16 minute read
Igniting Innovation
Building the Future... Through Innovation
We recognize TVA’s unique position and responsibility to lead in developing solutions that will deliver a carbon-free energy future. We cannot meet the energy needs of tomorrow by making small changes to today’s power system. It will require innovation, collaboration and pushing TVA, the industry and the nation to go further, faster to make our vision for tomorrow a reality.
Powering an EV transformation
TVA and partners drive electric vehicles forward for a better tomorrow
In early 2022, one of TVA’s local power company partners put the city of Fort Payne, Alabama, on the map by installing two electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers — the fi rst in our regional Fast Charge Network.
At TVA, we’re bringing together local power companies, state agencies and others to pave the way for well over 200,000 electric vehicles on Tennessee Valley roads by 2028. We’re taking a four-pronged approach to reducing and removing major barriers to electric transportation, including:
• Building a public charging infrastructure • Attracting automakers and suppliers to the region • Adopting policies such as electric-vehicle rates • Heightening consumer awareness
This is a responsible choice for our environment, noted Ray Knotts, senior manager of Energy Services and Programs at TVA.
“We know that gas-powered transportation is the No. 1 source of pollution in the Valley,” Knotts said. “Buying an EV is a true win-win-win, as drivers, local power companies and communities all benefi t.” Studies in 2019 showed a major barrier to owning an EV was range anxiety.
“So we started working with local dignitaries, state agencies and local power companies to see how we could make a difference,” said Drew Frye, TVA manager of Commercial Energy Solutions. “Installing electric chargers emerged as the single most infl uential approach.”
Launched in FY 2022, TVA’s Fast Charge Network aims to ensure drivers in the Tennessee Valley will never be more than 25 miles from a Fast Charge Network charging location.
Once completed, the Fast Charge Network will include about 80 locations and 200 fast chargers, with multiple station owners and site hosts on interstates and major highways across TVA’s seven-state service area.
To accelerate the Fast Charge Network, TVA is working alongside state agencies such as the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) to fund 80% of fast-charger installation costs.
“We’re at a pivotal point in our history. This age of electric vehicles may be as transformative to this region as TVA’s electrifi cation of the Valley was back in the 1930s. Our public power model and our partnerships with local power companies and other agencies enable us to help power this transformation — working and investing today for the benefi t of all our residents tomorrow.”
—Jeff Lyash, TVA President and Chief Executive Offi cer
President and CEO Jeff Lyash stands by the first charging location in Martin, Tennessee, as part of Fast Charge TN, a partnership between TVA, TDEC and Seven States Power Corp.
Andrea Harrington, general manager of Weakley County Municipal Electric System, dedicates Weakley County’s Fast Charge Network electric vehicle charging site in Martin, Tennessee.
Currently, 116 of TVA’s 153 local power company partners are interested in the Fast Charge Network program. At the end of FY 2022, 32 charging sites were under contract with 24 different LPCs, and four were operational and open for EV drivers (Fort Payne, Alabama; Beaver Dam, Kentucky; Martin, Tennessee; and Cullman, Alabama).
“We moved quickly to participate in this program because we want to make it easy for people to choose electric vehicles so our community can enjoy the environmental and economic benefi ts of electric transportation,” said Mike Shirey, general manager of Fort Payne Improvement Authority. “The support from TVA and grant funding from Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs made it possible to add charging stations without affecting our customers’ bills.”
In addition to building the Fast Charge Network, TVA is working with partners to attract automakers and suppliers to the region.
Today, fi ve auto manufacturers are focused on EV production in the Tennessee Valley: Ford (future electric pickup truck), GM (Cadillac Lyriq), Volkswagen (ID4), Nissan (Leaf) and a MazdaToyota joint venture.
In 2022, two new EV suppliers joined a growing list of support companies as well.
Envision AESC, a world-leading Japanese electric vehicle battery technology company, announced a $2 billion investment to build a state-of-theart facility where 2,000 skilled employees will produce battery cells and modules to power next-generation EVs. The “gigafactory” will be
—Mike Shirey, Fort Payne Improvement Authority
powered by 100% renewable energy supplied by onsite generation and purchased locally from TVA.
Another company, Tritium, a global leader in direct current fast chargers for EVs, announced plans to build a manufacturing facility in Lebanon, Tennessee, which will bring more than 500 jobs to the region.
In total, the automakers and suppliers are responsible for approximately $13.8 billion in new capital investment in the Valley and more than 10,500 new jobs over the past 10 years.
At TVA, our internal fl eet electrifi cation program is among the most aggressive in the electric utility industry. By 2030, we plan to transition 100% of our light-duty vehicles and 50% of our medium-duty vehicles to electric.
Today, gas and diesel vehicles are the biggest sources of carbon emissions. With our EV initiatives, TVA and our partners aren’t just paving the way for more EVs on Valley roads; we are laying the foundation for a clean-energy economy for this region and the nation.
