The Tennessee Valley Authority is looking for input from the public about their draft Integrated Resource Plan, with comments to go toward development of the final version of the plan.
The TVA published the draft on Monday, and it examines economic, regulatory and market-drive scenarios that are outside of the TVA’s control, and strategizes on how the TVA would respond to those scenarios while continuing to provide reliable, and affordable energy to their service region. The plan also contains preliminary observations on how to meet the region’s need for electricity in the future.
For more than a year, the IRP Working Group, which includes individuals from local power companies, directly served TVA customers, academia and research, state governments, environmental non-government organizations, customer associations, community stakeholders and other special interest groups, has worked closely with TVA to develop this draft. Now, the TVA is looking to hear from the public before finalization of the plan.
There will be public meetings held across the region, including in Hopkinsville, and TVA Director of Customer and Community Relations Amy Edge they want to hear from those in all seven of the states that they serve.
The draft contains observations concerning new capacity, generation technologies, solar expansion possibilities, natural gas expansion, energy efficiency, storage expansion, wind additions and nuclear technologies.
Edge says public input is vitally important, because the TVA is committed to serving the communities they serve as whole, from the individual to the business.
The public hearing for Kentucky will take place in Hopkinsville on November 7, with more details on that event set to be released at a later date. Comments can be made online and will be accepted until November 26 at tva.com/irp.