Our Power System

TVA’s power portfolio is dynamic and adaptable in the face of changing demands and regulations. Our emphasis has moved away from traditional coal-based production and toward cleaner forms of power generation, and today the power we deliver is nearly 60 percent carbon-free.

So that we remain responsive to the Valley's electricity demand on hot summer and cold winter days, we're adding more cleaner-burning natural gas units. To generate more carbon-free power, we’ve added the 21st century’s first new nuclear unit. As always, we generate clean, renewable power with our 29 hydroelectric dams. We have plans underway to build TVA's first utility-scale solar site and have contracted for more than a thousand megawatts of solar to help customers meet their renewable goals.

Additionally, we continue to offer programs that allow Valley-based businesses and consumers to partner with us to generate solar, wind and biogas energy.

Meanwhile, we’re decommissioning some of our oldest coal-fired units to make way for these new, more efficient forms of power production. It’s a natural evolution—one that fits with our historic mission of providing reliable, low-cost energy that makes life better for the people we serve.

Our Changing Portfolio

Note: Graph represents energy. EE includes TVA Energy Efficiency Program impacts on a Net Cumulative Realized at System basis. 2007 base year, and excludes energy efficiency effects from external factors.

TVA’s Generating Assets Today

• 5 fossil plants (25 active units)
• 3 nuclear plants (7 units)
• 29 hydro plants (109 units)
• 1 pumped storage hydroelectric plant (4 units)
• 9 natural gas combustion turbine gas plants (87 units)
• 8 natural gas combined cycle gas plants (14 power blocks, 35 units [21 gas turbines, 14 steam turbines])
• 1 diesel generator site (5 units)
• 14 solar energy sites
• 1 wind energy site

TVA also acquires power from a variety of power producers, generally through power purchase agreements (“PPAs”), which as of September 30, 2020, those currently operating include:

• Non-renewable PPAs with the following types of facilities: 2 natural gas, 1 lignite, and several small diesel
• Renewable PPAs with the following types of facilities: 8 wind, 3 utility-scale solar, 1 landfill gas, 1 hydroelectric, and a number of small-scale facilities contracted under TVA renewable programs