Environmental groups to host event on the future of TVA

Environmental groups are hosting a “public hearing” on the Tennessee Valley Authority’s energy future this week. 

TVA is currently drafting a plan that will govern its energy decisions for the next few decades. That planning document will include what energy sources TVA will use and how it will invest in energy conservation, efficiency and transmission. The guide is called the Integrated Resources Plan, or IRP, and it is supposed to consider public input and factors like environmental impacts, cost and resiliency.

“The IRP process is critical in ensuring we have input from all voices — our customers, stakeholders, and public — in preparing energy options to serve our region long term,” TVA CEO Jeff Lyash said in a press release. 

The utility held two virtual webinars and had a six-week public comment period on the draft environmental review for the IRP. But advocates say they decided to organize this week’s hearing because TVA is not engaging the public in the process.

The event will be at Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville on Thursday. Energy experts will speak between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. In the evening, there will be a community discussion led by Tennessee Rep. Justin J. Pearson from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will also be streamed online for anyone who RSVPs.

Experts and community members will discuss how TVA can transition to clean energy sources from fossil fuels and touch on topics like environmental justice, Tennessee’s growing electricity demand and energy affordability, according to organizers.

TVA’s current power mix, explained 

TVA’s power mix varies depending on the source of information and the variables considered, including the electricity generated by TVA and the power purchased by the utility. (For consistency, WPLN used figures from TVA’s latest 10-K filing.)

TVA has a total electricity capacity of about 38 gigawatts. It operates up to 32 gigawatts and purchases about 6 gigawatts of power.

During the last fiscal year, TVA’s total power use, including purchased power, was split between 42% nuclear, 31% gas, 14% coal, 9% hydro and 4% wind and solar. The total capacity for generation by TVA-owned facilities — meaning that 32 gigawatts — was 39% gas, 26% nuclear, 18% coal, 16% hydro and .003% solar. 

Nuclear represents the largest chunk of energy because TVA runs these plants consistently as part of their baseload, the minimum amount of energy on the grid at a given time. Other sources are operated at varying amounts due to factors like price, availability and demand.

TVA’s energy future

TVA has plans to add 10 gigawatts of solar power to its system and retire all coal by 2035. The utility has also been trying to add up to 6.6 gigawatts of methane gas online in the next few years, and, eventually, TVA intends to expand its nuclear fleet with small modular reactors.

More: Tracking Tennessee’s fossil fuel expansion in 2023 — and a few climate wins | WPLN News

TVA will still be heavily reliant on fossil fuels this next decade and potentially the next several decades. Fossil fuel use is the primary cause of climate change, and coal, methane gas and oil systems cause air and water pollution, especially for people living near power plants, fracking sites or highways. 

TVA also plans to spend $1.5 billion on energy efficiency and demand response in the next few years, estimating that energy efficiency will be able to meet 30-40% of its forecasted load growth. Experts say TVA could do even more, as energy efficiency would likely be cheaper than a new power plant if TVA chooses to do the calculation in the next IRP. This could help TVA avoid the potential need for new fossil fuel infrastructure while building up its renewables. 

Electricity — and how it’s generated — will play a huge role in the clean energy transition. Transportation and buildings largely rely on gasoline and direct methane gas, respectively, but these sectors will eventually be powered by electricity. These sectors are estimated to represent about 40% of climate pollution in the U.S., so switching them to electricity generated by renewables and nuclear will slash those emissions.

Electricity demand is expected to increase significantly between this future electrification and new manufacturing — though how much depends on a lot of factors like grid modernization and storage. TVA says power demand increased by 3% from 2019 to 2022.