US utility the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for up to 5GW of carbon-free generation that must be operational by 2029.
Open to technologies such as solar, wind and nuclear, the RFP represents one of the largest clean energy procurement requests in the US, according to TVA, which said proposals should be submitted by 19 October 2022, with selected projects due to be announced in spring 2023.
“This announcement is a clear signal to our industry, our partners, and our nation that we need to move further and faster, together, to make a cleaner future a reality,” said Jeff Lyash, CEO at TVA.
As part of its plan to reduce carbon emissions by 70% by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, TVA is planning to bring online an additional 10GW of solar capacity by 2035.
Providing electricity for customers and power distributors serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states, TVA last year announced US$2 billion in new transmission infrastructure investments by 2025 and launched an additional exploration of technologies such as carbon capture, hydroelectric pumped storage and hydrogen.
Lyash said: “TVA is accelerating change across the industry to expand carbon-free technologies to decarbonise the grid while integrating emerging technologies through innovative solutions to meet customer-driven demand.”
Other utilities to have launched RFPs in recent months include Entergy Arkansas and Arizona Public Service.
