US’s largest public utility ignores warnings in moving forward with new natural gas plant

By TRAVIS LOLLER
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The nation’s largest public utility is moving ahead with a plan for a new natural gas plant in Tennessee despite warnings that its environmental review of the project doesn’t comply with federal law. The Environmental Protection Agency asked the Tennessee Valley Authority in a March 25 letter to redo several aspects of its environmental impact statement for converting the coal-burning Kingston Fossil Plant. The EPA cited “numerous” concerns with the plan to install new gas turbines there. Tennessee Valley had considered building new solar facilities paired with battery storage. The utility concluded there is not enough time to build that before its 2027 deadline to shut down Kingston’s coal-burning boilers.