TVA: Solar Farm Near Jackson Is Illegal

The Tennessee Valley Authority claims a new solar power cooperative in West Tennessee is illegal, while supporters of the project accuse TVA of trying to maintain a monopoly. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that the Jackson Sustainability Cooperative is asking the Tennessee Public Utilities Commission to either grant it a certificate to operate or an exemption from regulations that bar independent power distribution within TVA’s service territory. The company is promising to deliver clean and cheap power with a $67 million solar farm and battery storage hub. But TVA officials say allowing the new company to cherry-pick customers would hurt TVA’s ability to provide affordable, reliable energy.