Disconcerting crunching sounds as you walk up hills. Unpredictable swelling that makes it uncomfortable to move. Chronic pains that leave you laid up and reliant on ice packs and pain medications. Knee pain is, without a doubt, one of the most common and painful conditions an adult can go through. It can affect every aspect of your daily life, from picking up the kids from soccer practice to staying on a regular workout routine so you can remain healthy and active.
If you're suffering from knee pain, you're not alone - the American Academy of Family Physicians tells us that almost 25% of all adults in the U.S. suffer from some type of knee pain. In fact, diagnosed knee pain has risen almost 65% over the last couple of decades, adding up to nearly four million visits to primary care doctors annually. That's a lot of chronic knee pain that needs to be addressed.
Unfortunately, many doctors recommend prescription pain pills and invasive surgeries as knee pain treatments instead of non-invasive alternatives. But if you're looking for a way to avoid the need for a knee replacement and pain pills, there's good news to share. QC Kinetix's regenerative medicine in Cumberland City, TN, is an all-natural, effective way to help heal prevalent issues like knee arthritis and knee pain without painful surgeries or long recovery times.
Whether you have been fighting through osteoarthritis for years or you've only recently suffered a knee injury, you're probably wondering how regenerative medicine for knee pain works. Regenerative medicine is a revolutionary field of medical science that taps into the body's innate ability to heal and renew itself.
Its main objective is to restore the function and structure of damaged or diseased tissues and organs by either boosting the body's own repair mechanisms or creating new healthy cells to replace the sick ones. For instance, in regenerative ophthalmology, doctors are using retinal progenitor cells to replace damaged retinal cells and combat some causes of blindness.
Regenerative medicine aims to provide a viable alternative to conventional treatments that often involve invasive procedures or long-term medication use. These treatments can cause significant pain and harm to the patient, leading to complications, excessive scarring, and drug dependency. In contrast, regenerative medicine seeks to treat degenerative diseases, injuries, and age-related deterioration by activating the body's natural healing processes and prioritizing the body's inherent capabilities.
Regenerative medicine for knee pain can provide a long list of benefits for men and women who deal with daily pain and discomfort. Some of the symptoms that knee pain can help reduce may include the following:
The benefits of regenerative medicine have been proven through numerous scientific studies and clinical trials. Patients who have undergone regenerative therapies like PRP and stem cell treatment have reported substantial relief from chronic pain, according to a study published in The Journal of Pain Research.
Today, regenerative medicine treatments are being pursued by prestigious institutions like Harvard and the Mayo Clinic. In fact, the National Institute of Health recognizes the field of regenerative medicine as holding great promise for treating and even curing various injuries and diseases.
Regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, maintain strict oversight of regenerative therapies to ensure they adhere to high safety and efficacy standards. Additionally, professional organizations such as the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) promote ethical practices and ongoing advancements in the field of regenerative medicine.
The benefits of regenerative therapies for issues like knee pain are both promising and exciting, and can alleviate symptoms without:
The knee joint is made up of bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Bursae, which are small sacs filled with fluid, help cushion the moving parts of the knee and prevent friction. Knee pain can occur due to various reasons like injury, aging, repeated stress, wear and tear on the joint, or inflammation of the bursa. Knee bursitis is a common condition that causes inflammation of the bursae and leads people to seek knee pain treatments.
Sports activities are a common cause of knee injury as they exert tremendous force on the knee joint. Although the knee can usually handle this stress, it can also cause painful injuries. Some athletes may need knee surgery to repair the damage, while others may delay surgery for years until arthritis develops due to the injury and becomes unbearable. The same goes for average men and women whose minor sprains eventually lead to osteoarthritis and other issues. Fortunately for both parties, regenerative medicine in Cumberland City, TN represents a more cost-effective, non-surgical solution for knee pain.
Because of the knee joint's complexity, it is susceptible to a wide range of injuries. Some of the most common knee injuries include the following:
Degeneration and inflammation can impact the knees with chronic and debilitating pain, as seen in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Surgery may be used in severe cases, but for many, finding ways to manage the pain is the only option. However, there is hope in regenerative knee pain therapy, which can provide authentic pain relief, enhance mobility, and lead to a more active lifestyle. Contact QC Kinetix today to learn more about our revolutionary regenerative medicines for knee pain.
