New Caledonia Gas Plant Groundbreaking
Economic growth means energy growth – and that means jobs, investment and opportunity.
Those were the words of TVA President and CEO Don Moul as he addressed a contingent of Mississippi stakeholders at the recent groundbreaking ceremony for the New Caledonia Gas Plant.
The plant, which began construction in October, will bring six natural gas-fired combustion turbines online with a total capacity of 500 megawatts in May 2028. It marks a continuation of TVA’s commitment to building America’s energy future.
The new plant – in Lowndes County, Mississippi, just a few miles from the existing combined cycle gas plant – has been welcomed by the community as an economic development opportunity.
“We’ve built wonderful partnerships here in the state of Mississippi,” Benny Foshee, TVA project manager, said. “The people in this area understand the need for power in order to grow our communities, and they support this plant as an investment in the future.”
TVA is focused on the future and hard at work to ensure it meets the growing demand for power. The enterprise is investing in infrastructure and generation across the service region, with more than 6,200 megawatts of new generation planned – 3,570 of which is currently under construction, including New Caledonia.
New Caledonia’s gas-powered units will provide the TVA system with flexibility to meet demand when customers need it most.
The design allows the units to go from idle to full load in less than 15 minutes. In the hottest and coldest weather, this type of technology is a critical means to balancing the entire power grid.
“We’re here for the long haul,” Foshee said. “We are committed to being a part of this community and we’re looking forward to bringing New Caledonia onto TVA’s power system.”
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