The Tennessee Valley Authority committed to spending billions of dollars on gas infrastructure next to its Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County years before formally deciding to build it. The decision-making process also had “fundamental” errors that violated federal law, the court found.
Caroline Eggers, Environmental Reporter
Caroline Eggers covers environmental issues with a focus on equity for WPLN News through Report for America, a national service program that supports journalists in local newsrooms across the country. Before joining the station, she spent several years covering water quality issues, biodiversity, climate change and Mammoth Cave National Park for newsrooms in the South. Her reporting on homelessness and a runoff-related “fish kill” for the Bowling Green Daily News earned her 2020 Kentucky Press Association awards in the general news and extended coverage categories, respectively. Beyond deadlines, she is frequently dancing, playing piano and photographing wildlife and her poodle, Princess. She graduated from Emory University with majors in journalism and creative writing.
Fusion power inches closer as Tennessee issues nation’s first license for ‘stellarator’ machine
A race toward a century-old dream of near-infinite energy from fusion is heating up across the U.S., and Tennessee just took one step forward.
Heat kills 125 people in Tennessee each year, analysis finds
Tennessee faces another dangerous heatwave. It arrives as an investigation finds the state likely has five times more heat-related deaths than counted in official tallies.
Noise pollution from data centers is coming. The gas-powered xAI model is spreading
Noise pollution may be reaching dangerous levels for residents near the Memphis-Mississippi border. This area of split governance is the home of Elon Musk’s xAI data center campus.
A reddish, near-total lunar eclipse will be visible Thursday night
The Earth, sun and moon will align for the deepest partial lunar eclipse anywhere on the planet until New Year’s Eve 2028. About 96% of the moon will fall into Earth’s shadow.
Will utility bills rise from data centers? TVA’s rate change leaves public guessing
The Tennessee Valley Authority changed the way it charges data centers for electricity this week, but the utility did not show its math on how it will protect people from higher bills.
TVA may be ‘tripling’ down on fossil fuels
TVA, the nation’s largest public utility, is moving forward with a long-term plan focused on building more gas plants. The TVA Board, the utility’s only regulator, with members all appointed by President Donald Trump and trained by TVA staff, approved a draft “Integrated Resource Plan” on Thursday.
How Tennessee is becoming a hub for fusion power
Kyoto Fusioneering is moving its U.S. headquarters here to partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the longtime hub of nuclear and energy research. It’s building a facility where fusion companies can test a component of their designs for future power plants.
TVA will consider a new electricity rate for data centers this week
The Tennessee Valley Authority is set to discuss a special rate for large industrial customers, which will include many data centers, at its quarterly board meeting Thursday.
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