TVA Board OKs $975 Million For 1,000-MW Plant in Memphis The Tennessee Valley Authority won board approval last month to retire its 702-MW Allen coal-fired plant near Memphis and replace it with a 1,000-MW gas-fired unit. TVA considered a 1,400-MW gas-fired replacement plant but opted for the smaller unit to accommodate the future development of renewable generation, said William Johnson, president and CEO. The board authorized up to $975 million to build the plant. Allen will continue to operate while the gas-fired plant is being built, but TVA did not say when construction would begin. TVA’s board also approved a fiscal 2015 budget that includes a record $3.5 billion in capital investment.