Citizens to have say in TVA energy plan

Citizens to have say in TVA energy plan
-by Danielle Droitsch

Citizens of the Tennessee Valley are being presented with what may be called the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to have some say in an energy plan that will affect their region for the next 25 years.

For the first time in more than 60 years, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) must ask for and consider public comment on its upcoming 25-year energy plan. Until recently, any decisions made by TVA regarding nuclear power, coal-fired plants, energy efficiency and renewable technologies were unreviewable by the public. But through a requirement passed in the 1992 Energy Act, TVA must now conduct a comprehensive energy plan that considers not only economic costs but also environmental costs, energy efficiency, a diversity of resources and cost-effectiveness.

The plan is TVA's Integrated Resource Plan (or Energy Vision 2020), and for the next six months, TVA will be holding hearings throughout their service area to get input on the plan. (See "How to have your say," page 5.) People will have a chance to affect everything from their monthly utility bill, to the quality of their home, to the protection of the environment. And problems concerning TVA's $25 billion debt, its continued nuclear construction and its lack of energy efficiency programs will also be addressed.

The Tennessee Valley Energy Reform Coalition (TVERC), a coalition of citizen and environmental groups, is working to make sure the final plan is a responsible one. Specifically, TVERC is working for meaningful public participation during the development of the plan, better representation of low-income concerns and energy issues, a level playing field for energy efficiency initiatives targeted to residential, commercial and industrial customers, the beginning of a sustainable renewable energy program, and accountability by TVA to the public.

An overhead view shows one of TVA's not-quite-complete nuclear power plants: Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant in Spring City, Tenn.

Prior to its inception in 1933, the Tennessee Valley watershed region was flood plagued and economically disadvantaged. In 1933 the per capita income of the Valley was about 45 percent of the national average and only two out of every 100 homes had electricity. TVA was created as part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal program to improve the quality of life. Through multi-purpose public programs, navigation improvements, agricultural and economic development, and flood control and water resource management, the region began to prosper. By the 1960s electrical power was available to virtually everyone and power production was TVA's largest program.

Today TVA's power program has a massive presence throughout the Tennessee Valley and the surrounding regions. It is recognized as one of the largest utilities in the nation, producing enough power to serve three cities the size of New York. More than 80,000 square miles across seven states and eight million people have at least some dependency on the federal agency. The power system consists of 32 hydroelectric dams, 11 coal-fired plants, four natural gas combustion turbines, three operating nuclear (Continued on page 5)