When Will TVA Install Low-Cost Solar?

The Tennessee Valley Authority, which supplies power across much of Tennessee and parts of neighboring states, has promised to add several gigawatts of solar power by 2040. But the list of power projects actually working their way through TVA's approval process tells a different story. Two years ago, solar made up about a quarter of that list. Now, in TVA's latest 2025 and 2026 project groups, it has dropped to zero. Getting a new power plant approved and built typically takes about seven years, so this gap means new utility-scale solar in the region likely won't come online before 2032 at the earliest.

For homeowners in TVA territory, this doesn't change anything about rebates or incentives for home upgrades. But it does suggest that cleaner, often cheaper power sources on the grid may take longer to arrive than TVA's own long-term plans suggest, which could matter if you're weighing how "green" your local power supply will be in the coming years, or watching for future shifts in electricity rates tied to the mix of gas, storage, and solar TVA relies on.

Separately, a solar developer in Mississippi has sued TVA over delays in connecting a 67.5-megawatt project to the grid, arguing TVA caused the holdup and then demanded extra financial guarantees rather than granting more time. The case is a reminder that even approved solar projects can stall or fall through before they ever generate power.