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TVA seeks comment on ‘dewatering’ facility at Kingston, would allow dry storage

Posted at 12:22 am April 4, 2015
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

Kingston Fossil Plant

Kingston Fossil Plant is located on Watts Bar Reservoir on the Tennessee River near Kingston. At the time it was finished in 1955, Kingston was the largest coal-burning power plant in the world, a distinction it held for more than a decade. (Photo courtesy TVA)

HARRIMAN—As part of a commitment to change the way ash and coal products are handled, the Tennessee Valley Authority is proposing to design and build a new facility that would dry out byproduct streams of bottom ash and pyrite at the Kingston Fossil Plant.

The change would allow these coal-burning byproducts to be stored in an onsite, dry landfill.

This project supports TVA’s plan to close all wet ponds containing coal combustion residue and convert them to dry storage throughout TVA’s coal fleet. Kingston is the first of TVA’s fossil plants to undergo the conversion. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: ash, bottom ash, coal, coal combustion, coal plant, coal products, dewatering facility, dry storgae, environmental assessment, Kingston Fossil Plant, landfill, pyrite, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA

Lodge, Walter sworn in as TVA board members

Posted at 8:51 pm December 26, 2014
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

Virginia Lodge

Virginia Lodge

Ronald Walter

Ronald Walter

Virginia Lodge of Nashville and Ronald Walter of Memphis became members of the Tennessee Valley Authority board on Tuesday, taking their oaths of office in ceremonies in Memphis and Nashville. Their terms expire on May 18, 2019.

The two were nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on December 9. One vacancy remains on the nine-member board.

“I am honored to have been nominated to this very important post by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate,” Lodge said in a press release. “I look forward to serving on the TVA board and representing the people of the Tennessee Valley.”

“I am honored the president and Senate have confidence in my abilities and look forward to serving on the board,” Walter said. “During my tenure at Memphis Light, Gas and Water, I worked with TVA and I’m looking forward to my expanded role in working with the people of the Tennessee Valley.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: Barack Obama, Barbara Haskew, Bill Sansom, FSI, Kids Voting of Middle Tennessee, Memphis Gas Light and Water, Phil Bredesen, Ronald Walter, Tennessee Department of Human Services, Tennessee Valley, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, TVA board, U.S. Senate, Virginia Lodge, WREG-TV

TVA: Kingston Ash Recovery Project nears completion

Posted at 10:46 pm December 17, 2014
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Dike C Reinforcement

TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Dike C reinforcement (Photos courtesy TVA)

 

The Tennessee Valley Authority is in the final stages of the Kingston recovery project. The public utility says it’s fulfilling a promise to restore the area surrounding the Kingston Fossil Plant near Harriman following the coal ash spill in December 2008, the largest ash spill in U.S. history.

A major milestone was reached in early December, with the completion of the cover for a 240-acre permanent ash retention landfill. The new landfill, which has been fortified with an underground earthquake-resistant wall anchored in bedrock, is covered by a flexible-membrane liner and geo-composite fabric, two feet of clay, topsoil, and grass.

“We all know this incident shouldn’t have happened,” said TVA President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson, who visited the recovery site on December 17. “But we have learned from it and we are fulfilling our commitment to making it right.”

TVA says it’s also keeping its promise by returning the Emory River and surrounding waterways to pre-spill conditions, reforesting and adding vegetation to surrounding land, stabilizing shorelines, and adding wetlands and other wildlife habitats. TVA has opened Lakeshore Park, which features 32 acres of walking trails, fishing piers, a boat ramp, and docks. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Roane County, State, Top Stories Tagged With: air, ash, ash retention landfilll, ash spill, Bill Johnson, cleanup, coal ash spill, dry storage, economic development, electric rates, Emory River, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, gypsum, insurance claim, Kingston Ash Recovery Project, Kingston Fossil Plant, Kingston Recovery Project, Lakeshore Park, public health, Roane County, Roane County Highway Department, Swan Pond, TDEC, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, TVA, walking trails, water

