TVA may buy Choctaw Mississippi gas-fired plant

OREANDA-NEWS. February 12, 2015. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) may announce the purchase of a natural gas plant in Mississippi when its board meets tomorrow, extending the US government-owned utility's move away from coal-fired generation.

TVA may have its eye on the 760MW Quantum Choctaw combined-cycle power plant near Ackerman, Mississippi.

An affiliate of Quantum Utility Generation bought the plant about three years ago from GDF Suez North America.

TVA officials declined to identify the plant ahead of the board meeting, but a spokesman noted that TVA is moving to develop a balanced mix of generation by cutting back on coal while increasing its gas, nuclear and renewable resources.

Since 2007, TVA has built or bought five combined-cycle gas plants with 3,900MW of capacity. In the past year, the agency has approved construction of two more gas plants to replace aging coal-fired plants.

Houston-based Quantum Utility did not return a call seeking comment.