The nation’s biggest public utility just doubled down on coal, gas, and nuclear

The Tennessee Valley Authority, the country's largest public utility, has released a new draft of its long-range energy plan that shifts away from renewables and toward coal, gas, and nuclear power. The plan covers electricity supply through 2050 for 10 million residents across Tennessee and parts of North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, and Virginia. Compared with an earlier draft, expected solar capacity has dropped from up to 20 gigawatts to no more than 5, and wind power is off the table. Meanwhile, TVA now plans to keep its coal plants running through 2039, nearly double its planned investment in gas power (to as much as 26 gigawatts), and seek license extensions for its three nuclear plants.

The shift follows changes in federal policy, including reduced tax incentives for renewable energy projects that don't break ground by 2027, and looser federal rules on coal plant emissions. TVA also points to rising electricity demand from data centers, which already make up about 20 percent of its industrial power use and are expected to double their draw by 2030. Some analysts argue that keeping older coal plants open longer will raise costs and reliability risks rather than solve them.

For homeowners in the TVA service area, this means the region's electricity supply is likely to stay more dependent on coal and gas, and less on solar and wind, than earlier plans suggested. TVA is taking public comments on the plan through July 22, with a final decision expected August 6.