The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced Tuesday that it will not proceed with plans to build a methane power plant in Cheatham County. The decision came following more than two years of pushback from local residents and officials, with conservative country music star John Rich becoming a leading voice for the opposition in recent months. Rich posted comments and videos on his “X” account expressing his opposition to the project and humanized the potential impact on local residents. Rich said that he had carried his concerns directly to President Donald Trump, who promised to look into it. Cheatham County Mayor Kerry McCarver credited Rich’s involvement and the attention he generated with turning the momentum against the project.
The proposed project included a 900-megawatt methane power plant with 14 turbines, acres of lithium battery storage, and extensive transmission lines and pipelines that would have run under protected waterways. The site was to be located in the midst of neighborhoods, schools, and farmland, all of which generated significant environmental and safety concerns. TVA will now evaluate alternative sites at a nearby industrial park and other locations in Middle Tennessee.
