filed: March 4, 2011 • Tennessee

TVA announces cleaner energy plans

Credit: by Alberto Roldan, Nashville Public Radio, wpln.org 4 March 2011 ~~

Tennessee can expect more nuclear and renewable energy over the next 20 years, but a lot less coal. Today the Tennessee Valley Authority announced their plan to meet rising energy needs while remaining environmentally friendly.

The proposal recommends eliminating coal dependency by as much as a third. The utility’s coal use has been under the microscope since an ash spill in late 2008, but as of last year it was still the most used fuel source.

Meanwhile, reliance on renewable resources, such as wind and solar energy, are expected to rise. Gary Brinkworth, who helped develop the strategy, says green energy will ultimately save money.

“While there may be individual components that are expensive, when you bring those all together, clearly adding those renewables gives us a stronger plan, a lower cost plan.”

Nuclear energy usage is also expected to grow. In the next 20 years the TVA estimates nuclear power could represent more than half of all electric output, an all-time high.

The plan will be submitted for approval to the TVA’s Board of Directors this April.

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