The Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, Inc. (TVPPA) is the nonprofit, regional service organization that represents the interests of consumer-owned electric utilities operating within the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) service area. TVPPA members include both municipal and electric cooperatives, and they serve more than 9 million customers in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia. TVPPA was organized in 1946 and serves 104 municipal and 50 electric cooperatives. TVPPA membership also includes more than 100 Affiliates and Associates. TVPPA affords its members professional assistance in a variety of fields and many advantages enjoyed by much larger utility operations. OUR MISSIONS TVPPA's missions are (1) to serve as an effective advocate of its membership's interests with the public, in the political process and with TVA and (2) to be a successful independent provider of competitive utility business services. OUR VISION TVPPA strives to be the leading force in helping shape federal legislative and regulatory policy related to the supply of electricity for the consumers served by its members. We continually strive to be the preferred and continuing source of services that enhance the competitive positions of consumer-owned utilities. CONSUMER OWNERSHIP Since the mid-1930s, consumer-owned utilities have been major contributors to the quality of life enjoyed by Tennessee Valley residents. Local electric systems are more than utilities – they are active, necessary parts of the communities they serve. The Valley's consumer-owned power distributors have one common purpose – to provide their ratepayers with the best energy services at the lowest possible cost, consistent with sound business practices. Through annual in-lieu-of-tax payments to their local communities, TVPPA members make significant contributions to the economic well-being of the Valley's citizens.