TVA is gathering information from stakeholders on how to meet the needs of the Tennessee Valley and its residents for energy, environment, natural resource management and recreation.  As users of public lands and waters, please tell TVA what you think.  Please take time to fill out the survey at the link below and have your voice heard on management of public lands, energy and the environment.TVA is beginning a comprehensive study of alternatives for meeting the future electrical energy needs of the Tennessee Valley and requests your comments on the scope of this study.

 

Please submit your comments by August 14, 2009.

 

The purpose of this study is to develop a plan that TVA can enact to achieve a sustainable future and meet the electricity needs of the Tennessee Valley over the next 20 years. As part of the study, TVA will identify and evaluate a range of programs, actions, and projects. TVA will then implement the plan that best meets the goals of its Strategic Plan and Environmental Policy and the goals of Valley residents. The results of the study will be presented in a new integrated resource plan and associated environmental impact statement.

 

TVA Rivers

 

The primary whitewater rivers managed by TVA can be found in the box to the right of this article. 

 

How to participate

 

TVA published a Notice of Intent (62 kb, Adobe PDF) formally launching this study on June 15, 2009, and is now seeking public input.

You may choose one of the following ways to submit your comments:

• Attend one of the upcoming scoping meetings.
• Complete the scoping questionnaire.
• Type your comments into this form. You may add your e-mail address to receive project updates.
• E-mail your comments to IRP@tva.gov.
• Fax your comments to 865-632-2345.

Please submit your comments by August 14, 2009.

 

Background

Electrical utilities periodically develop integrated resource plans to determine the most cost-effective way to meet the future needs of their customers. The plans typically compile a list of various options for meeting these needs, including different types of generating plants and various energy efficiency and demand response measures. These options are assembled into resource portfolios, which are then evaluated for several criteria, including capital and fuel costs, reliability, compliance with existing and anticipated future regulations, and other factors. The “best’ portfolio is then selected and implemented.

 

TVA developed its Energy Vision 2020 Integrated Resource Plan and associated environmental impact statement with extensive public involvement in 1995. Based on the evaluations in Energy Vision 2020, TVA adopted a flexible portfolio of supply- and demand-side energy resource options to meet the growing demand for electricity in the region and achieve the goals of the TVA Act and other congressional directives. This portfolio of energy resource options, as amended through subsequent studies, will be a baseline for the evaluations conducted for this new planning effort.

 

Contacts

For more information on this scoping effort and the environmental impact statement, contact:

 

Charles P. Nicholson
NEPA Project Manager
Tennessee Valley Authority
400 West Summit Hill Dr., WT 11D
Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: 865-632-3582
E-mail:IRP@tva.gov

 

For general information on the project, contact:

Randall E. Johnson
IRP Project Manager
Tennessee Valley Authority
1101 Market St., LP 5U
Chattanooga, TN 37401
Phone: 423-751-3520
E-mail: rejohnson1@tva.gov