Clean Line Energy Partners, LLC announces a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Plains & Eastern Clean Line, LLC.

The purpose of the MOU is to identify the full range of benefits that high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission projects may provide to TVA's stakeholders and to explore nondiscriminatory methods for TVA to use independent transmission as a means to improve system reliability, increase resource flexibility and enhance the potential for the integration of renewables. This MOU takes Clean Line one step closer in its efforts to connect low-cost clean energy to consumers across the Mid-South and Southeast regions of the U.S.

Building on Memphis, Tennessee's heritage as “America's distribution center,” the Plains & Eastern Clean Line transmission line project will help position Memphis as the 21st century hub for clean energy distribution in the Southeast by delivering clean energy from western Oklahoma, southwest Kansas and the Texas Panhandle to TVA, Arkansas and other Eastern markets. Support for HVDC lines to deliver cost-effective clean energy is growing throughout Memphis and the Southeast. The Memphis, Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) Division Board of Commissioners recently passed a resolution unanimously in support of the development and implementation of clean energy transported by HVDC transmission to western Tennessee. The board also noted in the resolution that it will work cooperatively with TVA to bring additional low-cost, clean energy to benefit MLGW's customers.

The Plains & Eastern Clean Line transmission line project will consist of approximately 800 miles (1,287 km) of overhead HVDC transmission lines that will allow TVA, Arkansas and other Eastern markets to receive more than 7,000 MW of new, clean energy from the Great Plains at competitive prices. This low-cost clean energy is enough to power approximately 2 million homes.

The MOU outlines that TVA will continue to perform collaborative and/or independent technical wind integration studies to support identification and quantification of benefits to TVA from the Plains & Eastern Clean Line. The agreement also notes that:

• TVA and Clean Line will conduct studies to identify the benefits of HVDC to TVA.

• Clean Line and TVA will continue to collaboratively and/or independently explore and develop structures whereby TVA can use the Plains & Eastern Clean Line and/or other similar transmission projects to enhance stakeholder value.

HVDC has technical benefits, including lower line loss and power flow control, which will strengthen the existing grid and continue to ensure reliability. Clean Line is committed to developing its projects responsibly in a manner that safeguards the environment, respects property rights and helps to build and maintain strong communities.

For more information, visit www.cleanlineenergy.com.