Cheatham County Generation Site

Cheatham County, Tennessee

TVA plans to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed construction and operation of a simple cycle Combustion Turbine (CT) plant and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on a 286-acre parcel of TVA-owned land in Cheatham County, Tennessee. The Cheatham County Generation Site (CHG) would generate approximately 900 Megawatts (MW) and replace generation capacity for a substantial portion of the Cumberland Fossil Plant (CUF) second Unit retirement planned by the end of 2028. The addition of the proposed 400 MW-hour BESS could also help TVA maintain grid stability and reliability as generating assets with greater minute-by-minute variability are integrated into TVA’s transmission system (e.g. wind and solar generating assets).

TVA preliminarily planned to consider a No Action Alternative and an Action Alternative. The No Action alternative provides a baseline for comparing against the Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, TVA would not develop the TVA-owned property in Cheatham County for energy generation. The Action Alternative would evaluate the development of the CHG property for construction and operation of a CT interconnected with a BESS. The CHG property would also include an approximately Pollinator Habitat along Sycamore Creek. Related actions, such as the construction of a 7-mile natural gas pipeline lateral and off-site transmission lines, will also be assessed in this EIS. However, the alternatives considered in the EIS may increase, decrease, or evolve during the course of preparing the EIS. 

In addition, the construction of a potential natural gas pipeline would be subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction and additional review will be undertaken by FERC in accordance with its own NEPA procedures. 

Next Steps

Following completion of the environmental analysis for CHG, TVA will post a Draft EIS for public review and comment on the project web page for a minimum of 45-days. TVA anticipates holding a public open house after releasing the Draft EIS. Open house details will be posted on this TVA website in conjunction with the Draft EIS. TVA expects to release the Draft EIS in late-2024. Subsequently, TVA will consider comments received on the Draft EIS before selecting one or more alternatives as preferred in the Final EIS. TVA projects completing a Final EIS in mid-2025. A final determination on proceeding with the preferred alternative will be documented in a Record of Decision.

Public Scoping Period May 12, 2023 – July 7, 2023

NEPA requires the identification and analysis of potential environmental effects of major proposed federal actions and alternatives before those actions take place. NEPA's intent is to protect, restore, or enhance the environment through well-informed federal decisions. Public involvement is integral to the federal decision-making process and is required by NEPA.

As part of the preparation of the EIS, NEPA requires that there be an early and open process for determining the scope of the issues to be addressed. This process is commonly known as “scoping,” during which an agency solicits public input. TVA invited public comments on the scope of the EIS, alternatives being considered, and environmental issues that should be addressed as a part of this EIS. TVA hosted an in-person open house in the Ashland City, Tennessee on June 21, 2023. Please note that any comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the project administrative record and will be available for public inspection.