“We’re at a pivotal point in our history. This age of electric vehicles may be as transformative to this region as TVA’s electrifi cation of the Valley was back in the 1930s,” said Jeff Lyash, TVA President and Chief Executive Offi cer. “Our public power model and our partnerships with local power companies and other agencies enable us to help power this transformation — working and investing today for the benefi t of all our residents tomorrow.”
In the next fi ve years, about 80 new fast charging stations are expected to be added along interstates and major highways of TVA’s seven-state service area.
TVA has a goal of seeing more than 200,000 electric vehicles on Valley roads by 2028.
Artist rendering shows a Small Modular Reactor at the Clinch River Nuclear Site located near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY
TVA leads the way toward a clean energy future
Innovation is a priority and focus area for TVA as we work aggressively to build the Energy System of the Future.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in our pursuit of advanced nuclear technology — a signifi cant component of our decarbonization efforts.
This year was a busy one. In February, the TVA Board of Directors announced the launch of our New Nuclear Program and approved up to $200 million in funding to explore advanced reactor technology options. The program will provide a disciplined, systematic roadmap for exploration of advanced nuclear technology.
“Advanced nuclear technologies will play a critical role in our nation’s drive toward a clean energy future,” Jeff Lyash, TVA President and Chief Executive Offi cer, said. “We know it will take innovation and creativity as well as discipline and hard work, and we believe that together, with our partners, we can make this region a nuclear innovation hub for the entire country.”
The New Nuclear Program is looking at a variety of advanced nuclear technology options that might meet both near- and long-term generation needs.
The options include small modular reactors (SMRs), which have a smaller footprint than a regular nuclear plant, making them more fl exible. They offer improved safety and security as well as reduced costs to operate — all while offering 100% carbon-free power that is reliable and resilient.
TVA has the nation’s fi rst early site permit for SMRs from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the Clinch River Nuclear Site, and we are preparing an NRC construction permit application for a light-water SMR at the site, subject to required environmental reviews and Board approval.
In June 2022, TVA signed a two-party agreement with GE Hitachi as an early step to support planning and preliminary licensing for a potential deployment of a BWRX-300 SMR at the Clinch River site. This agreement will help inform a future decision about deployment and enable us to refi ne cost and schedule estimates.
As a public power company committed to pursuing advanced nuclear solutions, we have formalized key partnerships this past year, including with:
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory to explore light-water SMRs and fourth-generation advanced nuclear reactors, building on our 2020 advanced reactor technology
Memorandum of Understanding. • Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to collaborate as they explore the deployment of SMRs at OPG’s Darlington Nuclear
Generating Station and we do the same at our Clinch River site. • A consortium assembled by Kairos Power with other North American utilities to help further develop technology for a Kairos Power advanced reactor.
We also have been working with the University of Tennessee since
April 2020 to explore new nuclear technologies with the support of UT’s advanced modeling and simulation tools. “By the nature of our mission, TVA fi lls a unique role as one of the nation’s leading electric utilities but also a living laboratory,” Lyash said. “We were established not only to serve this region, but also the nation — by developing innovative solutions to solve complex problems.”
Robots and drones could ensure reliability and resilience of the grid of tomorrow
As one of the largest high-voltage transmission systems in North America, TVA’s grid is long enough to span the United States six times over.
Someday soon, robots and drones might help us inspect and identify concerns on that 16,400mile grid.
“When people think of the power system, they probably don’t think of robots and drones, but these innovative technologies are becoming key tools for ensuring reliability and resiliency in the future,” said Chris Burge, senior program manager of TVA Grid Research & Development.
Together with some of the most experienced engineers in the country, TVA’s teams are working with Tennessee Tech University on the development of robots specifi cally for use in substations for automated inspections; with other utilities and EPRI, a non-profi t energy research and development organization, on the ability to adapt commercially available robots to perform inspections in substations; and with Mississippi State University (MSU) on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones.
Robots and drones will never replace human expertise. Instead, they are being designed to be a tool that helps fi eld personnel perform their tasks more safely, effi ciently and effectively.
Today, our grid is inspected using a combination of ground and airborne methods. Aerial inspections are performed by helicopters with sensors and, more recently, with small drones operated within visual line of sight of trained employees. One TVA team is working closely with MSU on large drones designed to fl y beyond the operator’s view. The aircraft would have increased range, endurance and payload capability compared to smaller versions.
“In the UAS industry, aircraft that can fl y beyond the line of sight are the holy grail,” said Walt Hodges, manager of TVA UAS Operations and Training, noting that current regulations are a limiting factor. “Everyone wants to get there. The value proposition is tremendous.”
TVA leads the way toward a carbon-free economy
Further and faster.
That’s how TVA plans to move forward in reducing carbon emissions.
To that end, with partners across the Tennessee Valley, we have taken bold steps toward a cleanenergy future that stimulates economic growth and positions the region as a national leader in decarbonization technologies.
