TVA said that rainfall in the eastern part of the Tennessee Valley was 96% of normal during the three months to 21 December 2008, which is the first quarter of its 2009 fiscal year.
Runoff was two thirds of normal levels during Q1, and consequently the hydroelectric output increased by 1100 GWh compared to the same period in the 2008 fiscal year.
The utility said that precipitation and runoff continued to improve last month.
Drought conditions over recent years had cut the utility's hydro power output by more than half.