TVA: Watts Bar Unit 2 more than 90 percent complete, key milestones ahead

Posted at 3:59 pm August 12, 2014
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Reactor Vessel

The core barrel being lowered into the Watts Bar Unit 2 nuclear reactor vessel. The core barrel is over 33 feet tall and weighs 282,000 pounds and will hold 193 nuclear fuel assemblies. Once operational by the end of 2015, Watts Bar Unit 2 will produce approximately 1,150 megawatts of carbon free electricity, enough for 650,000 homes. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Valley Authority)

 

SPRING CITY—The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Watts Bar Nuclear Plant’s Unit 2 reactor is more than 90 percent complete and moving through key testing to become the nation’s first new nuclear generation of the 21st century.

In the eighth quarterly report since TVA revised its estimate to complete the project, TVA said Monday that Watts Bar Unit 2 continues to meet safety and quality targets and remains on schedule and within budget to become the first U.S. reactor to generate “new” power in nearly two decades, and the first since Watts Bar Unit 1 in 1996.

Watts Bar Unit 2 is projected to begin commercial operation between September 2015 and June 2016, with a most likely date by December 2015. The project has a projected completion cost between $4 billion and $4.5 billion, with a most likely target of $4.2 billion.

Testing of individual and combined plant systems is under way, TVA said in the latest quarterly update, covering February to April 2014. The first major system test, called open vessel testing, began ahead of schedule during the period and was completed earlier this summer. OVT involves pumping water into the reactor vessel through systems used when shutting down the reactor and in support of nuclear operations. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Mike Skaggs, NRC, nuclear generation, nuclear operations, nuclear plant, nuclear power, quarterly update, reactor, reactor containment, reactor vessel, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Unit 2, Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Watts Bar Unit 2

TVA completes retaining wall, the largest of its kind, at Kingston ash spill

Posted at 1:05 pm March 4, 2014
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

Kingston Ash Spill Retaining Wall

KINGSTON—The Tennessee Valley Authority has achieved a significant milestone in its cleanup of the ash spill at the Kingston Fossil Plant—the completion of an earthquake-resistant, underground retaining wall around the containment cell at the recovery site.

The wall, which completely surrounds the 240-acre containment cell where recovered ash will be permanently stored, was completed on Feb. 20, almost a month ahead of schedule.

“I’m extremely proud of the project team for accomplishing this major undertaking,” said Bob Deacy, TVA senior vice president of projects. “They kept safety at the forefront and completed this significant milestone ahead of schedule.”

Construction of the wall began in summer 2011. Two high-capacity, long-reach hydraulic excavators dug trenches that were 4 feet wide and reached depths between 40 and 70 feet. More than 200,000 tons of cement and other materials were used to construct the wall, which is embedded 70 feet into the bedrock.

It is the largest wall of its kind in the U.S. at nearly 64,000 linear feet, the equivalent of 12 miles, and is designed to withstand a magnitude 6.0 earthquake. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: ash, ash spill, Bob Deacy, Bull Run, coal ash, containment cell, Craig Zeller, Kingston ash spill, Kingston Fossil Plant, retaining wall, Swam Pond, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, wet storage

TVA tax equivalent payments total $547 million in 2013

Posted at 6:48 pm November 23, 2013
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

Submitted

KNOXVILLE—The Tennessee Valley Authority provided $547 million in tax equivalent payments in fiscal year 2013 to states and local governments where it sells electricity or has power properties.

TVA pays tax equivalent payments annually in the eight states where it sells electricity or owns generating plants, transmission lines, substations and other assets, and directly to 146 local governments where TVA owns power facilities. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: Bill Johnson, electricity, power sales revenues, tax equivalent payments, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA

TVA breaks all-time record for power generation from its dams

Posted at 2:15 pm October 4, 2013
By Tennessee Valley Authority 2 Comments

Norris Dam

The Norris Dam in Anderson County can produce electricity for the Tennessee Valley Authority. (Photo courtesy TVA)

KNOXVILLE—More electricity was generated from the Tennessee Valley Authority’s 29 hydroelectric dams in fiscal year 2013, which ended Sept. 30, than in any other year in the agency’s 80-year history.

