Public support is high for TVA's $5 billion hydro project in NE Alabama, despite property loss concerns. The facility would help bolster the electrical grid, with potential for job creation and economic growth over the next two decades.
Tennessee Valley Authority render
A rendering of a planned Pumped Storage Hydropower facility at Rorex Creek near Pisgah, Ala. The pumps and turbines would be located underground.
A multibillion-dollar hydroelectric project that would reshape a mountaintop in northeastern Alabama found a receptive audience June 12, 2025 — including two residents who stand to lose property under the plan, AL.com noted.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is considering spending up to $5 billion on a pumped storage hydropower facility near the Jackson County town of Pisgah in an effort to bolster the utility during times of strain on its electrical grid.
The site is just west of the Tennessee River.
At a community meeting at Pisgah High School, officials outlined steps in the decade-long project, which drew a round of applause from hundreds of attendees at its conclusion.
Among them was Lynde Wheeler, who told AL.com that she has lived on the same county road on Sand Mountain — which would be covered by a reservoir under the TVA's proposal — her entire life. Wheeler said she feels as though the TVA has been truthful with her and, at this point, she supports the plan.
"To enjoy growth in an area, you sometimes have to make sacrifices," she said. "Ultimately, to reap the benefits of parks and jobs and getting more opportunity to be a destination for people to recognize the beauty of our county, I believe it would be a positive impact."
Robert Smith, another lifelong area resident, was initially concerned when he heard the TVA's plan, which would wipe out his home of 10 years.
Despite that, he said, "I think it would be an engine for this area, [for] jobs [and] tourism. It'd be difficult for a little while, but my wife and I, we can make it."
TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler said about 10 properties would be impacted under the current plan.
Rorex Creek Site in Pisgah is TVA's Preferred Location
A federal utility agency, the TVA sells power to millions of people in north Alabama and parts of six other southeastern states.
It could decide to place its pumped storage hydro plant in one of two places in Jackson County: Rorex Creek near Pisgah or Widows Creek near Fabius.
Rorex Creek is the TVA's preferred location, according to its draft Environmental Impact Statement. The latter site is near the never-completed Bellefonte nuclear plant. Alternatively, the utility could choose to expand its existing Raccoon Mountain pumped hydro storage facility in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Both northeast Alabama options would generate up to 1,600 megawatts of energy, while expanding the Tennessee facility would add about 800 megawatts, according to TVA.
Whichever of the first two facilities chosen for the hydroelectric projects would be designed with underground pumps that fill a reservoir at a higher elevation when electrical demand is low, then hold it there until demand is high.
When the need for power is elevated, the water would then be pumped down through turbines — generating more electricity for the grid — on its way back to the Tennessee River.
Scottie Barrentine, project director for the TVA, likened the proposed pumped storage hydro facility to "a large water battery" that is "valuable for balancing the load on the grid."
In addition, he said hydro storage is a fast and reliable way to add additional electrical capacity compared with nuclear, coal, or gas plants, which are most efficient when they run at a steady rate.
"We know how to run pumped storage, and it works," said Barrentine, who cited the Raccoon Mountain facility in Tennessee as the best example. TVA has been operating that site since it first opened in 1978.
Facility's Opening Still More Than a Decade Away
Over eight to 10 years, the agency would construct a ring dike for a 400-acre reservoir atop Sand Mountain in Pisgah, while the facility's powerhouse, pipes and generators would all be built underground, AL.com noted.
"Once in operation, this site is very quiet," Barrentine said. "About all you'd see is a reservoir going up and down every day."
TVA expects the creation of the hydro plant to bring in approximately 1,000 temporary construction jobs and about 60 permanent positions when it is completed. The agency projects that building it would inject up to $700 million into the local economy, he said, and another $700 million over the next 20 years of operation.
A second roadway bridge over the Tennessee River for the Pisgah community also would be included as part of the construction and eventually present recreational opportunities like biking and hiking trails and improved river access.
A decision on the project is due to be made over the next two years, AL.com reported. After that, the facility's design and construction would likely take another 10 years to finish.
Alabama State Rep. Mike Kirkland said he has mostly heard support for the project.
"People here are looking at the investment by TVA, not to mention the recreational opportunities and the infrastructure; it's a win-win for the community," he said. "There's no smokestack, there's no radiation, you can't beat this with a stick."
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