TVA Plan Molds Energy, Environmental Strategies

TVA is involved in a long-term planning process that has the potential to impact every resident and business in the seven-state region it serves.

Yes. It is that important.

The 2024 Integrated Resource Plan, commonly referred to as the IRP, will shape TVA’s energy system of the future, ensuring that those who live and work in the Valley region have affordable, reliable, resilient and clean energy for decades to come.

TVA will also produce an Environmental Impact Statement that evaluates the impacts of implementation of the IRP.

Public engagement is critical to the process.

“TVA is a public power provider and this is our region’s collective IRP,” Brian Child, vice president of TVA Enterprise Planning, said. “Stakeholder engagement is so important to this exercise. There are bright folks at TVA who run models, make recommendations, do systems planning. But we also need stakeholder input and engagement to challenge our assumptions and ensure our IRP meets the needs of the region.”

The IRP process evaluates scenarios that TVA could find itself operating in through 2050. It also examines the business strategies TVA could use to meet energy demand in any scenario.

Once completed, the 2024 IRP will lay the foundation for TVA’s asset strategies, which includes potential actions related to current and future generation assets, and the next long-range financial plan.

The public had its first opportunity to provide input during a 45-day public scoping period that began in May 2023.

The enterprise received 43 official comments, with feedback on everything from suggested power generation resources and decarbonization efforts to the importance of transparency and the need to maintain reliable, resilient power as energy demand increases.

TVA published its IRP Scoping Report in October 2023.

As they continue to gather public input, TVA team members have scheduled periodic webinars to provide IRP updates and offer opportunities to ask questions about the process.

TVA also will host informational open houses and seek public comments when the draft IRP and draft Environmental Impact Statement are released in spring 2024.

TVA’s IRP website provides the latest information.

Additionally, TVA has engaged a diverse group of stakeholders who meet regularly to provide guidance on the IRP. This includes local power companies, directly served customers, regional officials and community organizations, research facilities, government agencies and environmental organizations.

At each turn in the IRP and Environmental Impact Statement processes, TVA is incorporating environmental justice considerations relating to disproportionate health, environmental, economic and climate impacts on disadvantaged communities.

TVA currently follows its 2019 IRP. It plans to present the 2024 IRP and an accompanying Environment Impact Statement to the TVA Board for its decision in summer 2024.

With input from stakeholders and the public at large, the IRP will help TVA continue its mission of making life better for all in the region.