US's largest public utility names panel to study blackouts

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The nation’s largest public utility has appointed an independent panel to look into power failures that spurred the decision to implement rolling blackouts during dangerously cold conditions late last year, Tennessee Valley Authority announced Thursday.

The public utility said the panel will include American Public Power Association President Joy Ditto, former Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker from Tennessee and retired Electric Power Research Institute CEO Mike Howard.

“These leaders bring tremendous experience and expertise not only in public power and energy systems, but also an understanding of the growing energy needs of the region," Don Moul, TVA chief operating officer, said in a statement.

TVA has said it takes full responsibility for the Dec. 23 and 24 rolling blackouts and is undergoing an internal review of what happened.

TVA experienced its highest ever winter peak-power demand on Dec. 23.

The utility said a combination of high winds and freezing temperatures caused its coal-burning Cumberland Fossil Plant to go offline when critical instrumentation froze up. A second coal-burning plant, Bull Run, also went offline, TVA spokesman Scott Brooks said. The utility “had issues at some of our natural gas units” as well, Brooks said.

TVA says most of the local power companies it supplies were able to keep the rolling blackouts to “relatively short durations” for the people dependent on its electricity. The Nashville Electric Service, for example, said on Dec. 24 that customers should expect approximately 10-minute outages every 1.5 to 2 hours.

TVA is also expected to factor in a review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which are investigating how power systems across the...