Connecting the TVA Region Through Energy, Environment and Economic Development

The 8.5 million residents of the TVA region know it—when you hit the switch, the light comes on. That’s because TVA has maintained 99.999 percent reliability in delivering electricity to our customers over the last four years. This continued reliability is made possible through professional commitment and innovation.

As the largest public power provider in the country, TVA has been a leader in incorporating transmission innovations, including being the first to widely adopt 500 kilovolts as a transmission line voltage, the first to build major interconnections with surrounding utilities, the first to use large-scale Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System devices and the first to commercially utilize a superconducting Synchronous Compensator device to stabilize grid voltage.

In 2003, TVA invested more than $222 million in capital additions and improvements to its transmission system, including the construction of nearly 140 miles of new transmission line and 34 new customer delivery points in the 80,000-square-mile service area.

Residents and businesses of the region are not the only ones benefiting from TVA’s reliability and innovation. By placing a strong emphasis on reliability and by investing in new transmission infrastructure and research, TVA makes a strong contribution to the security of the overall grid.

To further ensure grid reliability, TVA works closely with independent generators to ensure compatibility with the transmission system, develop and implement consistent operating procedures and minimize practices that can result in interrupted service.

TVA is in the midst of one of the most aggressive emissions reduction programs in the nation. TVA will have spent about $6 billion on cleaner air when its current emissions reduction program is completed. Scrubbers to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions are currently operating on six generating units in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee. Five more scrubbers are planned or under construction to reduce emissions from 12 additional generating units. SO2 emissions have been reduced by 76 percent since 1977. When completed, these additional scrubbers are expected to collectively reduce emissions of SO2 by an additional 200,000 tons per year, resulting in an overall TVA system reduction since 1977 of about 85 percent.

About $1.3 billion is being invested to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions through the construction of selective catalytic reduction systems or similar technologies for use on TVA’s coal-fired generating units. Eight of the planned systems are operable. Annual NOx emissions have been reduced by about 50 percent since 1995. By 2005, NOx emissions during the summer ozone season are expected to be reduced 70 to 75 percent from 1995 levels.

Power is the commodity that TVA provides, both literally—with affordable, reliable power—and figuratively, through economic development programs. TVA adds to the region’s power to attract and retain good jobs for the people of the TVA region.

The past year has been no exception. In fiscal year 2003, TVA committed to loaning $21 million from various funds, leveraging $327 million in capital investment. Through various economic development activities, TVA and its partners attracted or retained an estimated 47,000 jobs, leveraging $1.6 billion in projects this year.

TVA spent approximately $2.5 billion in the region in 2003 on materials, fuel, and services. Three out of every four dollars TVA spends are spent with businesses located in the TVA region.