TVA seeks public input on proposal for local power companies to generate power

Published 9:01 am Thursday, April 9, 2020

KNOXVILLE­ — The Tennessee Valley Authority is seeking public input on a draft Environmental Assessment that considers the environmental impacts of enabling local power companies to generate a portion of their load to meet customer needs. Details of the EA are available at www.tva.com/nepa.

Under the proposed power supply flexibility option, the 138 LPCs who have currently entered into Long-Term Partnership Agreements with TVA have the option to reduce the amount of energy they buy from TVA by generating up to 5% of their average energy needs. LPCs will then put the locally generated energy on their distribution system for customers’ use.

Enabling power supply flexibility supports TVA’s 2019 Integrated Resource Plan and the utility’s strategic financial plan. Both plans anticipate a future in which distributed generation will continue to grow to help reduce carbon emissions.

TVA is a leader in carbon reduction with nearly 60% carbon-free energy generation and increasing local generation provides opportunity to improve the region’s carbon position.

TVA must receive comments by May 4, 2020. Submitted online at www.tva.com/nepa, emailed to mshigdon@tva.gov, or mailed to Matthew Higdon, NEPA Specialist, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 W. Summit Hill Drive, WT 11B-L, Knoxville, TN 37902. All comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the project administrative record and will be available for public inspection.

Please note that due to current federal requirements for employees to work remotely to prevent the spread of COVID-19, TVA recommends that the public submit comments by email or online to ensure timely review and consideration.

For more information about TVA and its 86-year mission of service to the Tennessee Valley, go to https://www.tva.com/About-TVA.