Court blocks TVA gas plant over legal violations
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In Tennessee, a federal court overturned the Tennessee Valley Authority’s decision to build a gas plant in Kingston, ruling that TVA broke federal law during the approval process.
The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing Appalachian Voices, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Sierra Club, sued TVA in 2024, arguing the utility did not properly consider alternatives to gas power.
The court agreed, finding TVA committed billions of ratepayer dollars to the plant before fully evaluating cleaner and cheaper options, violating the National Environmental Policy Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency previously warned TVA about inadequate analysis of the plant’s potential climate and air pollution impacts, but TVA proceeded with construction anyway. After the court’s ruling, TVA asked to continue building the plant despite the legal issues, but the court denied this request.
Environmental groups celebrated the decision as a win for communities in the Tennessee Valley. They emphasized that TVA must now reconsider power options and prioritize cleaner, more affordable energy sources. The ruling requires TVA to redo its environmental review and consider alternatives before moving forward with the Kingston Gas Plant, which would be built at the site of a 2008 coal ash spill.
