The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is beginning work on its 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)—a comprehensive study that provides direction on how to best meet future electricity demand. Building upon the work of prior IRPs, TVA is starting the 2019 IRP process by proactively addressing the changing utility marketplace. Specifically, the 2019 IRP will explore various scenarios related to expansion of distributed energy resources (DER) in the Tennessee Valley. TVA will also seek to improve its understanding of the impact and benefit of system flexibility with increasing renewable and distributed resources.

The 2019 IRP will consider many views of the future to determine how TVA can continue to provide low-cost, reliable electricity, support environmental stewardship, and spur economic development in the Valley over the next 20 years. As part of the IRP decision-making process, and in alignment with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), TVA will analyze potential environmental implications associated with an updated IRP by issuing an environmental impact statement (EIS).

TVA will accept public comment concerning the scope of the EIS and environmental issues that should be addressed by the IRP from February 15-April 16, 2018. Interested parties can provide input via the IRP online public comment form, through email to IRP@TVA.gov, or by sending comments to the contacts below:

• Hunter Hydas, Enterprise Planning, 1101 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN, 37402. Phone: 423-751-2453.
• Amy Henry, Enterprise Relations + Innovation, 400 West Summit Hill Dr., WT 9D, Knoxville, TN, 37902. Phone: 865-632-404.