The dams provided 18.5 million megawatt-hours of clean, renewable energy, breaking the previous record set in 1973 by 122,000 MWh. That is enough electricity to serve more than 1.2 million homes in the TVA service area for an entire year.

Above-average rain and runoff fueled the increase in hydro generation. The Tennessee Valley received almost 62 inches of rainfall and almost 30 inches of runoff in fiscal 2013, which were 121 percent and 136 percent of normal, respectively. Runoff is the amount of rainfall that actually reaches streams and creeks, and eventually the Tennessee River, its tributaries, and TVA’s dams. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Chip Pardee, dams, electricity, hydro generation, hydroelectric dams, hydroelectric power, John McCormick, rain, runoff, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA

TVA again ranks among top utilities for economic development

Posted at 10:00 am September 8, 2013
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Valley Authority has been named for the eighth consecutive year as one of Site Selection magazine’s top 10 North American utilities for achievement in economic development.

The publication recognizes TVA’s work in fiscal year 2012 with local power companies and regional, state, and community partners in helping to attract or retain more than 48,000 jobs and leveraging $5.9 billion in capital investment for the seven-state TVA service territory. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Federal, Government, Top Stories

TVA board approves smaller budget, 1.5 percent rate increase

Posted at 2:12 pm August 22, 2013
By Tennessee Valley Authority 1 Comment

Submitted

KNOXVILLE—The Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors approved a $10.5 billion fiscal year 2014 budget at its meeting Thursday and a 1.5 percent retail rate increase—TVA’s first increase in two years.

The public utility said the rate increase is less than the economy’s modest growth in inflation since the last increase in 2011, and it will add about $1.50 to the monthly power bill of a residential consumer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Bill Johnson, budget, electricity, rate increase, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA

Electricity sales down with mild temperatures; heavy rainfall boosted low-cost power, TVA says

Posted at 11:25 am August 5, 2013
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

Norris Dam

The Norris Dam in Anderson County can produce electricity for the Tennessee Valley Authority. (Photo courtesy TVA)

KNOXVILLE—The Tennessee Valley Authority reported Monday that electricity sales were lower in the third quarter of fiscal year 2013 than for the prior period due largely to mild temperatures, while heavy rainfall boosted low-cost hydroelectric generation.

“Both sales and revenues were down in the third quarter. This was offset largely by our efforts to reduce operating costs,” TVA President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson said. “We are focused on making sure TVA lives within our means to continue to keep rates low for our customers and the people of the Tennessee Valley.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Bill Johnson, electricity, electricity sales, hydroelectric generation, John Thomas, loss, quarterly report, rainfall, revenues, sales, temperatures, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

TVA, government agencies to give recovery update on Kingston ash spill

Posted at 4:35 pm May 22, 2013
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority, along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, will hold a public meeting on progress of the Kingston Ash Recovery Project and long-term monitoring plans.

The meeting will be held Thursday, May 30, from 5:30-7 p.m. in the auditorium of Roane County High School in Kingston. The auditorium is in Building B on the Spring Street side of the high school. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, State, Top Stories Tagged With: ash spill, ecological health, EPA, Kingston, Kingston Ash Recovery Project, Kingston Fossil Plant, long-term monitoring plan, Roane County High School, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

TVA, B&W sign agreement for small nuclear reactor at Clinch River Site

Posted at 2:16 pm February 20, 2013
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority and Babcock and Wilcox announced Wednesday a major step in their joint effort to build and test the nation’s first small modular reactor at TVA’s Clinch River Site in Oak Ridge.

TVA and B&W signed a contract Feb. 7 that formalizes the process toward the eventual submittal and Nuclear Regulatory Commission review of a licensing application for a B&W mPower small modular reactor, or SMR, nuclear plant at Clinch River.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Federal, Government, Roane County, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: B&W, Babcock and Wilcox, Clinch River Site, DOE, Joe Hoagland, licensing, mPower, NRC, nuclear plant, nuclear reactor, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, small modular nuclear reactor, SMR, SMR Licensing Technical Support Program, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Department of Energy

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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