NES board, for the first time ever, comes out against TVA fossil fuel plans

Most Nashvillians pay bills to Nashville Electric Service. But it is the Tennessee Valley Authority that actually puts power on the grid and picks the source of that power.

For the first time ever, the NES board voiced an opinion this week about how TVA should invest in its energy future – with the conclusion that the utility should invest in renewable energy and ditch plans for more fossil fuels at the Cumberland Fossil Plant in Stewart County.

TVA will soon retire its nearly 2,500-megawatt coal plant. The NES Board, in a new resolution, said this “provides a unique opportunity for TVA to replace environmentally harmful fossil fuel with clean renewable energy.”

TVA released its draft Environmental Impact Statement, a federally required review, for the Cumberland site last month and officially announced its intentions to build a new gas plant. This process involves a public comment period that ends on June 13.

The NES Board said the plant should be replaced with solar energy and battery storage. This option provides clean energy, jobs and would help ensure that Nashville remains “competitive with other major American cities.”

The Board also said NES is starting to consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria to remain financially appealing to bond markets; and its small business customers are unable to address the carbon footprint of their energy, as they are unable to install solar panels economically under the current system.

TVA said it will not make a final decision on retirement or replacement capacity until the environmental review is complete.

But the utility has already entered a contract with Tennessee Gas Pipeline, owned by Kinder Morgan, to build a 32-mile pipeline to the Cumberland site. TVA said, while reviews are ongoing, the pipeline company has already pre-filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission “to be prepared” to start construction if reviews are found favorable for TVA to build a gas plant.

TVA has also indicated that it intends to replace coal with gas at its Kingston Fossil Plant. TVA has entered a contract with Enbridge to build a pipeline to the East Tennessee plant. Both Enbridge and Kinder Morgan submitted objections to FERC last month when the agency considered a new rule to review greenhouse gases before approving new pipelines.

In March, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit against TVA alleging that the utility violated the Freedom of Information Act when it refused to release unredacted records related to these plans for gas plants and pipelines. This litigation is ongoing.

Natural gas is about 70-90% methane, a climate pollutant that accounts for about 20% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Methane is more than 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at heating the planet. It is emitted by leaking gas pipelines, which is starting to be recorded more thoroughly with satellite technology.

Other local power companies have not commented on TVA’s plans yet.

In a statement, TVA said: “We will consider the resolution from NES along with other comments received during the public comment period.”