WASHINGTON, D.C. – A brand new report launched at the moment highlights important steps Congress can take to enhance the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA’s) transmission planning to make electrical energy service extra inexpensive, dependable and resilient for purchasers. Produced by the American Council on Renewable Power (ACORE) in partnership with the Southern Renewable Power Affiliation (SREA) and in collaboration with Paul Hastings LLP, the report outlines actionable suggestions to arrange TVA for rising vitality calls for, extra frequent excessive climate occasions, and develop or buy the lowest-cost era.
This report is especially well timed as TVA conducts its legally mandated Built-in Useful resource Plan (IRP) course of, an endeavor that presently doesn’t require inclusion of the transmission growth choices mandatory to make sure procurement of the lowest-cost energy choices. Notably, the TVA service territory skilled rolling blackouts for the primary time in its greater than 90-year historical past throughout Winter Storm Elliott in 2022, when the area’s energy provide couldn’t meet demand. An additional gigawatt of transmission ties to different areas might have saved TVA customers as much as $95 million in the course of the storm.
“Because the area navigates a few of the most important challenges to the facility sector since people who impressed the TVA Act, TVA’s ratepayers would profit from transmission planning processes according to the very best practices different grid planners are utilizing throughout the nation,” mentioned Jonathan Geldof, Senior Authorities Affairs Supervisor for ACORE’s Macro Grid Initiative. “It’s encouraging to see Congress and TVA’s Board of Administrators already taking steps to enhance TVA’s processes and this report presents extra suggestions for making certain low-cost energy within the areas’ future.”
Amid skyrocketing load projections, integrating transmission and era planning will assist guarantee dependable, inexpensive energy for TVA’s 10 million prospects.
The report, “Suggestions for Lowering Prices and Enhancing Reliability for Tennessee Valley Authority Prospects,” supplies numerous coverage interventions for Congress to enhance TVA’s transmission planning, together with:
- Reforming TVA’s Board
- Reforming TVA’s IRP Course of
- Requiring Expanded Interregional Transmission Planning
- Bringing TVA Underneath Federal Power Regulatory Fee Jurisdiction
“With rising challenges to reliability of the TVA system throughout excessive climate occasions, like Winter Storm Elliott, and the well timed and inexpensive integration of renewable vitality, transmission planning within the largest public energy firm within the U.S. wants an improve,” mentioned Simon Mahan, SREA’s Government Director. “Outdated processes which are typically missing in transparency for the broader public have been the established order in TVA for the previous 90 years, however this strategy won’t be adequate for the way forward for the group. This examine on enhancements to TVA transmission planning supplies sound recommendation on the best way to confront and overcome these challenges.”
In contrast to conventional utilities, TVA’s Board of Administrators is the one entity that oversees the IRP course of. Congress can assist make sure the board is supplied to work in the very best pursuits of ratepayers by offering the administrators with technical workers help to higher assess TVA’s proposals.
The report particulars these points and extra, recommending a set of reform choices for Congress to contemplate.
To obtain a replica of the report, click on right here.
###
About ACORE:
For over 20 years, the American Council on Renewable Power (ACORE) has been the nation’s main voice on the problems most important to scrub vitality growth. ACORE unites finance, coverage, and expertise to speed up the transition to a clear vitality financial system. For extra data, please go to www.acore.org.
Media Contacts:
Dylan Helms
Supervisor, Communications, ACORE
communications@acore.org
917.971.7852
Ellie Potter
Sr. Public Affairs Supervisor, Macro Grid Initiative, ACORE
potter@acore.org
202.505.5589
Jamie Moody
Communications Director, SREA
jamie@southernrenewable.org
501.454.1260
