TVA Approves Gas-Powered Data Center Plan

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) approved its 2026 Integrated Resource Plan, which prioritizes building gas-powered plants to serve AI data centers while reducing renewable energy targets, according to the Sierra Club. The plan was criticized by Bonnie Swinford, Campaign Organizing Strategist for the Sierra Club, who said it 'screws over the public by serving corporate and Big Tech interests.'

TVA Approves Gas-Powered Data Center Plan Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription https://cleantechnica.substack.com/subscribe , on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cleantechnica , or on Stripe https://cleantechnica.fundjournalism.org/contribute/ . Help us produce all of the high-quality, original content we publish week after week https://cleantechnica.com/2026/07/14/10/ despite the challenges of content-scraping AI, antisocial media, inflation, and other hurdles. MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Today, the Tennessee Valley Authority approved its 2026 Integrated Resource Plan, setting the stage to overbuild risky gas power plants to serve A.I. data center interests. TVA’s 2026 IRP lays out a dangerous and expensive roadmap for the people of the Tennessee Valley, where our power grid is over-reliant on risky gas plans and outdated coal plants, while dramatically shrinking the plan for renewable energy. The TVA board also voted on a rate class for large load customers like A.I. data centers. TVA’s intentions remain clear in its IRP. TVA wants to roll out the red carpet for data centers, at the expense of the long-term future of the Tennessee Valley. In response, Bonnie Swinford, Campaign Organizing Strategist for the Sierra Club, released the following statement: “After so many years of advocacy and organizing from the people of the Tennessee Valley, TVA’s IRP screws over the public by serving corporate and Big Tech interests. Data centers need this gas buildout, the people need renewable energy. At a time when we are all struggling to pay our monthly bills, TVA has decided to add to our burden by serving A.I. data centers rather than the public. We know fights like this are measured in years — and we are not deterred by this disappointing decision. Unlike the TVA board or the Big Tech developers, we are not in this fight for quick profits or political appointments. We are in this fight because the Tennessee Valley is our home, and it deserves our protection. We will continue to push for renewable energy that serves our communities while keeping our air and water clean.” Sign up for CleanTechnica's Weekly Substack for Zach and Scott's in-depth analyses and high level summaries https://cleantechnica.substack.com/subscribe , sign up for our daily newsletter https://mailchi.mp/cleantechnica/daily-newsletter , and follow us on Google News https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqLQgKIidDQklTRndnTWFoTUtFV05zWldGdWRHVmphRzVwWTJFdVkyOXRLQUFQAQ Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here https://cleantechnica.com/contact/ . Sign up for our daily newsletter for 15 new cleantech stories a day https://mailchi.mp/cleantechnica/daily-newsletter . Or sign up for our weekly one on top stories of the week https://mailchi.mp/cleantechnica/weekly-newsletter if daily is too frequent. CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here https://cleantechnica.com/cleantechnica-editorial-ethics/ . CleanTechnica's Comment Policy https://cleantechnica.com/cleantechnica-comment-policy/