List of power stations in Tennessee explained

The U.S. state of Tennessee receives its power from a variety of sources. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the primary utility in Tennessee which generates electricity and sells it to hundreds of local utilities and industrial customers.[1] Like most of the US, the sources used to generate power in Tennessee have changed substantially in the last decade. Coal's share of power has declined from nearly 60% in 2008 to about 25% in 2018, while natural gas has increased significantly.[2] Tennessee is home to the two newest nuclear reactors in the US at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, unit 2 being the first to begin operation in the 21st century.[2] After Watts Bar Unit 2 began operation in late 2016, nuclear power passed coal as the top source of electricity. In November 2018 natural gas produced more power than coal for the first time in Tennessee. Tennessee is home to the third largest pumped-storage hydroelectric facility in the US, and has the third highest net generation of hydroelectric power of states east of the Mississippi River, and eighth highest nationwide.[2] In 2018, about 57% of the power consumed in Tennessee was generated with emissions free sources.[3] Tennessee is a net consumer of electricity, consuming more power than it generates and receiving power from TVA facilities in neighboring states.[4]

Coal

NameLocationCapacity (MW)OperatorYear openedScheduled retirement
Cumberland Fossil Plant[5] Cumberland City, Tennesseealign=center 2,600Tennessee Valley Authorityalign=center 1973align=center 2028[6]
Gallatin Fossil Plant[7] Sumner County, Tennesseealign=center 1,255Tennessee Valley Authorityalign=center 1956align=center 2035[8]
Kingston Fossil Plant[9] Kingston, Tennesseealign=center 1,700 Tennessee Valley Authorityalign=center 1954align=center 2035

Natural gas

The Tennessee Valley Authority operates nine natural gas power stations in Tennessee.[10] Six of these use simple combustion turbines. Three newer facilities use more efficient combined cycle generators.

NameLocationTypeCapacity (MW)OperatorYear opened
Allen Combined Cycle PlantMemphis, TennesseeGas, biogas660Tennessee Valley Authority2018
Allen Combustion Turbine PlantMemphis, TennesseeGas, biogas456Tennessee Valley Authority1971
Brownsville Combustion Turbine PlantBrownsville, TennesseeGas468Tennessee Valley Authority1999
Gallatin Combustion Turbine PlantGallatin, TennesseeGas600Tennessee Valley Authority1975
Gleason Combustion Turbine PlantWeakley County, TennesseeGas465Tennessee Valley Authority2000
Lagoon Creek Combined Cycle PlantBrownsville, TennesseeGas525Tennessee Valley Authority2010
Lagoon Creek Combustion Turbine PlantBrownsville, TennesseeGas941Tennessee Valley Authority2001
John Sevier Combined Cycle PlantRogersville, TennesseeGas870Tennessee Valley Authority2012
Johnsonville Combustion Turbine PlantNew Johnsonville, TennesseeGas1,133Tennessee Valley Authority1975, 2000

Hydroelectric plants

Name[11] LocationTypeCapacity (MW)OperatorYear opened
Boone DamHolston RiverHydroelectric89Tennessee Valley Authority1952
Cheatham DamCumberland RiverHydroelectric36United States Army Corps of Engineers1960
Center Hill DamCumberland RiverHydroelectric160United States Army Corps of Engineers1950
Cherokee DamHolston RiverHydroelectric136Tennessee Valley Authority1941
Chickamauga DamTennessee RiverHydroelectric119Tennessee Valley Authority1940
Cordell Hull DamCumberland RiverHydroelectric100United States Army Corps of Engineers1973
Douglas DamFrench Broad RiverHydroelectric111Tennessee Valley Authority1943
Fort Loudoun DamTennessee RiverHydroelectric162Tennessee Valley Authority1943
Fort Patrick Henry DamHolston RiverHydroelectric41Tennessee Valley Authority1953
Great Falls DamCaney Fork RiverHydroelectric36Tennessee Valley Authority1916
J. Percy Priest DamStones RiverHydroelectric28United States Army Corps of Engineers1967
Melton Hill DamClinch RiverHydroelectric79Tennessee Valley Authority1963
Nickajack DamTennessee RiverHydroelectric105Tennessee Valley Authority1967
Norris DamClinch RiverHydroelectric110Tennessee Valley Authority1936
Ocoee Dam No. 1Ocoee RiverHydroelectric24Tennessee Valley Authority1911
Ocoee Dam No. 2Ocoee RiverHydroelectric23Tennessee Valley Authority1913
Ocoee Dam No. 3Ocoee RiverHydroelectric29Tennessee Valley Authority1943
Old Hickory DamCumberland RiverHydroelectric100United States Army Corps of Engineers1957
Pickwick DamTennessee RiverHydroelectric229Tennessee Valley Authority1938
Raccoon Mountain DamTennessee RiverPumped storage hydro1,652Tennessee Valley Authority1978
South Holston DamHolston RiverHydroelectric44Tennessee Valley Authority1950
Tims Ford DamElk RiverHydroelectric36Tennessee Valley Authority1970
Watauga DamWatauga RiverHydroelectric66Tennessee Valley Authority1948
Watts Bar DamTennessee RiverHydroelectric182Tennessee Valley Authority1942
Wilbur DamWatauga RiverHydroelectric11Tennessee Valley Authority1912

Wind farms

See also: Wind power in Tennessee.

