WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump dismissed Joe Ritch, a Huntsville lawyer, from the Tennessee Valley Authority board Tuesday.
Ritch had served on the board of the nation’s largest public power utility since 2022. President Joe Biden nominated him to the position and the Senate confirmed Ritch in December 2022.
A spokesperson for TVA confirmed Ritch had “transitioned off the board.” Ritch’s bio has also been removed from TVA’s website. Ritch’s term was set to expire May 18.
The authority provides power to people in seven states, including Alabama, and is self-funded.
Ritch is well known for his work as the Chairman of the Redstone Regional Alliance and its efforts to bring Space Command headquarters to Huntsville.
The board’s ability to do business is now restricted with only four board members remaining, leaving it without a quorum. Trump fired another board member Michelle Moore last week. Biden appointed Moore to the board in 2021 and she was confirmed to by the Senate in 2022, according to the Associated Press. Her term was set to expire in 2026. Without a quorum, the TVA board will not be able to start new programs or change existing direction, according to an SEC filing.
“TVA will continue to operate and deliver reliable, affordable energy to the 10 million people we serve across our seven-state region,” a TVA spokesperson said.
Previously, President Barack Obama nominated Ritch for the position in 2012, and he served on the TVA board from 2013-2017, serving as chair of the board from May 2014 until his term ended in 2017. Ritch was the first Alabamian to serve as board chair.
Just one day before Ritch was fired, Don Moul was named the new CEO Monday. Moul will take over the position from retiring CEO Jeff Lyash, according to a press release. Moul was previously TVA’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.
“Don’s vision, depth of industry knowledge and favorability among TVA employees position him well to unleash TVA’s potential from Day One, with little to no learning curve,” Ritch said in a statement the day before he was fired.
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt’s office said she is working with the White House to “return TVA to its core mission of providing reliable, affordable energy” and providing jobs to local communities.
“Given TVA is billions in debt, restoring fiscal responsibility at the organization is an urgent need,” Britt’s office said in a statement. “With approximately 1.5 million Alabamians served by TVA, this effort is a key priority for our state’s future. Unleashing American energy dominance and unlocking American innovation will help usher in a new age of American prosperity and security.”
Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., did not respond to a request for comment. Ritch could also not be reached for comment.