SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The unique identification number is PEIS-455-00-000-1781540537. This notice is provided in accordance with TVA's procedures for implementing the NEPA (18 CFR 1318). TVA is an agency and instrumentality of the United States, established by an act of Congress in 1933, to foster the social and economic welfare of the people of the Tennessee Valley region and to promote the proper use and conservation of the region's natural resources. One component of this mission is the generation, transmission, and sale of reliable and affordable electric energy.

TVA's generator interconnection processes have experienced a substantial increase in volume as electricity demand accelerates due to population growth and industrial development. TVA's new NEPA regulations, adopted January 21, 2026 (18 CFR 1318.502), encourage the use of programmatic environmental documents for geographically broad or procedurally consistent actions. The proposed PEIS would provide bounding environmental criteria, standardized screening tools such as an Environmental Screening Checklist (ESC), and siting guidance to streamline environmental reviews associated with interconnection-driven transmission activities.

The PEIS will support timely decision-making related to new ( printed page 45315) construction, upgrades, maintenance, and modifications of transmission lines, substations, switchyards, communication infrastructure, access roads, and associated system components needed to interconnect new or modified generation resources. TVA will consult with applicable federal, state, and tribal authorities, and ensure compliance with relevant environmental statutes including, but not limited to, the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Historic Preservation Act.

Background

The Tennessee Valley region is experiencing rapidly growing electricity demand driven by population increases, industrial expansion, and high-load developments. Generator interconnection requests—ranging from small, distributed resources to large utility-scale projects—require transmission system evaluations and, where necessary, construction or modification of transmission assets. A map showing TVA's power service territory is available on the project web page at www.tva.gov/​nepa.

Traditionally, TVA conducts environmental reviews of interconnection related transmission actions as connected actions to each generation project. However, the consistent and predictable nature of environmental impacts associated with these actions makes them suitable for programmatic analysis. Implementation of a PEIS would allow TVA to separate environmental review of interconnection driven transmission actions from individual generation projects while ensuring NEPA compliance through appropriate tiering.

Project Purpose and Need

The purpose of the proposed action is to establish a programmatic NEPA approach that supports TVA's statutory mission to provide reliable, affordable electricity while meeting rising regional demand. TVA needs an efficient pathway to evaluate transmission system impacts associated with generator interconnections in a manner that reduces schedule risk, improves process consistency, and maintains system reliability within the TVA service territory.

A programmatic NEPA review is needed because generator interconnection related transmission activities generally fall within predictable environmental impact categories that can be bounded at a programmatic level. This approach will support -near-term capacity needs, enable accelerated interconnections of qualifying generation projects, and ensure alignment with TVA's updated NEPA regulations.

Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives

Under the No Action Alternative, TVA would continue to conduct project specific NEPA reviews for all interconnection driven transmission actions under LGIP, SGIP, and ERAS. No programmatic framework or bounded criteria would be established. This alternative serves as the baseline for comparison.

Under the Action Alternative, TVA proposes to prepare a PEIS that evaluates typical environmental impacts associated with interconnection driven transmission actions and establishes bounding criteria, screening tools, and standardized siting requirements. Under this alternative:

• TVA would utilize the ESC to assess each proposed interconnection site and determine whether actions fall within the programmatic bounds.
• Site-specific NEPA analyses would be completed only when a proposed action exceeds bounding criteria or requires additional consultation.
• The PEIS would cover new construction, modification, operation, and maintenance of transmission lines, substations, switchyards, communication systems, access roads, and underground components.
• The approach would apply consistently across LGIP (>20 MW), SGIP (≤20 MW), and ERAS (targeted >20 MW).

This alternative is intended to streamline environmental decision-making, enhance schedule certainty, and support TVA's reliability obligations while maintaining full compliance with NEPA and other federal environmental requirements.

Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and Analyses Relevant to the Proposed Action

TVA requests assistance with identifying any new potential alternatives to the proposed action to be considered. TVA also requests assistance with identifying any new potential impacts of the proposed action, identifying the activity and the potential impact that should be analyzed. Information interested parties possess which would assist in the analysis of resources issues is also appreciated. TVA is particularly interested in public input on other reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the PEIS. The preliminary identification of reasonable alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action in this notice is not meant to be exhaustive or final.

Public Participation

The public is invited to submit comments on the scope of this PEIS no later than the date identified in the DATES section of this notice. Federal, state, and local agencies and Native American Tribes are also invited to provide comments. Information about this project is available on the TVA web page at www.tva.gov/​nepa, including a link to an online public comment page. Any comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the administrative record and will be available for public inspection. Following analysis of the issues, TVA will prepare the draft PEIS for public review and comment; expected to be released fall of 2026. TVA anticipates the final PEIS in early 2027. In finalizing the PEIS and in making its final decision, TVA will consider the comments that it receives during scoping.

91 FR 45314