Bobby Klein Ends TVA Board Service
The first union leader to serve on the Tennessee Valley Authority board held his final meeting in Knoxville.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in People
Robert "Bobby" Klein, a retired EPB lineman from Chattanooga, served his final board meeting as a member of the Tennessee Valley Authority board on Tuesday in Knoxville. He had continued serving past his May 2026 term expiration because President Donald Trump did not nominate a replacement for Senate confirmation.
Why it matters
Klein was the first union leader to serve on the TVA board, and his departure leaves a seat that the Senate had not yet filled for Tennessee's regional power authority. The episode reflects how delays in Senate action on board nominations can extend the service of members whose terms have expired.
Klein's first nomination carried a five-year term, and he joined the board in 2023 with five other Biden nominees after the Senate delayed action on those picks for more than a year and a half. No replacement nominee had been put forward for Senate confirmation at the time of his departure.
The players
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation that generates and transmits electricity across much of the southeastern United States.
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the current President of the United States, whose administration decides which nominees are sent to the Senate for confirmation to federal boards.
The details
Klein previously served as international vice president for the Tenth District of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, covering Arkansas to Tennessee and the Carolinas. His last board meeting was held Tuesday in Knoxville, where officials and labor unions gathered to thank him for his service.
Timeline
2021: Klein first nominated to a five-year TVA board term.
2023: Klein joins the TVA board with five other Biden nominees.
May 2026: Klein's board term expires.
End of 2026: Klein's continued service on the board ends.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: Klein holds his last board meeting in Knoxville.
People in Power
Klein's holdover service is a direct consequence of the Senate confirmation process that governs TVA board seats, where a stalled nomination leaves an expired member in place. Such holdovers are common when Senate action on board picks lags behind changes in administration.
Because TVA sets electricity rates and operates regional power infrastructure, changes in its board leadership can influence long-term decisions affecting utility customers across Tennessee. The vacancy left by Klein's departure will shape future board composition until a successor is confirmed.
The takeaway
Board vacancies can persist well beyond a term's expiration when Senate action stalls, so tracking nominations is useful for understanding who governs a public utility. Readers following TVA decisions can watch for new nominees to see how the board's makeup evolves.
Further reading
Explore more Tennessee people coverage to see other profiles of the state's business and public leaders.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Timesfreepress.