For example, in July 2022, TVA issued a request for proposal for up to 5,000 megawatts of carbon-free energy that must be operational before 2029, which is one of the largest cleanenergy procurement requests in the nation. TVA anticipates making selections for the carbon-free RFP in the second half of 2023.
“TVA is uniquely positioned to lead in reducing carbon emissions for the region and the nation,” Jeff Lyash, TVA President and Chief Executive Offi cer, said. “This announcement is a clear signal to our industry, our partners and our nation that we need to move further and faster, together, to make a cleaner future a reality.”
As laid out in our “Strategic Intent and Guiding Principles” document, TVA is taking actions now to try to reduce carbon emissions by 70% through 2030, with a path to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 80% by 2035 and aspirations to achieve net-zero by 2050.
Our plans to achieve this include bringing additional solar capacity online, reducing our reliance on coal, expanding our storage portfolio by adding lithium-ion batteries, investing in our existing nuclear and hydroelectric fl eets, and advancing our transmission system, including bringing our state-of-the-art Primary System Operations Center online.
“Deploying increasing amounts of new cleanenergy generation over the next decade is a critical component of the transition to a cleanenergy future,” said Tom Kuhn, president of Edison Electric Institute. “We applaud TVA for its continued leadership in transforming the nation’s energy mix and for its forward-looking efforts to meet the evolving needs and expectations of the many communities that it serves.”
Clean energy is fueling growth across TVA’s seven-state service territory. Our clean-energy programs are one element that helped drive our record-setting economic development performance in FY 2022 — and are expected to help create or retain approximately 66,500 jobs and more than $10.2 billion in projected capital investments.
And, since 2018, our award-winning Green Invest program has helped generate more than $3 billion in investment across the region.
“There is no single answer to achieving our nation’s decarbonization and energy security goals,” Lyash said. “TVA is accelerating change across the industry to expand carbonfree technologies while integrating emerging technologies to meet customer-driven demand. We are building a future that leaves no one behind in the new clean-energy economy.”
— Tom Kuhn, President, Edison Electric Institute
The Energy Information Administration ranks Tennessee as the largest contributor to the reduction in carbon intensity in the U.S. from 2016 to 2022. TVA expects to add 10,000 megawatts of solar capacity by 2035. TVA joined a coalition of utilities and others who are working to create the fi rst hydrogen hub in the Southeast.
Carbon Reduction Leadership
57% accomplished through CY 2021
OUR ASPIRATION
Net-zero by 2050
OUR PATH
~80% by 2035
OUR PLAN
70% by 2030
Solutions are at the heart of innovation, whether we’re developing advanced technologies that are new to the world or bridging gaps in existing services to create opportunities.
At TVA, our new Connected Communities initiative is offering solutions that make a difference. We are partnering with communities to provide equitable access to technology, development of technical job skills, and energy and environmental justice.
After a call for pilot projects in Summer 2022, a team that included TVA, local governments, power companies and community-based organizations chose nine projects to share more than $3 million in TVA grant funding starting in 2022 and extending through 2024.
The projects will leverage technology to provide solutions such as broadband access, environmental risk monitoring, digital literacy training and next-generation career options.
“This is one of the most exciting grants I’ve ever been part of,” said Deb Socia, President and Chief Executive Offi cer of The Enterprise Center, a partner in the Connected Communities Orchard Knob Collaborative. “It is exciting to see how many partners are working together to bring about change, and it’s made possible by the grant from TVA.”
About 36% of households in the Orchard Knob neighborhood in Chattanooga, Tennessee, do not have internet connectivity.
A collaborative team — including EPB (Electric Power Board) of Chattanooga, Parkridge Medical
TVA provided funding for Base Camp Coding Academy’s Graduate Institute, which kicked off in September 2022.
Center, Habitat for Humanity and others — will work together to provide public Wi-Fi, digital resources, training on how to use the resources, home weatherization and telehealth services.
Kagan Coughlin, co-founder of Base Camp Coding Academy, is equally excited about what the TVA grant is making possible.
Located in the small town of Water Valley, Mississippi, the academy received funding to expand an existing software development training program for recent high school graduates. The new Graduate Institute will support Veterans and adults with prior work experience who want a new career.
“These graduates will leave the program with no debt, and they will enter the tech workforce as software developers after almost a year of intense training,” Coughlin said. “It is transformative for the student, their families and the business community that needs their skills.”
The Connected Communities initiative directly aligns with TVA’s Energy System of the Future and aspiration of net-zero emissions by 2050. By expanding access to technology, TVA is investing in job creation, preparing for a modern grid system to further support clean energy resources, and opening more opportunities to connect with the community.
“Access to technology and other critical services is the foundation for success in the modern-day world,” Joe Hoagland, vice president of TVA Innovation & Research, said. “This initiative will help close the equity gap in communities across our region by offering broad-ranging, innovative solutions that will continue to make life better for the people we serve.”
