Hydroelectric Plants in Tennessee

Center Hill Location: TN Operator: US Army Corps of Engineers Configuration: 3 X 45 MW Francis Operation: 1950-1951 T/G supplier: BLH, GE Quick facts: The Center Hill project was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1938 and the River and Harbor Act of 1946. Center Hill Lake is located on the Caney Fork River in the Cumberland River Basin. It covers parts of DeKalb, Putman, White, and Warren Counties in Tennessee. The concrete gravity and earthfill dam is 2,160ft long and up to 250ft in height.    Photograph by Pat Kelley Posted 18 Jan 2004	Boone Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 2 X 25 MW, 1 X 30 MW Francis Operation: 1952-1953 T/G supplier: NN, WH Quick facts: Boone Dam is on South Fork Holston River.  The structure is 160ft high and 1,532ft long.  It is named for legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 30 Dec 2004	Cheatham Location: TN Operator: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Configuration: 3 X 12 MW propeller Operation: 1958-1960 T/G supplier: NN, GE Quick facts: Cheatham Lock and Dam Project was authorized in 1946 as a navigation unit of the comprehensive Cumberland River Basin development plan. The complex replaced three smaller locks built at the turn of the century. Construction started in Apr 1950 and the lock opened to navigation in Dec 1952. The project became fully operational with the completion of the power plant in Nov 1960. Photograph courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Posted 20 Nov 2005
Cherokee Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 2 X 33 MW, 2 X 35 MW Francis Operation: 1942-1953 T/G supplier: SMS, GE Quick facts: Cherokee Dam on the Holston River was built on an exceptionally fast track in only 16 months to support the U.S. military build-up for World War II. The reservoir is now equipped with an elaborate air injection system to raise dissolved oxygen levels for local fishery resources. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 30 Dec 2004	Chickamauga Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 4 X 40 MW propeller Operation: 1939-1951 T/G supplier: BLH, AC Quick facts: Chickamauga Reservoir on the Tennessee River stretches 59mi upriver to Watts Bar Dam. The dam has a 60 X 360ft lock to move river craft between Nickajack and Chickamauga reservoirs. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 30 Dec 2004	Cordell Hull Location: TN Operator: US Army Corps of Engineers Configuration: 3 X 33.3 MW propeller Operation: 1973 T/G supplier: BLH, GE Quick facts: The plant is named for Cordell Hull, who served as a Congressman, Senator, and finally U.S. Secretary of State from 1933-1944.  He was born in Pickett Co, TN. Photograph by George Green and courtesy of USACE Posted 27 Dec 2004
Dale Hollow Location: TN Operator: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Configuration: 3 X 18 MW Francis Operation: 1948-1953 T/G supplier: SMS, WH Quick facts: Dale Hollow Dam and Lake was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1938 and the River and Harbor Act of 1946. The project was completed for flood control in 1943. The concrete gravity dam is 200ft high and 1,717ft long. Photograph courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Posted 23 Nov 2005	Douglas Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 2 X 32 MW, 2 X 41 MW Francis Operation: 1942-1954 T/G supplier: SMS, GE Quick facts: Work on Douglas Dam began in February 1942 and was completed on a crash schedule in just 12 months and 17 days, a world record for projects of equivalent size.  Douglas Dam is on the French Broad River and is 202ft high and 1,705ft long. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 31 Dec 2004	Fort Loudon Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 1 X 36 MW, 2 X 34 MW, 1 X 40 MW propeller Operation: 1943-1948 T/G supplier: BLH, AC Quick facts:  Ft Loudon Dam is on the Tennessee River and is 120ft high and 4,190ft long. Fort Loudoun is named for the 18th century British fort built nearby during the French and Indian War. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 1 Jan 2005
Fort Patrick Henry Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 2 X 30 MW propeller Operation: 1953 T/G supplier: NN, WH Quick facts: In addition to flood control and hydropower benefits, Ft Patrick Henry Reservoir provides cooling water for John Sevier power station. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 2 Jan 2005	Great Falls Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 1 X 15 MW, 1 X 18 MW Francis Operation: 1916-1924 T/G supplier: AC Quick facts:  Great Falls Dam was built by Tennessee Electric Power Co, a private power company, and bought by TVA in 1939. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 2 Jan 2005	J Percy Priest Location: TN Operator: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Configuration: 1 X 28 MW propeller Operation: 1969 T/G supplier: AC Quick facts: This project was approved by the Flood Control Act of 1946 as Stewarts Ferry Reservoir. In 1958, the name was changed to J. Percy Priest in honor of the late Congressman from Tennessee. Construction began in Jun 1963 and was completed in 1968. The concrete-gravity and earthfill dam is 130ft high and 2,716ft long. Photograph courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Posted 23 Nov 2005
