Groups announce “People’s Hearing” after TVA board ignores requests for more public input into long-term energy plan

Nashville, Tenn. — Last month, SACE was one of several nonprofit organizations that submitted a request for more transparency and public engagement into the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Integrated Resource Plan process. The board has failed to respond to the groups’ “Motion to Intervene” for more than 30 days.

In response to TVA’s failure to offer opportunities for substantial input on the IRP, the groups will hold a “People’s IRP Hearing” that will include testimony from expert witnesses along with a public comment session. Information from the hearing will be delivered to TVA’s IRP team. The public is invited to join the event to provide input on TVA’s plans for the energy future of the Tennessee Valley.

“TVA is a public utility and it’s about time that TVA takes the public’s concerns seriously,” said Daniel Tait, Executive Director for Energy Alabama. “If TVA refuses to listen, we will create our own venue and make them hear our voices. TVA can’t live in the shadows forever.”

TVA’s integrated resource plan will shape the future of energy in the Tennessee Valley through 2050. Unlike many of TVA’s neighboring utilities, the federal utility’s IRP is not regulated by a public utilities commission and there is no outside oversight on how TVA conducts the process. Members of the public have historically had little opportunity to shape the IRP during the critical stages of the planning. 

The People’s IRP Hearing will occur on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Expert testimony will take place from 1 to 4:30 p.m., CT, and a public comment period will be held between 6 to 8 p.m., CT. The meeting will also be live-streamed and allow for virtual comments. 

“As members of the nation’s largest publicly owned utility, we cannot stand by while critical decisions are made behind closed doors,” said Jake Duncan, Southeast Regulatory Director for Vote Solar. “The People’s IRP Hearing stands as a beacon of transparency and public engagement, epitomizing our commitment to an inclusive process where every voice contributes to forging a sustainable and equitable energy future for the Tennessee Valley.”