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Coal cutbacks: Staff will be cut at aging TVA plants

By Dave Flessner 5 min read

photo TVA logo

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TVA IDLES FOSSIL UNITS

Among its 59 coal-fired generation units, the Tennessee Valley Authority is retiring 18 of its oldest and least efficient units and is considering whether to shutter or clean up another 14 units.

photo TVA fossil fuel units

As the Tennessee Valley Authority retires some of its oldest coal-fired power plants, the agency is trying to entice some of the older workers at its fossil plants to also retire.

TVA spokesman Mike Bradley said Monday the federal utility is talking with employees at TVA’s 11 coal plants about a retirement option designed to cut some of the 2,400 jobs in TVA’s coal division.

“For environmental and economic reasons, we are making some strategic decisions about idling or retiring some of our coal units,” Bradley said. “As we proceed with these idlings across our coal fleet, there are going to be reductions in the number of positions needed.”