Severe pain in the knee may result from the patella ( the kneecap), the connecting thigh bone, or one of the shin bones being fractured. Such fractures are usually caused by abrupt, high-energy impacts like falls from high altitudes or car accidents. The usual treatment for these injuries is to physically reset the broken bone. In some cases, plasma-rich growth factors can be used to help speed up the healing process associated with fractures.
Excessive strain on the knee tendons through activities such as running, jumping, or cycling can result in the tendons becoming inflamed (tendonitis). While rest, ice, knee brace compression, and elevation are commonly used to treat tendonitis, there are other non-surgical and proactive options available for knee pain treatment in Cumberland City, TN.
When the bones in the knee shift out of place due to a traumatic fall, twisting of the knee, or high-impact collisions, it causes an injury called dislocation. It is essential to put the dislocated knee back into place, and in severe cases, surgery may be necessary.
Injuries to the knee can result in the tearing of the cartilage or meniscus, which serves as a cushioning pad and shock absorber. Although conventional treatment options are restricted to wearing braces or undergoing surgery, regenerative knee pain therapy can be a promising solution for this type of injury.
When the ligaments or tendons in the knee are overstretched or torn, it can result in a knee sprain or strain. This kind of injury is usually caused by sudden twists and can be quite painful. It often results in swelling and makes it difficult to walk. To help alleviate the pain, it's recommended to apply ice, elevate the knee, and rest. Another option for treatment is regenerative knee pain therapy.
Our non-surgical knee pain treatments can resolve your pain and restore your mobility, so it's worth exploring your options with us. During your Request Appointment, we will assess your current condition and needs with the utmost care and consideration. We understand the impact of pain, and we don't want to prolong your discomfort with ineffective treatments.
If we determine that surgery is the best option for you, we will advise you accordingly to avoid any delays in your recovery. However, if we believe that our regenerative knee pain therapy is a good fit for your needs, we will discuss your options with you in detail.
If you're under the impression that a total knee replacement is the only answer to your knee pain problems, think carefully about these potential downfalls first:
When people experience chronic knee pain, they often turn to knee replacement surgery as a solution. However, there are cases where the surgery can actually exacerbate the pain. Research has revealed that a substantial number of patients experience mild pain after the procedure, while others suffer from pain that is either equal to or more intense than their previous chronic knee pain. In some cases, patients have reported that their pain worsens even years after having undergone knee replacement surgery.
Reports suggest that those who are above 60 years old are at a greater risk of experiencing a heart attack after undergoing surgery. But why? The truth is that the stress and trauma that come with knee replacement surgery can be quite intense, which leads to an increased possibility of heart attacks. If you have heart disease, have had a heart attack, have a history of heart disease in your family, or are over the age of 60, it might be time to consider regenerative medicine.
After undergoing knee replacement surgery, there is a risk of wear particles causing harm to your body. These particles are small fragments of plastic, metal, or ceramic that break off from the replaced joint and can cause irritation to the surrounding tissue. In some cases, wear particles can even enter your bloodstream and lead to metal toxicity or the formation of pseudotumors at a genetic level.
Maintaining strong and healthy knees is essential for everyday activities such as walking, running, standing, or even just getting up from a seated position. Unfortunately, knee pain can significantly impact one's quality of life, making it difficult to perform simple tasks like bathing or dressing oneself.
Furthermore, it can prevent people from participating in enjoyable activities like hiking, biking, or gardening. It can even keep them from getting a good night's rest. Although knee surgery is a painful and extensive process, regenerative knee pain therapies can often provide relief without the need for surgery. These non-surgical treatments are accessible to individuals of all ages and backgrounds who are seeking relief from knee pain.
At QC Kinetix, we offer patients several regenerative medicine options to help treat and ultimately eliminate knee pain symptoms. Some of the most popular therapies our patients choose to help with knee pain like osteoarthritis include the following:
You can think of plasma therapy as preparation for the other regenerative treatments we use to treat knee pain. As part of a non-surgical regeneration plan, plasma contains incredible growth healing factors that can help decrease inflammation in your knees and across your body. Once inflammation goes down, your pain is reduced, and you become more receptive to additional forms of regenerative medicine in Cumberland City, TN.
