The Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors announced it will elevate COO Don Moul to become the fourth CEO of the federal utility.

The promotion further positions TVA for a nuclear-dominant future. Moul previously served as a chief nuclear officer and senior nuclear reactor operator, among other primarily nuclear roles at American Electric Power, Duquesne Light Co., FirstEnergy, GPU Nuclear Corp. and Public Service Electric & Gas.

Moul, who has 38 years of experience in the power industry, replaces outgoing CEO Jeff Lyash, who also has an extensive background in nuclear operations. (See TVA CEO Jeff Lyash Announces Plans to Retire.) The appointment becomes effective April 9 and makes Moul the second TVA COO to earn a CEO promotion. TVA’s first CEO, Tom Kilgore, also was COO before Congress established the CEO position in 2005.

Before joining TVA in mid-2021, Moul was executive vice president and chief nuclear officer at NextEra Energy, where he oversaw operations at seven units as well as decommissioning of the Duane Arnold Energy Center.

Announcement After Senator Criticism, Board Member Dismissal

Moul’s advancement follows Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, both Republicans of Tennessee, authoring a March 20 op-ed in POWER Magazine calling for the next TVA leader to lead the “nation’s nuclear energy revival” and fall in step with President Donald Trump’s vision for more nuclear power.

The senators criticized the utility’s leadership and board for moving too slowly on nuclear development and said they were concerned “TVA’s next CEO would be hired from within.”

TVA holds the country’s only early site permit for small modular reactor (SMR) construction at its Clinch River Nuclear Site in Oak Ridge, Tenn. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Hagerty toured the site in mid-March. While TVA’s board authorized $350 million in 2024 to explore nuclear solutions, it has not yet voted to approve an SMR at the site. Lyash has said TVA eventually aims to build a fleet of SMRs in its footprint.

“The presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed, TVA board of directors lacks the talent, experience and gravitas to meet a challenge that clearly requires visionary industrial leaders. The group looks more like a collection of political operatives than visionary industrial leaders,” Blackburn and Hagerty wrote.

A week later, TVA board member L. Michelle Moore, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, was fired at the direction of Trump, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission report. The Trump administration has not provided a reason for Moore’s termination. In a statement, TVA said its board members serve at the pleasure of the president.

Moore’s term would have expired on May 18, 2026. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy called the firing a “hyper-partisan action.”

The board currently has five members and four vacancies.

TVA Underscores Nuclear in Announcement

In a press release on Moul’s hiring, TVA focused on its nuclear advancements. It said under Moul’s leadership, “TVA is a national leader in driving advanced nuclear technologies forward.”

“Don is ready to be the hand guiding TVA in a time of rapid change and growth, and he will continue to propel TVA’s nuclear leadership,” Lyash said. “In his role as COO, he has led the development of next-generation nuclear technologies and has a deep knowledge and appreciation for nuclear power — the most reliable power the world’s ever known.” Lyash also said TVA hired Moul four years ago “with succession planning in mind.”

Moul said he expected his transition to be “seamless” for TVA.

“We’re in a period of growth like we’ve not seen before, and to meet that growth, we are making one of the largest capital investments in our history,” Moul said. “TVA needs a steady hand right now. I will build on the momentum that Jeff and our team have created — making sure we continue to invest in new generation, strengthen our grid and enhance system reliability.”

Moul told the Knoxville News Sentinel the board conducted an internal and external search for a new CEO before they offered him the job after a series of interviews. TVA confirmed that the offer was extended on March 25 and predated Moore’s termination.

Board Chair Joe Ritch said the board search was exhaustive.

“The TVA board took a structured, deliberative approach to CEO succession — evaluating a strong slate of both internal and external candidates,” Ritch said in a statement to RTO Insider. “The board evaluated multiple search firms, reviewing in detail their process for candidate identification and assessment, ultimately selecting a firm with deep experience and expertise in the energy industry. The board also leveraged a third-party leadership assessment firm and an independent compensation consultant.”

Lyash is set to retire as the highest-paid federal employee, making $10.5 million in total compensation over 2024.