Coal power gets second look as TVA Kingston gas plant comes under construction
HARRIMAN, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Tennessee Valley Authority is currently in the midst of a more than $1 billion investment on the Kingston Fossil Plant property.
On a stretch of land just a few football fields away from where coal has produced electricity for 70 years, a new era of energy production is beginning to take shape.
“The timeline of this is about a two year timeline, so we’re in the infant stage of this,” said the construction manager of major projects, Keenon Hethcoat.
The project is bringing one combined cycle plant and 16 aeroderivative combustion turbines to Kingston with the ability to power more than 800,000 homes.
“Try to become more efficient, be a better steward of the environment and gas gives us that, also gives us a quick rapid response to the demands of the system,” said Hethcoat.
The gas plant is aimed to create enough power to meet growing demands across East Tennessee.
“East Tennessee is a beautiful place to be, that’s what it comes down to. The more power we can produce, the more we can entice people to move to this area,” said Hethcoat.
While work is taking place at the gas plant, coal continues to be burned at the steam plant.
Coal has been burned in the nine units since the 1950’s.
TVA Kingston marks 70 years in service in 2025.
President Donald Trump recently signed executive orders directing companies to reassess the phase out of coal.
“I know they’re examining the life extension of the plant, looking at that, the executive order, very hopeful it does continue to run,” said Jeff Kickert, the Kingston Steam Plant’s manager.
For Kickert, work continues in his day-to-day running the decades old plant.
As the future of the coal burning plant at Kingston remains under review, Kickert makes a final plea for the plant to continue its ability to operate.
“I think coal is very important to our nation’s diversity in energy. Nuclear and coal are the two different technologies that actually store the fuel on site, don’t have to have fuel brought in like gas plants do, so, I think there’s some national security value to the coal plants,” said Kickert.
There is no timetable on when a decision from TVA is expected on the future of coal at Kingston, but officials said the gas power plant should roll online by the end of 2027.
