New TVA head says board right on coal plant closures

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The new head of the Tennessee Valley Authority says a decision to shut down a Kentucky coal-fired power plant is the right one. The decision previously drew a critical tweet from President Trump.

Jeff Lyash took over as president and CEO of the nation’s largest public utility on Monday.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Friday, Lyash said the Paradise Fossil Plant is at the end of its life and no longer cost effective to operate. Lyash said technology has changed along with customer demands.

Lyash also addressed the problem of groundwater pollution from TVA’s coal ash dumps. He said TVA would “do the right thing” but did not go into specifics.

TVA provides power to more than 10 million people in parts of seven Southern states.