TVA’s Retirement of Inefficient Coal Plants Is The Right Move

Chattanooga, Tenn. – After much speculation, in a split vote the Tennessee Valley Authority voted at their quarterly board meeting today to ignore President Trump’s appeal and make the decision to recommend the retirement of both Paradise Unit 3 and Bull Run, two aging coal plants in Kentucky and Tennessee respectively.

Dr. Stephen Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, is at the board meeting currently and provided the following statement:

“We applaud TVA for making the right decision and for ignoring President Trump’s Tweet and misguided support for dirty, uneconomical coal. This closure is an economic and environmental win-win; it is a good move for bill payers and for the environment. Continuing the transition away from dirty, expensive fossil fuels and towards affordable, clean renewable energy is the way to go. We look forward to seeing more long term planning moving in this direction from TVA, including the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) expected shortly. There is an opportunity to continue the progress started today, and bolster communities that have relied on coal, by investing in a clean energy future and moving forward with additional coal retirements.”

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About the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Since 1985, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has worked to promote responsible energy choices to ensure clean, safe and healthy communities throughout the Southeast. Learn more at www.cleanenergy.org.