Research indicates that A2M has the ability to alleviate knee pain by disabling particular enzymes that have the potential to deteriorate cartilage cells. When the cells in the cartilage of the knee begin to break down, the bones that combine to form the knee joint are subjected to greater friction during movement, leading to the inflammation of tissues and irritation of nerves.
BMAC is a concentration of regenerative cells obtained from the soft, spongy tissue found in the center of bones, called your marrow. Marrow is often found in areas such as the hips or pelvic bone. These specialized cells can replicate themselves into various types of tissues and promote tissue growth, boosting the body's natural healing abilities to speed up the healing process. By allowing your treatment area to heal naturally and more rapidly, you can find relief from knee pain quickly and more effectively.
In order for the body to heal an injury, it requires blood flow to provide the necessary cells and nutrients. Unfortunately, certain areas within the body have limited blood flow, making it more challenging to heal when injured. This is particularly true when it comes to the meniscus and cartilage in your knees, which have poor blood flow. So, how can you enhance the healing potential of tissues with inadequate blood flow? One option is to utilize PRP, which involves injecting concentrated platelets that contain high volumes of growth factors and proteins. This signals and drives the body's natural healing responses. When used as part of a personalized non-surgical regeneration plan by QC Kinetix, PRP therapy is often an MVP in regenerative medicine treatments.
Many of the physicians and regenerative health providers at QC Kinetix have a background in sports medicine, where they worked with professional athletes to mend broken bones and repair torn ligaments and tendons. It can be incredibly fulfilling to help these individuals recover, but unfortunately, many people - not just athletes - are eager to return to their activities before they have fully healed from surgery. This can be problematic because surgery can often cause more harm than good, leading to a long and painful recovery period.
Regenerative medicine for knee pain takes a different approach by tapping into your body's own healing and repair abilities to address knee pain and damage. During your free consultation, we will assess your current condition and needs and recommend the best course of recovery for your unique body. We prioritize effective treatments and minimizing pain, so if surgery is the best option, we will let you know upfront. However, if our regenerative knee pain therapy is a good match for your needs, we will explain your options in detail, so you can get relief as soon as possible.
If you're sick and tired of your knees holding you back on a daily basis, it's time to reduce your pain and reclaim your mobility. Contact QC Kinetix today to take the first step toward reclaiming your life.
Public input is needed on the scope of TVA’s environmental impact statement, alternatives being considered and environmental issues that should be addressed for the planned gas buildout near Lockertsville Road<— Posted June 14, 2023 at 11:36 am FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2023CONTACT Angie Mummaw, Middle Tennessee Organizer, (931) 436-8210, angie.mummaw@appvoices.org Dan Radmacher, Med...
Public input is needed on the scope of TVA’s environmental impact statement, alternatives being considered and environmental issues that should be addressed for the planned gas buildout near Lockertsville Road
<— Posted June 14, 2023 at 11:36 am
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2023
CONTACT Angie Mummaw, Middle Tennessee Organizer, (931) 436-8210, angie.mummaw@appvoices.org Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (540) 798-6683, dan@appvoices.org
Ashland City, Tenn. — Next Wednesday, June 21, community members from Ashland City will be at the David McCullough Community Room to get more information about a proposed methane gas plant, battery storage system and 12-mile gas pipeline near their homes in Cheatham County.
When TVA made the $1.4 million purchase of 280 acres in Cheatham County in 2020, it was unclear how the utility intended to use the land. Last month, TVA released a notice of intent that revealed plans to invest in more fossil fuels by building a gas plant on the land located north of Ashland City, just south of Lockertsville Road. This generation site would be used to partially replace one of the coal-burning units at the Cumberland City fossil plant set to be retired by 2028. TVA intends to retire the first coal-burning unit at Cumberland City by the end of 2026 with plans to build a methane gas-burning plant onsite, requiring a separate 32-mile pipeline that would span Stewart, Houston and Dickson counties.
Local residents may be concerned that they may be subjected to the cost of decades of higher electric bills due to gas price volatility. Those along the proposed pipeline paths stand to lose the rights to, and use of their land, which could be taken by the pipeline company through eminent domain. Gas pipeline construction has also been known to contaminate or redirect groundwater and surface water in some cases.
An existing Kinder Morgan pipeline exploded in Dickson County in 1992 and many residents still remember how local first responders struggled to put out the intense flames, which burned more than 400 acres. These gas plans may also disrupt the natural environment and could endanger plants and animals — like bats. Many local species are proposed to be or already are listed as endangered or threatened under state and federal law.
