The Associated Press
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. —
The Tennessee Valley Authority is losing tens of millions of dollars in power generation at its largest nuclear plant to avoid overheating the Tennessee River in Alabama.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports the nation’s largest public utility has already lost nearly $50 million in power generation at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant near Athens, Ala.
Unless the summer cools down, TVA could lose more, pushing up fuel costs and consumer electric bills even after seven straight monthly increases.
The utility supplies power to nearly 9 million consumers in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.
TVA executives said the Browns Ferry Plant has operated at about half power for most of the past month and could remain slowed down through September.
