KNOXVILLE, Tenn.­­ – The Tennessee Valley Authority is seeking public input as we conduct an environmental review on the proposed construction and operation of a simple cycle combustion turbine plant in Lowndes County, Mississippi.

TVA has issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed construction and operation of a simple cycle combustion turbine (CT) plant on a parcel of TVA-owned land known as the New Caledonia (NCG) Site. TVA is seeking comments from the public on what should be included in the environmental review for the project. More information is available at tva.com/nepa. The comment period begins on November 28, 2023, and ends on January 19, 2024.

The NCG Site is an approximately 63-acre existing parcel of federally owned property managed by TVA in Lowndes, Mississippi, located 10 miles northeast of Columbus. The New Caledonia Site is a former CT facility, originally constructed in 1998 and operated for several years by a private company. The company dismantled the site in 2007, removing the existing six frame CTs. The study area for the proposed action is 145 acres and includes the entire proposed combustion turbine property as well as the adjacent substation property, which remains in operation. TVA is considering constructing and operating an approximately 500-megawatt combustion turbine facility at the same brownfield location as the previous generating facility, which would allow TVA to utilize existing natural gas and transmission infrastructure.

TVA anticipates that the scope of the EA or EIS will evaluate a no action alternative and an action alternative. The no action alternative provides a baseline for comparing against the action alternative. Under the no action alternative, TVA would not develop the TVA-owned property in Lowndes County for energy generation. The action alternative would evaluate the development of the New Caledonia brownfield site for construction and operation of a CT plant.

Comments must be received or postmarked no later than January 19, 2024. Federal, state, local agencies, and Native American Tribes are also invited to provide comments. Please note that any comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the project administrative record and will be available for public inspection. TVA plans to have an in-person open house from 5-7 p.m. Central Standard Time on January 8, 2024, at the Caledonia Community Center located at 205 South St, Caledonia, MS 39740. Visit tva.com/nepa for more information on the meeting.