TVA and Plus Power of Houston sign 20-year battery energy storage agreement
To help strengthen power affordability and American energy dominance, the Tennessee Valley Authority has entered a 20-year contract to add 200 MW/800 MWh of battery energy storage through a project in Jackson County.
Houston-based Plus Power and the TVA, the nation’s largest public utility, announced the agreement Tuesday. Plus Power develops, owns, and operates battery energy storage systems that enable a more efficient and reliable electric grid.
The TVA said the standalone system, developed by Plus Power’s Crawfish Creek Energy Storage project in Jackson County, aims to provide flexible capacity by storing lower-cost energy during off-peak periods and delivering it when demand is high.
It will also provide grid-forming capabilities — fast frequency response, regulation, and operating reserves — to support growth in advanced manufacturing, data centers, and industrial investment across the region.
Crawfish Creek supports TVA’s broader effort to develop 6,200 megawatts of new generation to meet increasing electricity needs across North Alabama, officials said.
“Battery storage is essential to protecting the reliable, affordable electricity our region depends on to power next generation technologies,” said Monika Beckner, TVA vice president, power supply & fuels. “Projects like Crawfish Creek strengthen the valley’s energy security, improve our ability to manage extreme conditions, and help unleash American energy — reinforcing reliability, affordability, and America’s energy dominance.”
The project was chosen to help TVA meet its system needs and strengthen U.S. energy security, according to Brian Duncan, chief commercial officer at Plus Power. The standalone battery project will help power economic development in the rapidly expanding Huntsville metro area, a major center for U.S. military, aerospace, and NASA-related operations.
“Plus Power is proud to support energy resilience in Jackson County and the Tennessee Valley, a key region for America’s military, aerospace, and nuclear innovation,” he said. “Battery energy storage systems are flexible and millisecond-fast, making Crawfish Creek uniquely suited to meet the region’s evolving needs.
“We are excited to partner with TVA to deliver a resource that supports economic expansion while strengthening American energy dominance and security.”
Under the agreement, TVA will charge and dispatch energy from the battery system based on TVA’s needs, while Crawfish Creek Energy Storage retains ownership of the facility.
Construction on the facility is expected to begin in 2028, with commercial operation anticipated in summer 2029.
The project is expected to create 50 to 100 construction jobs in Jackson County and support four full-time operations roles once complete.
In the past five years, TVA-supported economic development projects have helped attract more than 91,000 new jobs, retain 235,000 existing jobs, and drive $45.9 billion in projected capital investments in Alabama.
With Crawfish Creek Energy Storage, Plus Power is entering its seventh state market and expanding into the Southeast.
The company owns and operates nine facilities that provide enhanced power reliability to Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, and Texas totaling 1,650 megawatts/4,150 megawatt-hours.