There will be a public scoping period before TVA prepares the draft EIS to address the potential environmental impacts related to the proposed construction and operation of a methane gas combustion turbine, battery storage system, and 12-mile pipeline in Cheatham County. Details for the meeting are below. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
June 21 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. CDT David McCullough Community Room 334 Frey Street Ashland City, Tennessee 37015
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For more information: https://appvoices.org/cumberlandplant/
The Tennessee Valley Authority will replace its Cumberland coal plant with a natural gas facility, the federal utility announced Tuesday, over the objections of environmental groups.The switch to natural gas will require the construction of a new 32-mile natural gas pipeline across Dickson and Houston counties, crossing o...
The Tennessee Valley Authority will replace its Cumberland coal plant with a natural gas facility, the federal utility announced Tuesday, over the objections of environmental groups.
The switch to natural gas will require the construction of a new 32-mile natural gas pipeline across Dickson and Houston counties, crossing over to the plant in Stewart County.
The Cumberland City plant is TVA’s largest generator of electricity, powering 1.1 million homes. It consists of two coal-fired units: the first unit will be retired and replaced with a 1,450-megawatt combined cycle natural gas plant by 2026. The second unit will be retired by 2028. TVA has not yet determined how it will replace the second unit.
Tuesday's announcement came about two weeks after a severe winter storm in which some of TVA’s coal and natural gas plants, including Cumberland, succumbed to cold weather, forcing the utility to implement rolling blackouts for the first time in its history.
TVA tends to run Cumberland 24/7 because the plant generates a large amount of electricity and because it is easier to keep it running than to turn it on and off like a natural gas plant. However, when Cumberland effectively went dark in late December, on the coldest days of the year, TVA scrambled to find replacement electricity, demonstrating the utility's reliance on that plant's generation and the need to replace it with something just as powerful but more resilient.
In response to concerns about the failure of some natural gas plants in December, TVA CEO Jeff Lyash said the natural gas plant TVA plans to build at the Cumberland site will be more resilient than the ones that failed during December’s winter storm.
The announcement followed a nearly-two-year environmental review process in which environmental groups, the U.S. Department of Interior and the Eniveronmental Protection Agency criticized TVA for not meaningfully exploring other options, such as renewables like solar, to replace the coal plant instead of choosing another fossil fuel.
The transition from coal to natural gas will cut carbon emissions from the facility by up to 60%, TVA said. TVA plans to have net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and one of its biggest moves toward that goal is retiring all five of its current, aging coal plants by 2035.
While coal is much dirtier than gas in terms of how much carbon dioxide and other air pollutants it produces, gas is composed primarily of methane, a more potent greenhouse gas.
More on TVA's natural gas investmentsFighting fossil fuel with fossil fuel: How natural gas is winning TVA's plan to end coal
The supply chain that leads up to the gas plant has been known to intentionally and unintentionally release large quantities of gas, offsetting some of the carbon reductions the switch from coal to gas could have. Companies along the supply chain and regulatory agencies are in the process of reducing those emissions and making the supply chain safer, but it's still questionable how effective those changes are and will be.
Regardless, Lyash said on Tuesday that only natural gas can provide the reliable power needed to replace coal at the site. While renewables can provide intermittent energy to the grid, combined cycle natural gas plants can provide larger amounts of energy normally when TVA needs them to run.
Combined cycle plants burn gas that turns turbines, and the heat generated from that process is taken and put with water to generate steam, which turns a steam turbine, increasing the amount of power generation in one plant. Those plants can be turned on and off, but TVA tends to run them continuously because of how much energy they generate. TVA has eight of these plants, primarily located in the western part of its seven-state region.
“Replacing retired generation with a natural gas plant is the best overall solution because it’s the only mature technology available today that can provide firm, dispatchable power by 2026 when the first Cumberland unit retires – dispatchable meaning TVA can turn it off and on as the system requires the power,” Lyash said.
Still, environmental groups condemn the plan to replace coal with another carbon-emitting fossil fuel.
“Just a few weeks after failing fossil fuel plants caused rolling blackouts across its footprint, the Tennessee Valley Authority is recklessly plowing ahead with plans to spend billions on another dirty gas power plant,” said Amanda Garcia director of the Southern Environmental Law Center’s Tennessee Office, on Tuesday in an emailed statement. “Instead of doubling down on fossil fuels, TVA must invest in clean energy sources that can reliably provide cleaner and cheaper power.”
