Houston - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Black Bear Transmission LLC (“Black Bear”), announced its BBT AlaTenn, LLC (“AlaTenn”) pipeline system has started delivering natural gas supply for commissioning of three new natural gas-fueled power plant units owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”) in Colbert County, Alabama.
Commissioning of the new units is the culmination of a multi-year collaborative effort between TVA and AlaTenn. The new units will begin commercial operation later this year.
TVA published an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in 2019, which highlighted the need to expand TVA’s diverse energy portfolio, including adding more natural gas that is firm, dispatchable and allows more renewables to be brought on to the system. The IRP process allows stakeholders to review TVA’s planning information and help shape business decisions on ways TVA can best meet future demand for power that is affordable, reliable and clean.
TVA then conducted a process in 2020 to identify eligible locations for new natural gas-fired generating capacity. In 2021, AlaTenn and TVA signed a 15-year transportation agreement, which supported the construction of new pipeline facilities to transport additional natural gas to TVA’s Power Plant in Colbert County, Alabama. AlaTenn completed construction of its facilities in the fourth quarter of 2022.
TVA’s new power generating units will add approximately 750 megawatts of natural gas-fueled generating capacity to the Colbert Plant site, which is a location where TVA previously retired a coal plant in 2016.
“We are excited to see first delivery of gas to the new units,” said Scott Langston, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Black Bear. “We are proud of our team’s successful and timely execution of the AlaTenn project, which will benefit the region by enhancing energy reliability and supporting additional renewable power capacity installations that further carbon emission abatement.”
“The service we provide to TVA is a prime example of Black Bear’s role in the energy transition effort,” added Rene Casadaban, Chief Executive Officer of Black Bear. “Natural gas is domestically abundant, reliable, and affordable, while supporting local jobs and the community. Natural gas power plants have a unique operating ability to quickly ramp up and down to complement the intermittent dispatch of renewable power sources while producing only half of the emissions of coal-fired power generation. We expect natural gas will be a critical component of US energy security and power generation for many years to come.”
About Black Bear
Black Bear Transmission, LLC transports and delivers natural gas from various pipeline receipt points to utility, power generation and industrial customers in the Southeast United States. Black Bear owns and operates 12 regulated natural gas pipelines stretching more than 1,900 miles with total delivery capacity of more than 2.6 Bcf per day. The pipelines are connected to 18 major long-haul pipelines ensuring reliable gas supply to customers across Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Black Bear Transmission LLC is headquartered in Houston, TX. For more information, please visit www.blackbearllc.com.
Media Contact Black Bear:
Rene Casadaban
281.955.4800
media@blackbearllc.com