Cheatham County Proposed Generation Project

Strong growth in TVA’s service region is expected for the next decade, requiring additional sources of electricity to meet electricity demand.

Natural gas units are among the most flexible generating sources because they can add electricity to the grid within a few minutes during high demand times.

Natural gas generation is an existing technology available now that can help us meet our mission of providing affordable, reliable and resilient power, while enabling us to add more renewables to the power grid.

While natural gas plants have the capability of operating continuously, the proposed generation at the Cheatham County site would operate when demand for electricity is high and when other sources of electricity are not available. For instance, the units could be operated during cold pre-dawn mornings or hot summer evenings when renewables like solar energy are not available.

With the ability to start and stop more quickly than other types of electricity sources, the natural gas units proposed at the Cheatham County site would be operated to supplement other sources of electricity.

In deciding to retire coal plants, TVA considers several factors, including the age and cost of maintaining and operating coal units, customer demand for renewables, the need for reliable and flexible capacity that can integrate renewables; environmental regulations to reduce air emissions, water usage and carbon footprint; and future power demand. To reduce operational, economic and environmental risks, TVA is anticipating retiring its coal fleet by the mid- 2030s.

To minimize water intake, TVA is considering simple cycle gas units for the Cheatham County site. The small amount of water needed to operate the units would be provided by the municipal water supply. The only water that would leave the proposed site would be rainwater runoff that is controlled through strict regulations and permitting.

Because the site’s small size of 286 acres and its topography, solar generation is not a viable option. To produce the equivalent power of the proposed natural gas generation at the Cheatham County site, 9,000 acres of flat land would be required.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are devices that store energy from the grid and renewable sources, typically during periods of surplus power or low demand. Pairing BESS with natural gas generation at the same location helps maintain stability of the transmission system in the area.

Having stable electricity means that it is constantly available as soon as you need it, and that it stays flowing at the same level of quality and strength while you are using it. The location of a generating site is important, because as electricity flows across power lines, it loses strength the further it is from the generating source.

The timeline has been extended to provide adequate time for transmission scoping analysis. The potential impacts of related transmission requirements will be included as part of the NEPA review. We are currently scoping that aspect of the project, which include field surveys and input from the public.

When the units are operating, they do emit sound. Part of the review process includes identifying ways to minimize noise from the units. While noise levels would vary based on several factors, including distance and topography, TVA is carefully monitoring potential impacts to understand how to best reduce the noise levels. The information will be presented in the draft Environmental Impact Statement.

TVA prioritizes the health and safety of employees and the public. TVA’s natural gas plants have state-of-the-art emission control technologies that reduce emissions to support air quality.

TVA evaluated a number of route alternatives to ensure transportation of equipment to the site could be achieved without requiring significant road improvements. The evaluation also considered potential impacts to area residents. TVA worked with a heavy haul contractor, the Cheatham County Highway Department and other agencies to initially identify three potential routes. One of the routes was found to be feasible while the other two were deemed impractical due to bridge improvement and turning radius requirements.

No decisions about the route will be made until after the NEPA process is complete and the use of the site is determined.

The shortened reference for the National Environmental Policy Act. As a federal agency, TVA conducts environmental reviews to consider the effect of a proposed project on the human and natural environment before a final decision is made.

This is an extensive process that takes months to years to complete due to the number of areas evaluated.

The shortened reference for an Enivronmental Impact Statement, which is a study in which environmental and socioeconomic impacts of proposed actions are analyzed. While conducting an EIS, TVA provides multiple opportunities for public involvement.

The shortened reference for a Record of Decision, which is the conclusion of the NEPA process and is prepared after the final EIS and is filed in the Federal Register.

TVA is committed to conducting the due diligence for this proposal, which includes all steps in the NEPA process. Until this process is complete, this is still a “proposed project,” meaning TVA has not made a final decision whether it will build it or not.