but more importantly, we see signs of an improvement in the TVA culture that contributed to this unfortunate environmental event.In this semiannual report, we ask the question, Culture: Asset or Liability?