You still have a say in asking questions regarding an energy concept for the future of the Tennessee Valley. The Tennessee Valley Authority has launched a series of Open Houses at various communities around the Southeast through early December. These are related to the Draft 2025 Integrated Resource Plan that looks at a range of economic scenarios and a mix of energy types, showing a public view of how TVA leads the area in using various fossil fuels and clean energy alternatives. Local power companies purchase their power from TVA for use in local communities.

Bert Robinson, TVA’s east regional executive, told those gathered in Oak Ridge for one of the first Open Houses, “Everything has to be increasingly cleaner,” also noting the energy mix must be “affordable, reliable and also resilient.”

Regardless of the mix of energy sources, the TVA reporting indicates that the areas it serves require significantly more capacity from the power grid between 2025 and 2035. IRP Project Manager Hunter Reed said TVA currently has approximately 38 Gigawatts (GW) of energy generating capacity. He said the grid requires at least 9 additional GW and possibly as much as 26 more GW by 2035 to serve the TVA territory.

TVA leaders verbally responded to more than 40 written questions from the public at the Oak Ridge event, never opening the microphone for public comment. Instead, IRP comments are only accepted in writing through December 11, 2024. Questions were about the energy mix, which includes everything from gas to nuclear to solar, as well as about the evolving use of energy storage and concern about grid resilience after extreme winter storms in recent years. TVA fielded several questions about the environmental and human consequences of energy choices. Representatives emphasized that lowest cost remains the primary criteria used when deciding on the energy mix. “Every resource option has a tradeoff,” said project manager Reed.

You can read the Draft Resource Plan at this link.

Anne Brock is marketing coordinator for Solar Alliance, which designs and manages solar installation projects for large manufacturers and small businesses. She can be reached at abrock@solaralliance.com or 865-221-8349.