Air Quality: TVA Plans to Reduce Air Emissions Further, but Could Do More to Reduce Power Demand.

摘要

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) operates the nation's largest public power system, supplying electricity to about 8 million customers across a 7-state region. TVA directly serves 62 large federal and industrial customers and serves other commercial, industrial, and residential customers through a network of 158 power distributors. TVA relied on its 11 coal-burning plants to supply about 60 percent of its electric power in fiscal year 2001. These plants account for almost all of TVA's emissions of two key air pollutants-sulfur dioxide (SO2), which has been linked to reduced visibility, and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to the formation of harmful ozone. Concerned about TVA's dual challenge of reducing emissions while managing increased demand on its power system, you asked us to: (1) determine how TVA plans to meet future demands for electricity through 2005 while minimizing its emissions of SO2 and NOx; (2) describe the scope and impact of TVA's demand-side management efforts; and (3) compare the scope and impact of TVA's demand-side management efforts to those of selected other utilities' efforts.