TVA Purchases "Wind Power" from the Dakotas, Unknown Final Costs.‏

Sustainable Energy Solutions for the 21st Century reduces the amount of atmospheric pollution. TVA must decrease its emissions levels from coal fired power generation.


The State of North Carolina sued TVA alleging that TVA’s coal-fired power plants were a public nuisance. The complaint cited urgent environmental and health concerns in the state because of air pollution emitted by TVA’s plants in other states. The State of North Carolina won the law suit. The estimated cost to TVA could reach $1 billion. http://www.grandfather.com/newsletter/jan09/lawsuit.php

TVA reports on its plan for purchasing wind power from the Great Plains states of North and South Dakota.

TVA News Agency, Oct. 22, 2009: "TVA has entered contracts to purchase up to 450 megawatts of renewable wind energy – enough to serve about 140,000 average-size homes in the Tennessee Valley – from companies in North and South Dakota."

"Under contracts announced today, CPV Renewable Energy Company will supply up to 200 megawatts from 87 turbines at its Ashley wind farm in McIntosh County, N.D., and Invenergy Wind LLC will supply up to 250 megawatts of power from 167 wind turbines at its Hurricane Lake Energy Center in Roberts County, S.D. "

"The wind energy supply will be delivered to TVA beginning in 2012, if all applicable environmental requirements are met and firm transmission paths to TVA are secured."

"“TVA is committed to increasing our generation from non-carbon emitting sources by adding competitively priced wind, solar and biomass to our portfolio,” said TVA Executive Vice President of Power Supply & Fuels Van Wardlaw."

The complete article may be found at this TVA link: http://www.tva.gov/news/releases/octdec09/buy_wind.htm

Costs associated with generation and transmission were not mentioned within the article. I contacted TVA's News Agency to fill in some of the blanks. A very polite gentleman by the name of Scott Brooks anxiously answered my questions about this project.

Mr. Brooks had this to say about my questions, (paraphrased), "Costs are unknown at this time, it will depend on costs of the power at the time of generation." Concerning transmission costs, "The details are being worked out, contracts are not finalized."

Mr. Brooks also stated there are future plans to purchase more wind energy closer to the TVA Service Area. The locations of future generation sites were not disclosed as contracts have not been finalized.