The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is transitioning from coal to natural gas at its Kingston site in Roane County, Tennessee, with construction underway on a new $1.8 billion Kingston Gas Plant to replace the 70-year-old Kingston Fossil Plant by 2027. The coal plant, infamous for the 2008 coal ash spill—the largest industrial spill in U.S. history—currently powers about 760,000 homes but has reduced output over time from 1,450 to 1,200 megawatts due to system upgrades.

The new gas plant, part of a broader $1 billion-plus investment, will feature a combined cycle plant and 16 aeroderivative combustion turbines, generating 1,500 megawatts to power over 870,000 homes. It will also incorporate 100 megawatts of battery storage and up to 4 megawatts of solar power, aiming for greater efficiency and environmental stewardship.

The gas plant’s rapid-response units can start in four minutes to meet peak demand, and TVA anticipates minimal cost changes for customers. While the coal plant employs 200 workers, the gas plant will only need 35, though TVA plans to reassign displaced workers to other facilities, such as nuclear or gas plants.

Recent executive orders by President Trump to boost coal production have sparked hope among plant managers like Jeff Kickert for extending the coal plant’s life, citing its national security value due to on-site fuel storage.

However, TVA’s current plan is to retire its entire coal fleet by 2035, with the gas plant set to come online by the end of 2027, while the coal plant’s future remains under review.