Author Archive: rwatkins

TVA’s Plan For Growth- An Article By TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash

Jeff Lyash is president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority. He wrote this in collaboration with the Tennessee Business Forum, which provides Ten­nessee-connected business leaders with the opportunity to engage with other ex­ecutives from various industries to dis­cuss a broad range of national legisla­tive and regulatory issues. Learn more at Tennesseebusinessforum.com.  See the article here.

Stakeholder Update

TVA May 10 Board Meeting Recap

The Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors on Wednesday recognized the agency’s 90th-anniversary milestone and outlined the agency’s plan to double its solar energy capacity while supporting the Tennessee Valley region’s record-growing demand.

“TVA’s mission of service is just as important today as it was 90 years ago,” said TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash. “We were created as an innovation company, and we will use that same innovative spirit and mission of service as we address today’s challenges. Our region is experiencing growth at six times the national average, which means we must invest in our current power system and build new generation so we can continue meeting our region’s demand.”

TVA’s Approach to Meeting Our Region’s Rapidly Growing Energy Needs – Highlights from CEO Jeff Lyash’s Report

TVA believes the transition to a clean energy economy requires a holistic approach that entails a strategy that must be broad and flexible and should consider the economic and environmental effects of our choices. Also, there is no “one option” that provides all the reliable, affordable, resilient and clean power needed for our future.

And the recent growth of people moving to the Valley and economic development in our region has underscored the need to provide affordable, reliable power today. We are currently building new generation that includes solar, energy storage, combustion turbines and combined-cycle natural gas. But more energy resources are needed to meet load growth, the onshoring of manufacturing, and the electrification of other sectors. TVA is aware that it takes time to study, site, permit, source, and build generation assets; and it is currently taking longer than ever before with additional risk.

To create flexibility and provide information for TVA’s decision-makers, we will begin numerous environmental studies with different near-term and long-term options. These reviews will help us prepare for the future, be more agile in execution, and continue to meet the growing needs of the Valley.

We are conducting a study of the environmental impacts of new solar facilities and additional gas sites and conducting a review of new pumped storage facilities which are needed to balance the intermittency of our growing renewable portfolio. Additionally, we are reviewing individual projects on turbines and generators to increase MWs on the existing hydro-generation fleet.

Importantly, we continue an environmental study on the possible retirement of the Kingston Fossil plant. Due to the need for firm dispatchable power and grid stability in the Eastern part of the system, gas is our preferred alternative for the site and would reduce carbon emissions by approximately 60% and serves as a bridge as other technologies are developed. The Kingston (DEIS) assesses the impacts associated with the retirement of Kingston Fossil Plant units near Kingston, Tenn., and the potential construction and operation of alternative replacement generation, including replacing retired generation with a natural gas plant. We will not make a final decision on retirement and replacement generation without public input at the conclusion of the environmental review, specifically the record of decision planned for publication in early 2024. A public comment period is scheduled from May 19 – July 3. Public comments can be submitted for this and other new studies at Get Involved, Stay Involved (tva.com).

Over the next few months, we will also be conducting other environmental studies including building a virtual power plant from our energy efficiency and demand response programs which could meet up to 40% of load growth. We will continue to study individual solar projects including the possibility of awarding up to 40 new projects that are being identified through TVA’s Clean Energy RFP and we will finalize environmental studies on providing Local Power Companies more power supply flexibility to bring online additional carbon-free resources and/or storage projects.

Along with our evaluation of the Clinch River site for a small-modular reactor, we anticipate starting environmental reviews of additional potential sites around the Valley. And we remain focused on our goal to reach net-zero.

We will also begin work on the next Integrated Resource Plan which will help us explore options to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Information about these ongoing reviews and how you can participate can be found on our TVA website throughout the summer.

Public Engagement/ Notice of Intent (NOI) – 4 NOIs are posting Friday, May 12

NOIs – announce public comment period and virtual and in-person public meeting and ask for public input on what should and should not be evaluated as part of future environmental reviews. Four NOIs – pumped storage, programmatic solar, Cheatham County, IRP and the Kingston Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) are posted for public review and comment along with scheduled public meetings. Find details at Get Involved, Stay Involved (tva.com).

TVA is building the energy system of the future to enable ongoing and future growth around the Valley, focusing on cleaner and more efficient energy generation while maintaining low rates and reliable power for the 10 million people we are privileged to serve. This effort includes evaluating all our assets to include possible retirement and replacement generation needs as outlined in TVA’s 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).

