AFAIK, TVA hasn't accepted any Federal funding for two decades or more. This has been posted.
I guess where I'm coming from, is that at some point for TVA to keep rates below market price, the revenue must be coming from elsewhere. I have no additional information, just thinking through it...
If TVA can supply electricity at lower than market rates, it's not because they are super efficient. It's probably because a lot of their original capital (nuclear plant construction and other electricity generation facilities) was federally backed (i.e. tax payer expense).
My original post was under the assumption that the only way they can afford Watts Bar Unit 2 being billions over budget, and the coal ash spill, is due to taxpayer back funds (insurance, loans, idk).
But I suppose it could also be because their revenue streams are greater than the private market due to not having money tied up in past capital costs. For instance nuclear is extremely cost beneficial post construction, so if TVA isn't paying what others are for the original capital, they could maybe afford it. Or maybe it's because fuel supply or DOE tritium perks, who knows.
I'm just spitballing because if TVA is supplying energy at lower rates, it's not just due to magic government efficiency, not when they when they have a couple of problems costing them big. There's something else factoring in, and I'm assuming it has something to do with being a federal entity.