Melton Hill Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 2 X 36 MW propeller Operation: 1964 T/G supplier: BLH, ASEA Quick facts: Melton Hill Reservoir has a nationally recognized rowing course and is a spring training site for collegiate teams from throughout the eastern United States. The reservoir has hosted a number of national championships. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 9 Jan 2005	Nickajack Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 2 X 24 MW, 2 X 28 MW propeller Operation: 1967-1968 T/G supplier: SMS, AC, Hitachi, GE Quick facts: Nickajack Dam replaced the Hales Bar Dam, built by private interests in 1913, which had leaks in its foundation. It is the last major conventional hydro plant built by TVA. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 9 Jan 2005	Norris Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 2 X 66 MW Francis Operation: 1936 T/G supplier: NN, WH Quick facts: Norris Reservoir extends 73mi up the Clinch River and 56mi up the Powell from Norris Dam. It was the first dam TVA built, and is named for Sen George Norris of Nebraska, author of the legislation that created TVA. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 15 Jan 2005
Ocoee Dams Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 70 MW total capacity Operation: 1911-1950 T/G supplier: IPM, SMS, WH, GE Quick facts: The three dams of the Ocoee system are in the Cherokee National Forest. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 15 Jan 2005	Old Hickory Location: TN Operator: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Configuration: 4 X 25 MW propeller Operation: 1957 T/G supplier: BLH, GE Quick facts: This lock and dam complex on the Cumberland River was authorized for construction in 1946.  Construction started in Jan 1952 and dam closure was in Jun 1954. The concrete-gravity and earthfill structure is 3,750ft long and reaches 98ft in height. Old Hickory Lake is close to metropolitan Nashville and is a major recreational destination. Photograph courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Posted 20 Nov 2005	Pickwick Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 4 X 40 MW Kaplan Operation: 1938-1952 T/G supplier: AC, WH Quick facts: With a 24ft runner, Pickwick’s first turbine was the largest of its kind in the USA when installed. New runners were installed in the 1980s.  Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 15 Jan 2005
South Holston Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 1 X 38.5 MW Francis Operation: 1950 T/G supplier: SMS, WH Quick facts: In 1950, TVA built a 285ft earthen dam on the South Fork of the Holston River creating a 20mi downstream river stretch with temperatures adequate to support coldwater fish. In 1991, TVA built a 7.5ft  aerating labyrinth weir below the dam.  This doubled dissolved-oxygen content. Trout Unlimited purchased and donated weir valves to maximize water releases which thereby expands the tailwater fisheries habitat. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 17 Jan 2005	Tims Ford Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 1 X 45 MW diagonal, 1 X 700 kW Operation: 1971-1986 T/G supplier: AC, Hitachi Quick facts: An auxiliary T/G set was added to keep water moving through the complex when the main unit is not running. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 17 Jan 2005	Watauga Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 2 X 29 MW Francis Operation: 1949 T/G supplier: NN, WH Quick facts: Watauga is the highest reservoir in the Tennessee River system at 1,900ft above sea level. Construction began in early 1942 but was curtailed later in favor of other wartime building efforts. Work resumed in 1946 and the dam was completed in 1948. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 17 Jan 2005
	Wilbur Location: TN Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority Configuration: 3 X 1.3 MW Francis, 1 X 7 MW propeller Operation: 1912-1950 T/G supplier: SMS, Leffel, WH Quick facts: Construction of Wilbur Dam began in 1909 and was completed in 1912. It is 77ft high and stretches 375ft across the Watauga River. TVA boughy the dam in 1945 and added a fourth T/G set. Photograph courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority Posted 17 Jan 2005

Abbreviations: AC = Allis Chalmers, BLH = Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton, GE = General Electric, IPM = I P Morris, NN = Newport News, SMS = S Morgan Smith, T/G = turbine generator, TVA = Tennessee Valley Authority, USACE = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Data: industcards, Platts UDI World Electric Power Plants Data Base

Updated 04/15/07

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