Paradise and Colbert Combustion Turbine Plants

Colbert, Lauderdale, and Morgan Counties, Alabama; Hardin, Lawrence, Montgomery, Sumner, Wayne, and Wilson Counties, Tennessee; and Muhlenberg and Todd Counties, Kentucky

TVA has completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the construction and operation of three new natural gas-fueled frame CT units (750 MW total) at TVA’s Paradise Reservation in Drakesboro, Kentucky, and three natural gas-fueled frame CT units (750 MW total) at TVA’s Colbert Reservation in Tuscumbia, Alabama, for a system total of 1,500 MW to replace the capacity lost due to the proposed retirement of Allen and Johnsonville CTs. Comments were collected from the general public, local, state and federal stakeholders February 3 through March 13. The most frequently mentioned comments related to climate impacts, environmental justice, analysis of alternatives, and cumulative impacts. TVA considered all substantive comments it received on the draft EA and has responded to them in the Final EA as appropriate. A copy of the public comments and TVA’s responses can be found in Appendix A of the Final EA. .

TVA’s proposed action would result in the need for upgrades to the existing natural gas supply as well as actions necessary to connect the CT plants to TVA’s existing transmission system, including transmission line network upgrades. The impacts associated with the retirement and decommissioning of Allen and Johnsonville CTs were analyzed in the 2019 IRP and were incorporated by reference into the current EA. Based on the findings in the EA, TVA concludes that implementing the proposed project would not be a major federal action significantly affecting the environment and has issued a finding of no significant impact.

In Fiscal Year 2019, TVA completed a CT Modernization Study to evaluate the condition of TVA’s current CT units and form recommendations for investments to ensure the fleet can reliably support peaks in demand into the future. CT Units 1-20 located on the TVA’s Allen Reservation and CT Units 1-16 located on TVA’s Johnsonville Reservation (total of 1,400 megawatt [MW] capacity) were determined to be the most challenged (have received little recent investment, are 40 or more years old and require replacement to ensure reliability) and recommended for retirement and replacement.