TVA is moving forward with its plan despite the federal Environmental Protection agency declaring last week that it had “substantial” concerns about TVA’s final Environmental Impact Statement related to the Cumberland site.
Federal law requires TVA to evaluate the environmental impact of shutting down a facility like Cumberland, and evaluate possible replacements. The EPA found that TVA failed to properly evaluate alternatives like solar at the site, noting that “the alternatives analysis continues to rely on inaccurate underlying economic information.”
Specifically, TVA failed to account for expected declines in the cost of clean energy and increases in the cost of natural gas, EPA said.
TVA’s choice to replace coal generation with natural gas failed to address the “implications of continued fossil fuel investment of its ratepayers and the cost and public health toll of increasingly disruptive climate-driven weather extremes,” the EPA wrote.
More:TVA's next water permit for Bull Run could result in more pollutants in the Clinch River
In an interview Tuesday, Lyash said the TVA had worked to address the EPA’s comments. He also pointed out that the environmental review process was limited to the Cumberland site, and failed to address changes TVA was making across its system.
“Many people want to look at the EIS and ignore that over here we’re building 10,000s of megawatts of solar and over there we’re issuing a 5,000 megawatt clean energy RFP,” Lyash said.
The natural gas plant at the Cumberland site will be able to run on hydrogen fuel, or a mix of hydrogen and natural gas, if that technology becomes viable in the coming years. Likewise, the plants will be built so that carbon capture technology can integrated into the system if that technology matures and becomes cost-effective, Lyash said. Both of these technologies could help reduce TVA's carbon footprint even further but many questions remain as to the viability of such technology and when it will be ready.
Anila Yoganathan is a Knox News investigative reporter. You can contact her at anila.yoganathan@knoxnews.com, and follow her on Twitter @anilayoganathan. Enjoy exclusive content and premium perks while supporting strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
A trio of environmental groups has filed suit against the Tennessee Valley Authority, claiming the utility violated federal law by failing to properly evaluate climate, environmental and financial impacts of a proposed new gas-fired plant in Cumberland City, Tenn.The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in a Nashville federal court, also claims that TVA quietly inked a deal with an international pipeline company to supply the gas-fired plant, even as it publicly went through the motions of seeking input on alternative sources of power to replace ...
A trio of environmental groups has filed suit against the Tennessee Valley Authority, claiming the utility violated federal law by failing to properly evaluate climate, environmental and financial impacts of a proposed new gas-fired plant in Cumberland City, Tenn.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in a Nashville federal court, also claims that TVA quietly inked a deal with an international pipeline company to supply the gas-fired plant, even as it publicly went through the motions of seeking input on alternative sources of power to replace the Cumberland Fossil Plant, its aging coal-fire facility located about 60 miles northwest of Nashville.
The groups are seeking an immediate halt to construction on the gas plant and an order forcing the utility to revise the existing environmental impact study used as the basis for moving forward with the gas-fired plant.
Kinder Morgan, TVA expanding gas pipeline across Dickson County
Houston-based oil and gas giant Kinder Morgan is pursuing a new pipeline across three Tennessee counties to deliver natural gas to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Cumberland Fossil Plant and residents of Stewart, Dickson and Houston Counties question the necessity of the expansion, citing safety and environmental concerns. Kinder Morgan operates 83,000 miles of pipelines and … Continue reading Kinder Morgan, TVA expanding gas pipeline across Dickson County
“Our country’s largest utility has gamed the system to fast-track dirty energy projects and that’s why we’re going to court to stop it,” Gaby Sarri-Tobar, a campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity, said a statement. “TVA needs to be held accountable for its reckless pursuit of a new fossil gas plant in the midst of the climate emergency.”
The center was joined by the Sierra Club and Appalachian Voices in filing suit. The groups are represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center.
Scott Brooks, a TVA spokesperson, said the agency was aware of the lawsuit, but had not yet been served.
“TVA takes our environmental compliance obligations seriously, and the Cumberland Fossil Plant Retirement Environmental Impact Statement fully complied with all NEPA requirements,” Brooks said via email Thursday.
