Federal utility backs off Tennessee gas plant site after John Rich says he enlisted Trump’s help

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The nation’s largest public utility says it is looking at other sites for a new natural gas power plant after its preferred location in Tennessee drew heavy public scrutiny, including from country musician John Rich.

The Tennessee Valley Authority announced Tuesday that the Cheatham County site is no longer its preferred one.

Rich, a conservative supporter of President Donald Trump who has Cheatham County roots, has been a key opponent of TVA’s 900-megawatt plant in the county. He said he enlisted Trump to “team up” on the issue. A TVA spokesperson declined to comment about Rich’s comments, including whether Trump was involved. A White House spokesperson also declined to comment.

The community has raised concerns about the potential impact on water quality, air quality, noise pollution, safety, property rights and more, in a rural area that also has homes and schools nearby. Clean energy and environmental groups have also led resistance to the proposal.

Rich said Trump and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins “joined forces with me and all the residents of Cheatham County.”

“They pulled out under threat,” Rich said in a social media post Tuesday. “They pulled out because they’re afraid President Trump is going to fire every member of that board.”

Based on feedback, the federal utility says it is considering a site at a nearby industrial park and other Middle Tennessee locations.

Additionally, it floated options such as working with the Trump administration to extend the use of some fossil fuel plants. The utility has been planning to retire the last of its coal-fired plants by 2035. But Trump has signed executive orders aimed at boosting the coal industry.

Power from the proposed Cheatham plant was intended to replace some of the electricity from the second unit of the coal-fired Cumberland Fossil Plant, which had been planned for retirement in 2028 but is now among the coal units being evaluated for potentially longer life.

The site that sparked opposition includes the power plant and a battery storage system on 286 acres in Cheatham County, in addition to a 12-mile natural gas pipeline and up to 45 miles of transmission lines to the project. Rich last week posted a map showing many areas of farmland around the preferred area, saying it “CANNOT happen.” Rollins, the agriculture secretary, replied, “ON IT” and “Standby.”

Rich additionally has called for a “complete revamping” of TVA, saying, “Cheatham County ain’t the only place they’re doing this.”

Any final decision on the plant would need to await more TVA board members.

Trump recently announced four nominees for the board, which for months has not had enough members to take many actions because Trump fired some of former President Joe Biden’s picks. TVA provides power to more than 10 million people across seven southern states.

The board normally has nine members and requires five to make a quorum. It currently has three. Trump’s picks would not be seated until the U.S. Senate confirms them.

Clean energy advocates applauded TVA’s decision to back off the Cheatham County location, but said it should instead invest more in clean energy options and heed the concern of communities where similar gas plants are proposed in Cumberland City, Kingston and Memphis.

“Instead of simply shifting those harmful impacts to another area, TVA should scrap its plans for a new gas plant altogether and invest in clean and cost-effective power options, like solar power and battery storage,” said Trey Bussey, a staff attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center.