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State Nuclear Profiles

Data for 2010  |  Release Date: April 26, 2012  |  Next Release: February 2013  |   full report

Nuclear Profile 2010 Tennessee profile

Tennessee total electric power industry, summer capacity and net generation, by energy source, 2010 
Primary energy source Summer capacity
(mw)
Share of State total
(percent)
Net generation
(thousand mwh)
Share of State total
(percent)
Nuclear 3,401 15.9 27,739 33.7
Coal 8,805 41.1 43,670 53.0
Hydro and Pumped Storage 4,277 20.0 7,416 9.0
Natural Gas 4,655 21.7 2,302 2.8
Other - - 16 *
Other Renewable 222 1.0 988 1.2
Petroleum 58 0.3 217 0.3
Total 21,417 100.0 82,349 100.0
1Municipal Solid Waste net generation is allocated according to the biogenic and non-biogenic components of the fuel; however, all Municipal Solid Waste summer capacity is classified as Renewable.
* = Absolute percentage less than 0.05.
- = No data reported.
Notes: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
Other: Blast furnace gas, propane gas, other manufactured and waste gases derived from fossil fuels, non-biogenic municipal solid waste, batteries, chemicals, hydrogen, pitch, purchased steam, sulfur, tire-derived fuel, and miscellaneous technologies.
Other Renewable: Wood, black liquor, other wood waste, biogenic municipal solid waste, landfill gas, sludge waste, agriculture byproducts, other biomass, geothermal, solar thermal, photovoltaic energy, and wind.
Source: Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," and Form EIA-923, "Power Plant Operations Report."

Tennessee nuclear power plants, summer capacity and net generation, 2010  
Plant name/total reactors Summer capacity
(mw)
Net generation
(thousand mwh)
Share of State nuclear
net generation (percent)
Owner
Sequoyah
Unit 1, Unit 2
2,278 18,001 64.9 Tennessee Valley Authority
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant
Unit 1
1,123 9,738 35.1 Tennessee Valley Authority
2 Plants
3 Reactors
3,401 27,739 100.0  
Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
Source: Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," and Form EIA-923, "Power Plant Operations Report."

Plants in State

Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant 
Unit Summer capacity
(mw)
Net generation
(thousand mwh)
Summer capacity factor (percent) Type Commercial operation date License expiration date
1 1,152 8,464 83.9 PWR 7/1/1981 9/17/2020
2 1,126 9,537 96.7 PWR 6/1/1982 9/15/2021
  2,278 18,001 90.2      
Data for 2010
PWR = Pressurized Light Water Reactor.
Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
Source: Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," and Form EIA-923, "Power Plant Operations Report."

Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Location and Service Territory: The Sequoyah nuclear power plant is located on a 525-acre site near Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Construction Cost: $3.455 billion (2007 USD)2

Staffing: The staff consists of 900 employees; however, up to 800 additional contractors may be brought on for refueling and maintenance outages.

Reactor Descriptions: The plant houses two, Westinghouse four-loop pressurized water reactors. Each reactor holds 193 fuel assemblies.

Cooling System: The cooling system uses a natural draft cooling tower that draws water from the Chickamauga Reservoir.


Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant 
Unit Summer capacity
(mw)
Net generation
(thousand mwh)
Summer capacity factor (percent) Type Commercial operation date License expiration date
1 1,123 9,738 99.0 PWR 5/27/1996 11/9/2035
  1,123 9,738 99.0      
Data for 2010
PWR = Pressurized Light Water Reactor.
Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
Source: Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," and Form EIA-923, "Power Plant Operations Report."

Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Location and Service Territory: The Watts Bar Nuclear Plant is located on the Tennessee River in Rhea County, Tennessee. The site covers 1,770 acres.

Staffing: Approximately 620 employees work at Unit 1.

Reactor Description: Unit 1 is a Westinghouse four-loop pressurized water reactor and houses 193 fuel assemblies.

Cooling System: Watts Bar draws cooling water from Chickamauga Reservoir and evaporates it via a natural draft cooling tower.



2Nuclear Power Plant Construction Activity, DOE/EIA-0473(86), Energy Information Administration, 1986, pp 16-17, Table 5. Adjusted to 2007 Dollars using Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index.

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