Solar stations

See also: Solar power in Tennessee.

NameLocationCapacity (MW)OperatorYear opened
Allen Solar PlantMemphis, Tennessee1Tennessee Valley Authority2017
Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Solar FarmChattanooga Metropolitan Airport, Chattanooga, Tennessee2.1Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority2011
Mulberry Solar FarmMcNairy County, Tennessee20Strata Solar2014
Selmer Solar FarmSelmer, Tennessee20Strata Solar 2014
Volkswagen Solar FarmVolkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant, Chattanooga, Tennessee9.5Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant2013
West Tennessee Solar FarmStanton, Tennessee5University of Tennessee2012

Nuclear plants

The Tennessee Valley Authority operates two nuclear plants in Tennessee. In addition much of the power generated at TVA's Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Limestone County, Alabama is distributed to Tennessee.

NameLocationCapacity (MW)OperatorYear opened
Sequoyah Nuclear PlantSoddy-Daisy, Tennessee2,300Tennessee Valley Authority1981
Watts Bar Nuclear PlantSpring City, Tennessee2,300Tennessee Valley Authority1996 and 2015

Former facilities

Coal

NameLocationCapacity (MW)OperatorYear openedYear retired
Eastman Chemical Power PlantKingsport, Tennesseealign=center 131Eastman Chemical Co-TN Opsalign=center 1936align=center 1994
Allen Fossil PlantMemphis, Tennesseealign=center 990 Tennessee Valley Authorityalign=center 1959align=center 2018
Watts Bar Steam PlantRhea County, Tennesseealign=center 267Tennessee Valley Authorityalign=center 1942align=center 1982
John Sevier Fossil PlantHawkins County, Tennesseealign=center 880Tennessee Valley Authorityalign=center 1957align=center 2012
Johnsonville Fossil PlantNew Johnsonville, Tennesseealign=center 1500Tennessee Valley Authorityalign=center 1951align=center 2017
Bull Run Fossil Plant[12] Claxton, Tennesseealign=center 950Tennessee Valley Authorityalign=center 1967align=center 2023[13]

Hydroelectric

Cancelled facilities

StationLocationTypeUnitsYear construction beganYear cancelled
Hartsville Nuclear PlantHartsville, TennesseeNuclear419751984
Phipps Bend Nuclear PlantSurgoinsville, TennesseeNuclear219771981

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tennessee - State Energy Profile Analysis . . May 17, 2018. eia.gov. US Energy Information Administration. 2019-03-18.
  2. Web site: Tennessee - State Energy Profile Overview. . eia.gov. U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2019-03-18.
  3. Web site: Electric Power Monthly. February 27, 2019. eia.gov. U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2019-03-18.
  4. News: Popovich. Nadja. December 24, 2018. How Does Your State Make Electricity?. The New York Times. New York City. 2019-03-18.
  5. https://www.tva.gov/Energy/Our-Power-System/Coal/Cumberland-Fossil-Plant TVA Cumberland Fossil Plant
  6. Web site: Jan 10, 2023 . TVA Retiring Cumberland, Continues Transition to Clean Energy Future . December 15, 2023 . Tennessee Valley Authority.
  7. https://www.tva.gov/Energy/Our-Power-System/Coal/Gallatin-Fossil-Plant TVA Gallatin Fossil Plant
  8. News: Gardner . Timothy . May 3, 2021 . Tennessee Valley Authority plans to shut coal plants by 2035 . Reuters . August 19, 2021.
  9. https://www.tva.gov/Energy/Our-Power-System/Coal/Kingston-Fossil-Plant TVA Kingston Fossil Plant
  10. https://www.tva.gov/Energy/Our-Power-System/Natural-Gas TVA - Natural Gas
  11. https://www.tva.gov/Energy/Our-Power-System/Hydroelectric TVA - Hydroelectric
  12. https://www.tva.gov/Energy/Our-Power-System/Coal/Bull-Run-Fossil-Plant TVA Bull Run Fossil Plant
  13. News: U.S. utility TVA votes to close two coal power plants, in blow to Trump. Gardner. Timothy. Reuters. February 14, 2019. February 14, 2019.

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