Knoxville (WVLT) Last year's drought could give some of our southern neighbors higher electric bills this spring and summer.

Utility companies say they may not have enough water to run their nuclear plants, forcing them to buy power and pass along the costs.

Volunteer TV's Gordon Boyd looks at whether such troubles could trickle down to TVA.

We know the drought has hurt TVA's hydro-electric production.

But TVA says its coal and nuclear plants

Have weathered the drought's worst.

Whether it's Watts Bar in Spring City, or its other nuclear plants near Chattanooga, and in Alabama, TVA maintains its key to keeping them running full steam is, as Chuck Bach says, "we have a good deal of water flowing by those plants, so for low water it's very unlikely we will have a problem."

TVA manages the flow through its network of tributaries and reservoirs.

Bach continues, "if we get back to the same levels we had last year, we know we can provide minimum flows, all the way through the season, and continue to have enough water to move the water past the plants down the river."

Jim Warren, with the North Carolina Waste Awareness Reduction Network says, "I'm not familiar with how TVA manages the river system, let me say that upfront."

Nevertheless, a North Carolina Environmental Group insists the drought is partly to blame for troubles at Browns Ferry last summer.

Bach says, "that was not a water level issue, that was a water temperature issue. We voluntarily decided to shut the plant down to make sure we didn't exceed our permit level."

Jim Warren says, "they were not designed to be taken on or off line multiple times because of heat waves. And every time they shut down and come back up there are risks involved there."

Dr. Christian Vossler, UT Environmental Economist says, "water is crucial for the production of electric power from any, or most generating sources that includes a coal fired generating plant."

Still, Dr. Vossler says TVA's percentages have helped it weather the drought better than other power suppliers.

Nuclear plants may use 25 to 30 percent more water than coal plants but, Dr. Vossler continues, "given that we mostly use coal, I don't anticipate much difference in the cost of electricity generation."

Bach says, "the key will be in the Springtime, during March, April and May, do we get enough rain to fill those reservoirs."

TVA Rivers Overseer Chuck Bach defines three or four two inch rains could be enough to keep water running high and cool enough to keep everything on line.

"We're holding onto every bit of extra water we have."

TVA puts the odds of those good, soaking spring rains at about 50-50.

But the North Carolina Environmental Group known as the waste awareness and reduction group calls the drought a dope-slap to anybody, including TVA, who suggests that more nuke or coal plants are a way out of our energy troubles.