Yum Yum Solar Project

Fayette County, Tennessee

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has completed and released a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed Yum Yum Solar Project in Fayette County, Tennessee, on December 16, 2019. The Yum Yum Solar Facility will provide up to 147 Megawatts Alternating Current generating capacity in accordance with the terms of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

In an effort to increase the amount of renewable energy in its generation portfolio, TVA released a Request for Proposal for renewable energy resources in 2017. TVA then entered into a PPA with Yum Yum Solar LLC.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Act’s implementing regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality ([CEQ]; 40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1500-1508), federal agencies are required to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of their proposed actions. This EA was prepared to assess the potential impacts of TVA’s Proposed Action (the purchase of power under the PPA) on the environment in accordance with CEQ’s and TVA’s procedures for implementing NEPA (TVA 1983).

TVA’s Proposed Action would result in the construction and operation of the proposed solar facility by Yum Yum Solar LLC and actions taken by TVA to connect the solar facility to the TVA transmission system. The scope of this Final EA therefore focuses on impacts related to the construction and operation of the proposed solar facility and associated modifications to the TVA transmission system.

Under the PPA, TVA’s obligation to purchase renewable power is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of the appropriate environmental review and TVA’s determination that the Proposed Action will be “environmentally acceptable.” To be deemed acceptable, TVA must assess the impact of the Proposed Action on the human environment to determine whether (1) any significant impacts would result from the location, operation, and/or maintenance of the Proposed Action and/or associated facilities, and (2) the Proposed Action would be consistent with the purposes, provisions, and requirements of applicable federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations.