List of power stations in Tennessee


The U.S. state of Tennessee receives its power from a variety of sources. The Tennessee Valley Authority is the primary utility in Tennessee which generates electricity and sells it to hundreds of local utilities and industrial customers. 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. 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. 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. In 2018, about 57% of the power consumed in Tennessee was generated with emissions free sources. Tennessee is a net consumer of electricity, consuming more power than it generates and receiving power from TVA facilities in neighboring states.

Biomass

NameLocationCapacity OperatorYear opened
City of Covington Waste-To-Energy Gasification PlantNashville, Tennessee0.125City of Nashville2013

Coal

NameLocationCapacity OperatorYear openedScheduled retirement
Bull Run Fossil PlantClaxton, Tennessee950Tennessee Valley Authority19672023
Cumberland Fossil PlantCumberland City, Tennessee2,600Tennessee Valley Authority1973-
Gallatin Fossil PlantSumner County, Tennessee1,255Tennessee Valley Authority1956-
Eastman ChemicalSullivan, Tennessee131Eastman Chemical Co-TN Ops1936 - 1994-
Kingston Fossil PlantKingston, Tennessee1,700Tennessee Valley Authority1954-

Natural gas

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

Wind farms

NameLocationCapacity OperatorYear opened
Buffalo Mountain Wind FarmOak Ridge, Tennessee29Tennessee Valley Authority2000

Solar stations

NameLocationCapacity 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 Solar2014
Volkswagen Solar FarmVolkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant, Chattanooga, Tennessee9.5Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant2013
West Tennessee Solar FarmKnoxville, 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 OperatorYear opened
Sequoyah Nuclear PlantSoddy-Daisy, Tennessee2,300Tennessee Valley Authority1981
Watts Bar Nuclear PlantSpring City, Tennessee2,300Tennessee Valley Authority1996 and 2015

Former facilities

Coal

Hyrdoelectric

Cancelled facilities