The U.S. Department of Energy has selected Cumberland Fossil Plant to receive $46.3 million from the Restoring Reliability: Coal Recommissioning and Modernization federal grant program.
TVA will contribute $69.4 million to the 12-project Coal Revitalization Initiative at Cumberland, bringing the total fund to $115.7 million.
The opportunity positions TVA to secure federal funds for existing Cumberland projects included in the enterprise’s current budget, ultimately reducing internal cost pressure while supporting ongoing reliability and affordability priorities.
The projects include upgrades to Cumberland’s turbine and generator, boiler system and scrubber module. Key activities include replacing worn turbine blades, conducting high-pressure turbine inspections, replacing corroded boiler tubes with advanced erosion-resistant materials and rebuilding a fire-damaged scrubber module.
Announced June 4, the funding is part of the Trump administration’s plan to spend nearly $700 million to extend the lifespan of coal-fired power plants across the country, support coal exports, stabilize the electric grid and keep power prices low.
“We appreciate the Administration’s continued commitment to strengthening America’s energy infrastructure,” said Mike Skaggs, TVA’s interim CEO. “Federal support of coal facilities helps ensure that utilities like TVA can maintain the reliable, around-the-clock power our region and our nation depend on. This also aligns with TVA’s ongoing efforts to maintain system reliability and affordability as power demand grows.”
TVA’s coal-fired power plants play a key role in meeting rising power demands, and its coal fleet remains a vital part of the mission to serve the 10 million residents who call the Valley region home.
Cumberland, TVA’s largest coal-fired generating asset and the 11th-largest coal plant in the U.S., generates about 16 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year – enough to power more than 1.4 million homes.
“TVA needs reliable, dispatchable generation to keep the lights on and maintain a stable, resilient power grid,” said Allen Clare, Senior Vice President of Generation. “As demand continues to grow from AI, advanced manufacturing, and population growth across the Valley, every megawatt matters. Properly maintaining and expanding dependable generation capacity is essential to meeting the region’s energy needs today and into the future.”
The proposed upgrades in TVA’s 12-project Coal Revitalization Initiative at Cumberland could recover up to 200 megawatts in performance, reduce forced outages and improve heat rate using proven, commercially deployed technologies.
TVA is focused on strengthening the reliability of its generation fleet and building new generation capacity to support load growth and economic development and keep electric rates affordable for the people we serve. This funding announcement comes on the heels of TVA charging ahead with back-to-back milestones at the Cumberland Combined Cycle Project.