TVA Cumberland Gas Plant growth helping keep up with regional demand

One of the ways the Tennessee Valley Authority is keeping up with demand during the heat of the summer is at the Cumberland Gas Plant in Stewart County, Tennessee, which is one of the energy sources that directly benefits our area.

The Cumberland Gas Plant is the largest natural gas plant ever built by the TVA and is located near the Cumberland Fossil Plant in Cumberland City, Tennessee.

Media got to visit the huge campus of Cumberland recently, and General Manager of Major Projects Sam Vinson clarified that this combined cycle gas plant will soon have a 1,450-megawatt capacity. He says they’re very nearly done with the project.

While the summer heat has been brutal, Vinson says a silver lining has been that they’ve really been able to put the new system through its paces during the summer peak demand.

He says testing has gone well, and this upgrade to the grid is going to be a big boon to the people of the Valley service region, as demand in the region only continues to grow.

The Cumberland Gas Plant is expected to be at full capacity and operation by the end of 2026. Once complete, the natural gas plant is projected to be able to power 850,000 homes.