TVA’s 25-Year Plan
What Future Do You Want?
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has released a draft of its long-term plan for meeting our region’s energy needs through 2050. This plan will have major impacts on the Valley – from which energy projects we pay for, whether our bills go up, and access to cost-saving energy efficiency programs. It will also impact whether or not we meet our climate targets.
Despite how important this plan is, TVA’s process isn’t very public. And it shouldn’t be that way. We hope this page will clear up some of that murkiness so YOU can have a say in the energy future you want TVA to build.
Now is the moment to demand that TVA leaders listen to the people who will bear the costs of several decades of dirty energy. If you want a future with clean air and water, affordable power bills, access to clean and safe energy like solar and wind, then you’re in the right place.
Comment on the IRP
The TVA Board of Directors is expected to vote on the 2026 IRP at the May 2026 board meeting. They are not holding a formal public comment period for this critical piece of decision making and have not even released the final draft for stakeholders to examine.
Even though there is no formal comment period, we can still make our voices heard by submitting comments to the IRP team and the Board. This is our chance to tell TVA what we think of their planning process before the Board votes.
Check out our Talking Points!
You can submit comments to TVA via Hunter Reed, IRP Project Manager, at IRP@TVA.GOV and Kelly Baxter, NEPA Project Manager, at NEPA@TVA.GOV.
Post on Social Media
If we really want TVA to pass on gas then they need to hear from us everywhere! Share you thoughts on social media and don’t forget to tag @TVA (IG & FB) @TVAnews (X) to make sure they get the message.
Need more information? Check out the resources below to help you prepare your own comments, ask TVA questions, and stay in the loop on the IRP.
What is an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)?
Every 5 years, TVA is required to roll out a long-range energy plan – also known as the Integrated Resource Plan – in which they map out how they will meet energy needs across the Valley.
Other utilities across the country do this too. IRPs are roadmaps to guide a utility company’s decision-making, such as how much solar to build to keep the lights on for families or how much to invest in energy efficiency to lower energy usage.
TVA’s 2025 IRP is forecasting energy needs through 2050, so it is a pretty big deal. How this informs what TVA does in the next 5 years will directly impact families across the Valley, from how much they will pay for energy to whether they can access clean power like solar, for decades.
And because TVA is a federal utility, it is required to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and complete an environmental review of this plan. This includes exploring the impacts of the IRP on air and water quality, on public health, on environmental justice communities, and more.
How will TVA’s plan impact me?
Our Utility Bills – We’ve seen the direct impact TVA’s energy decisions have on what we pay month-to-month to keep the lights on and cool and heat our homes. Bills are going up across the Valley to pay for TVA’s billion dollar gas buildout. Decades more of gas – as TVA proposes – means our prices will continue to go up, putting the power we need to survive even further out of reach.
Our Air and Water – Gas and coal plants pollute our air and water. They emit hazardous chemicals and gasses that aggravate respiratory illnesses like asthma and cause cancer. Gas plants also require dangerous pipelines like the Ridgeline Expansion Project that will cross over 500 bodies of water to fuel the new Kingston gas plant. This puts our groundwater and the streams, rivers, and lakes we enjoy in peril. An IRP that prolongs our region’s reliance on dirty energy will only make it harder for our communities to access the clean air and water we need to survive.
Extreme Weather – Communities across the Valley are all too familiar with devastating hurricanes, floods, heat waves, tornadoes, and ice storms. And these climate disasters are only getting worse, putting the power we need to survive at risk. During Winter Storm Elliot, TVA issued its first ever rolling blackouts when coal and gas plants failed to run. To prevent another event like Elliot and keep the lights on for families, TVA should prioritize resilient energy solutions like solar with battery storage over unreliable gas.
Our Climate Goals – To ensure a livable planet we must transition from fossil fuels like gas to renewable and sustainable power like solar and wind. Federal climate targets call for 100% clean power by 2035. Unfortunately, TVA is dragging its feet and won’t get there till after 2050. As the 2025 IRP shows, TVA plans to rely on gas through the next 25 years. Now is the perfect opportunity for TVA to commit to tackling the climate crisis by boldly planning a fossil fuel free future.
Jobs in the Valley – TVA was established to create jobs in the Valley, and many people benefitted from that mission. However, sometimes that came at the expense of worker health and safety. It’s important that TVA holds true to creating safe, good-paying jobs for the many people that live here. And this IRP will be critical to ensuring that. A plan that relies on local clean energy jobs can benefit communities.
What comes next with the IRP?
TVA’s Board of Directors will soon vote on approving the IRP, likely at the May Board meeting, May 22nd, in Guntersville, AL.
They have chosen not to have sufficient informational sessions about the updated draft, have not released the draft to the public, and will hold no formal comment period.
The best way to have our voices heard is through submitting comments to the IRP and NEPA emails above and speaking directly to the Board members at the listening session on May 21st, also in Guntersville, AL. Registrations for speakers will open approximately 1 week before the listening session and can be found on the Board of Director’s page.
