The future of TVA as energy consumption increases

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has noticed an increase in energy consumption among the six states it serves in the last few years. Officials expect to double or triple the grid in the future, but the current grid took 90 years to create.

Scott Fiedler, a TVA spokesperson, said the corporation is currently 60% carbon neutral and plans on being greener in the future by being completely carbon neutral by 2050.

The TVA’s current energy breakdown looks like this: 39% from nuclear power, 33% from natural gas, 14% from coal, 10% from hydroelectric power, and 4% wind and solar power.

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According to Fiedler, expansion is necessary because of the amount of power TVA produces for the six states it serves. This includes the proposed 900-megawatt natural gas facility and battery storage site in Cheatham County.

However, Fiedler said nothing is written in stone yet and officials are currently taking comments from the public.

This is a controversial subject across the region, and Amanda Garcia, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said this is not just an environmental issue. Starting from the bottom up, this will affect electricity bills for the average home and for local power companies that buy power from the TVA.

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Garcia is concerned about reliability, rates, and resilience. She urges Tennesseans to ask TVA for more information about alternatives including solar and wind energy.

According to Garcia, citizens are stuck at a rock and a hard place because they don’t have adequate information to make informed decisions and TVA should provide the public with more information on the gas plant.

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