TVA REVERSES COURSE, PLANS TO KEEP KINGSTON COAL PLANT RUNNING
According to multiple outlets, The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has shifted its stance on the future of the Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County.
In 2024, TVA planned to retire the plant’s nine coal-fired units by the end of 2027, replacing them with a modern energy complex that included a new natural gas plant (construction of which began last year), battery energy storage systems, and solar generation. However, a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement published in February 2026 indicates that TVA now prefers an alternative approach: continuing to operate the coal-fired units even after the natural gas plant and battery storage are online, while dropping the solar component at the site due to constraints.
This change stems from unexpectedly higher energy demand in the region, driven by factors such as expanding data center usage, population growth, and increased employment—demand that exceeded earlier forecasts when the retirement decision was made. TVA emphasized in a statement that no final decisions have been reached, but its board could consider steps toward extended coal operations as early as February 2026. The 70-year-old Kingston plant, site of the largest industrial spill in U.S. history—a 2008 coal ash release of 1.1 billion gallons—has been part of TVA’s broader coal fleet, which the utility previously aimed to fully retire by 2035.
Recent developments, including executive actions under President Trump to support domestic coal and comments from TVA’s CEO in 2025, have prompted reconsideration of maintaining portions of that fleet. Similar proposals apply to TVA’s Cumberland Fossil Plant, reflecting a broader reevaluation amid surging power needs.
