Date Issued
Report Number
2026-17641
Report Type
Inspection / Evaluation
Description
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has 29 hydropower dams and 1 pumped-storage plant capable of providing over 5,000 megawatts of power. TVA’s generating sites can encounter a wide range of emergency incidents including meteorological, technological/industrial, or human events.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, developed the National Incident Management System in 2004, as a shared approach to coordinate and manage incidents and communicate information. Using FEMA’s guidance, Generation’s Emergency Preparedness Program personnel created site-specific Emergency Response Plans (ERP) to protect plant personnel, the public, and the plant during emergency events.
Due to the importance of an effective response in the event of an emergency, we conducted an evaluation of emergency preparedness at TVA hydro facilities. Our objectives were to determine if (1) emergency plans at TVA hydro facilities were up to date and included required elements and (2) required systems were available and functional.
We determined ERPs at TVA hydro facilities included all required elements, and all required systems were available and functional at the 8 sites we visited. However, emergency plans tested were not up to date. Specifically, we identified (1) incorrect contact information in all 7 of the emergency notification phone lists that we tested, and (2) the ERP list of required systems was inaccurate for 2 of 8 sites we tested.
Joint Report
No
Agency Wide
Yes (agency-wide)
Questioned Costs
$0
Funds for Better Use
$0