TVA recognizes the existence of solar in long-term plan

The company’s new integrated resource plan has solar projections as high as 15 GW by 2038 and storage projections of 5.3 Gw in that same timeframe. However what will get built is still uncertain. Today the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) board of directors approved the power company’s new 20-year integrated resource plan. And, in absolutely shocking fashion, the company which has been reluctant at best to even recognize the existence of solar power as a generation source has big plans for PV. Furthermore, these aren’t just big plans in relation to TVA’s prior solar outlook, it’s actual development. The federally owned power company plans to bring on-line up to 14 GW of solar and up to 5 GW of battery storage. The first 1.5-8 GW of solar are anticipated to go on-line by 2028, with the remaining capacity joining by 2038. Storage will follow the same timelines with 2028 expected to reflect the addition of 2.4 GW, with the remaining 2.6-2.9 GW coming 10 years after that. As for the metrics of storage, TVA did not supply MWh figures, but it’s likely they will be in the 20-32 GWh range, assuming 4-hour batteries.