The groups’ claims rest on the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, which mandates that federal agencies like TVA undergo a detailed review of potential adverse environmental impacts of any project — and evaluate reasonable alternatives before making a final decision.
TVA announced its decision in May, 2021 to retire the 50-year-old Cumberland Fossil Plant. By December of 2022 it had completed its draft environmental review required under the federal act, including a review of three possible replacements: a gas-fired plant, a solar facility with battery storage or a series of small scale combustion-turbine gas plants on multiple properties.
Unbeknownst to the public, the lawsuit said, TVA entered into a contract with Tennessee Gas Pipeline in August 2021 to supply gas to a future gas-powered plant — a contract that would commit TVA to a gas-fired plant even as it asked the public to weigh in on all three alternatives.
The lawsuit also questioned the quality of TVA’s environmental review. It contends the review failed to take multiple factors into account, among them: the climate-warming impacts of the gas plant’s emissions, a thorough vetting of the benefits of alternative power generation, costs associated with bringing emissions in line with U.S. climate objectives and the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act, which is poised to provide billions of dollars in incentives for clean energy initiatives.
The Tennessee Valley Authority will replace its Cumberland coal plant with a natural gas facility, the federal utility formally announced Tuesday, over the objections of environmental groups.The Cumberland City plant is TVA’s largest generator of electricity, powering 1.1 million homes. It consists of two coal-fir...
The Tennessee Valley Authority will replace its Cumberland coal plant with a natural gas facility, the federal utility formally announced Tuesday, over the objections of environmental groups.
The Cumberland City plant is TVA’s largest generator of electricity, powering 1.1 million homes. It consists of two coal-fired units: the first unit will be retired and replaced with a 1,450-megawatt combined cycle natural gas plant by 2026. The second unit will be retired by 2028. TVA has not yet determined how it will replace the second unit.
A new 32-mile natural gas pipeline through Dickson, Houston and Stewart counties will be built to supply the planned facility.
The transition will cut carbon emissions from the facility by up to 60 percent, TVA said. The utility has said it plans on achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. That effort will include retiring its final five coal plants by 2035.
The announcement follows a nearly two-year environmental review process in which environmental groups, the Department of Interior and the EPA criticized TVA for not meaningfully exploring other options, such as renewables like solar, to replace the coal plant.
Special report:Tennessee's power generation is cleaner than ever. The next step is a 'huge question'
Related:TVA chooses natural gas to replace the Cumberland coal plant
The announcement also follows a winter storm in which some of TVA’s coal and natural gas plants, including Cumberland, succumbed to cold weather, forcing the utility to implement rolling blackouts for the first time in its nearly 90-year history.
Still, TVA CEO Jeff Lyash said only natural gas can provide the reliable power needed to replace coal at the site.
“Replacing retired generation with a natural gas plant is the best overall solution because it’s the only mature technology available today that can provide firm, dispatchable power by 2026 when the first Cumberland unit retires – dispatchable meaning TVA can turn it off and on as the system requires the power,” Lyash said.
Environmental groups condemned the plan to replace coal with another carbon-emitting fossil fuel.
“Just a few weeks after failing fossil fuel plants caused rolling blackouts across its footprint, the Tennessee Valley Authority is recklessly plowing ahead with plans to spend billions on another dirty gas power plant,” said Amanda Garcia, director of the Southern Environmental Law Center’s Tennessee Office. “Instead of doubling down on fossil fuels, TVA must invest in clean energy sources that can reliably provide cleaner and cheaper power.”
Special report:Fighting fossil fuel with fossil fuel: How natural gas is winning TVA's plan to end coal
In response to concerns about the failure of some natural gas plants in December, Lyash said the plant the TVA plans to build at the Cumberland site will be more resilient than the ones that failed during December’s winter storm. He also pointed out that while some natural gas plants failed, the system also had zero solar energy available during the storm.
TVA is moving forward with its plan despite the federal Environmental Protection Agency declaring last week that it had “substantial” concerns about TVA’s final Environmental Impact Statement related to the Cumberland site.
Federal law requires TVA, a federal utility, to evaluate the environmental impact of shutting down a facility like Cumberland and evaluate possible replacements. The EPA found that TVA failed to properly evaluate alternatives like solar at the site, noting that “the alternatives analysis continues to rely on inaccurate underlying economic information.”
