OCTOBER 29, 2019 — The latest news and updates around TVA’s decommissioned Allen Fossil Plant were the topics of discussion during a recent media event and luncheon for local elected officials. The event, which welcomed TVA’s President and CEO Jeff Lyash, was an opportunity for officials to share TVA’s plans for safely disposing of coal ash at the nearly 500-acre facility, along with the team’s progress so far.

“Over the past 100 years, coal plants in this country have served us well and have electrified the U.S. For decades, a large fleet of TVA plants have electrified the Tennessee Valley but, during that time, things have changed. We have developed new technologies. We have learned more about the environment we live in and how to best protect it. Over this time, we too have changed with those technologies, but we have to responsibly handle coal combustion residuals,” Lyash explained to guests.

Offering a brief history of the plant, which TVA purchased from MLGW in 1984, Lyash contrasted the former Allen Fossil Plant with the new, environmentally-friendly Allen Natural Gas Plant, a state-of-the-art facility located across the street. Lyash outlined TVA’s five areas of commitment to environmental stewardship at Allen Fossil Plant and across TVA’s entire coal fleet. They are to ensure dam and dike safety, convert to dry ash handling, appropriately handle processed water from the site, implement more robust groundwater monitoring programs, and work toward closure by removal of coal combustion residuals.

Cedric Adams is the principal project manager at Allen Fossil Plant. Following Lyash’s presentation, Adams shared an in-depth timeline of the coal plant from its history to the conceptual future condition of the site, along with area-specific plans to care for the environment. Adams answered guests’ questions, prior to leading them on a tour of the site.

For additional information about TVA’s environmental stewardship at Allen Fossil Plant in Memphis, visit  www.tva.gov/Energy/Our-Power-System/Coal/Allen-Fossil-Plant or submit your comments before November 25, 2019 online at www.tva.com/nepa, by email to [email protected] or by mail to the following address:

Douglas White
NEPA Compliance Specialist
400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 11B
Knoxville, TN 37902

Please note that all comments will become a part of the administrative record for this project and will be available for public inspection.