TVA Seeks Public Comments on Environmental Review of North Dakota Wind Site

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Nov 15, 2010, 09:47 ET

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Tennessee Valley Authority is seeking public comments on its draft Environmental Assessment of a wind power purchase agreement with the proposed CPV Ashley Renewable Energy Company LLC in McIntosh County, North Dakota.

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TVA has contracted with the North Dakota company to buy up to 200 megawatts of wind power for 20 years. The project would have 67 to 133 wind turbines on about 17,400 acres. Generation is expected to begin in late 2012.

The purchase is contingent on the potential environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the project.

"TVA is working to achieve its vision to be one of the nation's leading contributors of low-cost, cleaner energy," Anda Ray, senior vice president of Environment and Technology, said. "Increasing our wind portfolio, among other actions TVA is taking, will help us continue to move in that direction.

"We also want to be sure that any potential environmental impacts resulting from this project are identified and fully evaluated. We encourage anyone with comments to provide them during this public comment period."

Comments may be submitted directly or more information obtained at the TVA website www.tva.com/environment/reports. Comments also can be mailed to: Tennessee Valley Authority (Attn: Bruce Yeager), 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 11D, Knoxville, Tenn. 37902-1499; e-mail: [email protected]; or fax: (865) 632-3451, through December 4, 2010. TVA will consider these comments in finalizing the environmental assessment and making its decision.

TVA has added up to 1,581 megawatts of wind power resources to its generation portfolio since issuing a request for proposals in December 2008, for as much as 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy.

TVA's current renewable energy mix totals 4,443 megawatts from hydroelectric, wind, solar and methane sources. In addition, TVA's nuclear plants contribute 6,900 megawatts of emission-free electricity to the power grid.

The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for utility and business customers in most of Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia – an area of 80,000 square miles with a population of 9 million. TVA operates 29 hydroelectric dams, 11 coal-fired power plants, three nuclear plants and 11 natural gas-fired power facilities and supplies up to 36,000 megawatts of electricity, delivered over 16,000 miles of high-voltage power lines. TVA also provides flood control, navigation, land management and recreation for the Tennessee River system and works with local utilities and state and local governments to promote economic development across the region. TVA, which makes no profits and receives no taxpayer money, is funded by sales of electricity to its customers. Electricity prices in TVA's service territory are below the national average.

SOURCE Tennessee Valley Authority