Cold weather:TVA takes 'full responsibility' for Christmas Eve power outages, rolling blackouts
Specifically, the TVA failed to account for expected declines in the cost of clean energy and increases in the cost of natural gas, EPA said.
TVA’s choice to replace coal generation with natural gas failed to address the “implications of continued fossil fuel investment for its ratepayers and the cost and public health toll of increasingly disruptive climate-driven weather extremes,” the EPA wrote.
In an interview Tuesday, Lyash said the TVA had worked to address the EPA’s comments. He also said the environmental review process was limited to the Cumberland site, and failed to address changes TVA was making across its system.
“Many people want to look at the EIS and ignore that over here we’re building thousands of megawatts of solar and over there we’re issuing a 5,000-megawatt clean energy RFP,” Lyash said.
The natural gas plant at the Cumberland site will be able to run on hydrogen fuel, or a mix of hydrogen and natural gas, if that technology becomes viable in the coming years, Lyash said. Likewise, the plant will be built so that carbon capture technology can be integrated into the system if that technology matures and becomes cost-effective.
Reach Josh Keefe at jkeefe@tennessean.com.
The Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired plant has been open northwest of Nashville in Cumberland City since 1973, yet now, the energy authority is considering its fate. But an environmental group said TVA may not be playing by the rules.CUMBERLAND CITY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Some see it as an eyesore, others see it as an economic promise.The Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired plant has been open northwest of Nashville in Cumberland City since 1973, yet now, the energy authority is considering its fate. But an environmental ...
The Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired plant has been open northwest of Nashville in Cumberland City since 1973, yet now, the energy authority is considering its fate. But an environmental group said TVA may not be playing by the rules.
CUMBERLAND CITY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Some see it as an eyesore, others see it as an economic promise.
The Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired plant has been open northwest of Nashville in Cumberland City since 1973, yet now, the energy authority is considering its fate. But an environmental group said TVA may not be playing by the rules.
Last year, TVA announced they will review the options moving forward for the Cumberland City energy provider.
Those options are:
TVA is supposed to still be going through a lengthy process as required by law, but according to the Southern Environmental Law Center, some of TVA's paperwork suggests otherwise.
"As a public utility, TVA owes it to its ratepayers to be transparent about what it plans to do," said George Nolan, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, or SELC.
A precedent agreement, obtained by SELC through a Freedom of Information Act request, suggested perhaps TVA has already decided to replace the plant with a combined cycle and natural gas plant.
"TVA has actually signed two lengthy written contracts with methane gas pipeline companies, apparently intended to supply gas plants at those particular locations," Nolan said.
So what does the contract entail? The SELC doesn't know because most of the pages delivered to the group were heavily redacted.
"It blacked out huge portions of the contracts," he said.
Nolan said he thought those redactions suggest TVA isn't clearing the air on their future plans, so they're suing TVA in hopes of them releasing a less redacted version of the contracts.
"TVA should not be allowed to play hide the ball in the face of a valid Freedom of Information Act request," said Nolan.
NewsChannel 5 asked Scott Brooks, TVA's spokesperson, if a decision has been made when it comes to the Cumberland Fossil Plant.
"Absolutely not," Brooks said.
Brooks said the agency is still in the midst of a lengthy environmental impact study, and they want to hear feedback from the public.
"We are in the beginning stages of a process that will help make that decision," said Brooks.
As for the pipeline agreements, Brooks said energy company Kinder Morgan has agreed to start expanding their natural gas pipeline network near Cumberland City, in the hope that TVA will choose that option.
But Brooks emphasized, that doesn't mean that will be the decision.
"They are following the timeline that they believe is necessary to give us that option if that’s what we choose," Brooks said. "We have not signed any kind of agreement to purchase natural gas because the pipeline is not in place. So we still have the option to choose other options based on the outcome of the public NEPA process."
When it comes to heavy redactions, Brooks told NewsChannel 5 they followed federal law.
"There are documents that have to be redacted for security and privacy reasons, so those documents were provided to the best of our ability, as far as I know," he said.
But for this burning question, Nolan demands a clear answer.
"The rate payers and the people have the right to know what TVA’s business arrangements are because TVA is a public agency," said Nolan.
TVA tells NewsChannel 5 that the environmental study should be done in about a month, then they will announce public hearings where people impacted by this can share their thoughts.
NewsChannel 5 will share those dates as soon as they are made available.
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