U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) on Wednesday wrote to the Tennessee General Assembly to urge lawmakers to pass legislation to reset the Nashville Electric Service (NES) management amid criticism to the municipally owned utility’s response to Winter Storm Fern.
In his letter, Ogles called on Tennessee lawmakers to “take immediate steps” to take control of NES, remove all of its current board members, establish “a new accountable governance structure for the company,” and perform a “comprehensive audit of all NES operations, infrastructure investment, emergency preparedness, executive leadership, and organizational priorities.”
Noting that “tens of thousands” of NES customers remained without power for days after the storm, including thousands who are not anticipated to have service restored until February 9, Ogles noted that neighboring utility providers did not suffer the same level of outages.
“These failures are not inevitable,” wrote Ogles. “The difference in outcomes reflects preparation, management, and accountability – not weather alone.”
🚨 LETTER TO TN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Over 20,000 people in metropolitan Nashville are without power. Many of these people are in my Congressional district and experienced NO relief from the Nashville Electric Service. I am asking the TN General Assembly to do four things.
1. Take… pic.twitter.com/PN5TszGoj2
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) February 4, 2026
In a press release, the congressman appeared to reference recent reports from The Tennessee Star about NES, including about the the agenda published by the company for a meeting held last week, which showed its board was recommended to extended a contract for a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant, another report showing the company held 102 DEI training sessions, and about the 2024 annual report that showing NES reduced its annual spending on tree trimming from over $21 million in 2023 to about $13.9 million in 2024.
“Last Wednesday, NES approved a contract for DEI trainings while 90,000 of their clients were out of power. In 2024, NES cut $7 million from its tree-trimming budget to fund over 100 DEI training courses,” said Congressman Ogles in a press release.
He also assigned blame to Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who authorized a commission to study the storm response that may not complete its work until next year.
“Why has NES prioritized racist politics over providing electricity for my constituents? Not only are tens of thousands still without power, but Nashville’s inept mayor refuses to step in,” wrote Ogles. “The city of Nashville has demonstrated it cannot handle municipal authority over NES, and therefore, the people’s representatives in the state must take control. Freddie O’Connell is culpable for the failures of NES and for shielding them from any accountability. I am trying to change that.”
Ogles wrote, “These facts raise serious questions about whether NES leadership is focused on its core mission: delivering reliable electric service.”
Noting that many NES customers live outside Nashville’s city limits, Ogles also wrote that NES board members are appointed by the city’s mayor, and they may only be removed, “through an extraordinary supermajority vote of the Metro Council.”
According to Ogles, “This structure might be defensible if NES served only the City of Nashville. It does not.”
The congressman addressed the letter to Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge), who presides over the Tennessee State Senate, and State House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville).
Sexton, in a statement on Tuesday, said the General Assembly will pursue the termination of NES executives and board members, and compared the company’s performance during the storm to that of nearby utility providers.
“[NES’] lack of a strategic disaster relief plan, pro-tree canopy policy and being more concerned about a DEI contract renewal – all of which jeopardized public safety – requires executive management to be fired and the board to be replaced,” stated Sexton.
Teresa Broyles-Aplin, the CEO of NES, on Tuesday disputed that her company spent $7 million less on tree trimming in 2024 than in the previous year, and instead asserted, without providing evidence, that the company increased its spending on trimming and vegetation management over the last four years.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Andy Ogles” by Andy Ogles.
Freddie should go as well. We deserve a real leader.