Additional News

TVA has released its 2022 Sustainability Report. Sustainability for TVA means ensuring its ability to provide the region with affordable and reliable energy, a healthy environment, and a prosperous economy. Accomplishments cited in the report include:

  • Helped attract $10.2 billion in projected capital investments – with 26,512 jobs expected to be created and 40,027 jobs retained
  • Advanced its Environmental Justice Program to help address disproportionate health, environmental, economic and climate impacts on disadvantaged communities
  • Donated more than $9 million in community contributions and disaster relief
  • Announced a partnership with the Baker Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee to study ways all segments of the economy can move the region toward a clean, secure energy future
  • Sponsored 449 total environmental outreach and stewardship projects across the region
  • Completed 120 biodiversity projects and initiatives
  • Prevented an estimated $3 million in flood damage along the Tennessee River

Read the full report at tva.com/reports.

If you have questions, please contact Cathy Coffey at ccoffey@tva.gov.
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Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, TN 37902-1499

ATVG Summer Meeting Planned For Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris, GA

Please join us for our summer ATVG meeting on July 12 and 13 at the Brasstown Valley Resort and Spa in Young Harris, Georgia. We will have a lake-side cookout on the night of July 12 with our board meeting and program on July 13. The resort is only minutes from the Chattahoochee National Forest. Amenities include an indoor and outdoor pool, a complete spa, golf and riding stables. We have negotiated a room block at $189/night and the rate will be honored July 11 – 14 for those who wish to come in a day early or stay a day late. We are currently developing our program and will post our agenda soon on our website www.atvg.org

For more information on our event location please visit www.brasstownvalley.com To book your room call 706-379-9900  and ask for the ATVG room rate.

Agenda/Registration Published for April Meeting At Paris Landing

ATVG President Lamar Paris (left) and ATVG Executive Director Mike Arms invite you to join them at Paris Landing State Resort Park for the upcoming ATVG spring meeting April 26th-28th at the brand new “Lodge at Paris Landing”.  An ATVG room block is in place for April 26th and April 27th. You may book your individual room by calling either 1-731-924-4300 or 1-888-867-2757 and providing the ATVG Group Code: 1149. View the Agenda and Registration here.

ATVG April Meeting To Be Held At “Worlds Biggest Fish Fry”

From Mike Arms, ATVG Executive Director

The spring 2023 ATVG meeting will be held at the “New Lodge at Paris Landing” at Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan, TN. An ATVG room block is in place for April 26th and April 27th. You may book your individual room by calling either 1-731-924-4300 or 1-888-867-2757 and providing the ATVG Group Code: 1149.  See Agenda and Registration Here.

 For our early arrivals we will have a hospitality hour on Wednesday the 26th at 6:00 p.m. with dinner on your own. On the morning of Thursday the 27th we will start our day with a tour of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Nature Center. Later that morning we will hold our ATVG Board meeting at 11:00 a.m. at the lodge followed by a group lunch. Our program will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Lodge Lakeview Room. The program theme will focus on economic development. Several Development Districts from the Valley will be joining us.

 For dinner we will be feasting at “World’s Largest Fish Fry”. We will be eating in the fish fry tent, which is in the center of all festival activities. On the morning of the 28th we will gather for a group country breakfast at 8:00 a.m. which allows time for us to go to the “Fish Fry Parade” in downtown Paris. In addition to the optional parade, other activities include the state park golf course, numerous hiking and walking trails and fishing or boating in the beautiful Kentucky Lake. Please make plans to join us.

ATVG Formally Supports Small Modular Reactors In The Valley

ATVG Support of SMRs

By: Mike Arms, ATVG Executive Director

        Our ATVG membership heard a detailed presentation on Winter Storm Elliott from TVA at our January meeting. The presentation provided an hour-by-hour break-down of the events on December 23rd and 24th. The timeline included the loss of Cumberland Unit 1followed a few hours later by the loss of Cumberland Unit 2. With the entire Tennessee River Valley approaching 5 degrees Fahrenheit from a frigid winter storm front that produced a 40 degree temperature drop in a few short hours, the rolling black-outs were mandated to protect the TVA grid. Throughout this weather crisis TVA’s nuclear fleet performed superbly. This nuclear performance begs the question, “Will Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) be the solution to a similar future crisis?”

        ATVG is on record with two resolutions of support for nuclear energy and for SMR’s. Now the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has certified the design for what will be the first SMR in the nation. The new design is inherently safer than the prior large nuclear reactors.

        The rule that certifies this design is now published in the Federal Register. This certification means companies seeking to build and operate a nuclear power plant can pick the design for a 50-mega-watt, advanced light-water SMR by Oregon-based NuScale Power and apply to the NRC for a license.

        The NRC certification is the final determination that the design is acceptable for use, so this design cannot be legally challenged during the licensing process when someone applies to build and operate a nuclear power plant.

        With an approved design in place SMRs are no longer an abstract concept but a new clean, green power source. ATVG has always supported nuclear power as the logical answer for utilities’ transition from fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse emissions. Our organization remains supportive of the Oak Ridge “Clinch Reactor Site” as the first SMR location in the Tennessee Valley. ATVG is also prepared to help communities in the Valley consider SMR locations when appropriate. SMRs are the centerpiece of the next generation of nuclear reactors and will be a source of safe, reliable, and affordable green energy.