Federal utility seeks proposals for big carbon-free push
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The nation’s largest public utility is seeking proposals for what would be one of the biggest recent swings at adding carbonfree electricity in the U.S., laying out a mix-andmatch of possibilities Tuesday that range from solar to nuclear.
The Tennessee Valley Authority’s request for carbon-free proposals seeks up to 5,000 megawatts of carbon-free energy before 2029. It’s the first request that nuclear industry experts know of that pairs new nuclear technologies with wind and solar.
The request includes other options too, such as hydroelectric, geothermal and battery energy storage systems. The Nuclear Energy Institute said that while it’s a first, other utilities envision this type of future and the trade association expects to see a steady increase in new nuclear energy procurements like this.
The move comes juxtaposed with the federal utility’s lingering proposal to shut down the massive coal-fired Cumberland Fossil Plant in Tennessee and replace it with natural gas, which would put the utility out of step with President Joe Biden’s administration goal of a carbon-pollution-free energy sector by 2035.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently weighed in with concerns along those lines, urging TVA to consider other options. A final decision is still in the works and is expected in the coming months.
The carbon-free request-for-proposal appears to one of the biggest additions of carbon-free energy recently across the country. In California, regulators approved a plan in February for 25,500 additional megawatts of renewables and 15,000 megawatts in new battery storage resources in that state by 2032.
Proposals for TVA’s plan must be submitted by Oct. 19. The utility will announce which projects it has selected in spring 2023. They don’t need to be located within TVA’s service area, which includes all of Tennessee and parts of six surrounding states. Vendors only need to be able to transmit the energy. Don Moul, TVA chief operating officer, said any nuclear power would rely on existing plants, calling the initiative a tool for “nearterm“additions to its portfolio.
“We’ve opened up the aperture to not only renewables — solar, wind, battery storage — but we’re also looking at any other source that’s carbon-free,” Moul told the Associated Press. “That could be existing nuclear. That could be existing hydro. Whatever can be delivered to our service territory at a price, and with the reliability level that meets our needs, is fair game.”
The utility already has plans to add 10,000 megawatts of solar power to its system by 2035. They have teamed up on projects with several prominent industrial customers who want their operations tied to renewables. They also have focused helping the region transition from carbon-emitting gas vehicles to electric ones, with efforts to set up charging stations, transition its fleet to electric, and team up on economic development to bring big electric vehicle projects to the area.
Still, concerns have grown about TVA’s timeline for cutting down on climate change-causing releases into the air. TVA has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2035, compared to 2005 levels. TVA CEO Jeff Lyash has said TVA will not be able to meet the 100 percent reduction goal without technological advances in energy storage, carbon capture and small modular nuclear reactors, instead aiming for 80%. The utility has a goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
The conflict over TVA’s timeline has been front and center in its plan to turn the Cumberland Fossil Plant, its biggest coal-fired plant at an output of 2,470 megawatts, into a natural gas plant. TVA has described natural gas as a bridge to more renewables.
Late last month, the Environmental Protection Agency expressed concern during a public comment period that the coal-to-gas switch-out preference “did not consider important, available mitigation options to reduce impacts from (greenhouse gas) emissions.”