- TVA explore repurposing a closed coal ash site into utility-scale solar.
- 10,000 MW of solar energy will be added by 2035.
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will explore repurposing a closed coal ash site at the Shawnee power plant into utility-scale solar.
The $216 million pilot program was approved by TVA’s board of directors late last week and is pending environmental and regulatory approvals.
Reusing retired fossil sites are part of TVA’s plans to decarbonize its fleet. This includes adding 10,000 MW of solar energy by 2035. By that year, TVA aims to achieve an 80 per cent reduction in carbon emissions from 2005 levels.
The nine-unit, 1,200 MW coal-fired Shawnee plant is located ten miles northwest of Paducah, Kentucky.