America’s biggest public power utility is turning to the sun for more of its power, awarding four more solar purchase power contracts in December and preparing later this year to review a record number of proposals for solar, wind, nuclear and other carbon-free power sources.
The Tennessee Valley Authority has trailed most of its neighbors in its share of electricity generated from solar power, but TVA President Jeff Lyash said the federal utility plans to boost its use of solar and other renewable power sources.
“TVA is committed to adding significant amounts of solar and storage to our system,” Lyash said in a conference call with industry analysts earlier this week. “We recognize the urgency and TVA’s unique opportunity to lead in developing solutions that will deliver a carbon-free energy future.”
In response to its request for more solar generation last year, TVA signed power purchase agreements in December with the Nashville-based Silicon Ranch for 160 megawatts of solar generating capacity at new solar farms being built in McNairy, Hardeman, Henry and Lauderdale counties in Tennessee, TVA spokesman Scott Fiedler said in an email.
Last July, TVA issued one of the biggest one-time requests ever by a U.S. utility for carbon-free power, soliciting proposals for up to 5,000 megawatts of carbon-free energy that could be operational by 2029.