BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT: TVA at work on power increase

Published 10:45 am Friday, February 16, 2018

Efforts are underway to increase the output from Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant’s three reactors by an additional 465 megawatts, officials with the Tennessee Valley Authority said this week.

When the upgrades are complete, the plant will produce 3,954 megawatts of energy.

“TVA is investing in smart energy and a cleaner future to meet the Tennessee Valley’s everyday energy needs and provide a catalyst for economic development,” said Mike Balduzzi, TVA’s chief nuclear officer. “When the upgrade is completed, an additional 280,000 homes will be powered with carbon-free electricity from Browns Ferry’s nuclear reactors.”

Officials described the upgrade as being “just in time” because of the recently announced joint Toyota-Mazda manufacturing facility to be built in Huntsville-annexed Limestone County. The project will require 50 to 75 megawatts of power when cars begin rolling off the lines in 2021.

Investing in the future

TVA is investing $475 million on the Browns Ferry upgrade, part of a larger investment to meet the energy needs of the Valley. Over the past five years, TVA invested over $16 billion on infrastructure while lowering electric rates to 2 percent below 2013 levels.

“The final upgrades start this month on the first unit during our regularly scheduled maintenance cycle,” said Lang Hughes, Browns Ferry site vice president.

Hughes added there are about 200 modifications required to achieve the increased output, many of them already installed.

“In essence, the modifications come down to installing and upgrading equipment that enables plant systems to safely produce more energy,” he said.

One example is the new 127,000-pound high-pressure turbine rotor pictured on a delivery barge at the top of this page. TVA expects to complete the project in the spring of 2019.

In September 2015, TVA submitted the upgrade request to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which regulates nuclear plants in the United States. Hughes said the request was approved in August 2017 after a period of extensive preparation by TVA and “rigorous safety and technical reviews.”

Once complete, Browns Ferry will generate 14 percent more energy than it does today. Currently, 54 percent of TVA’s energy is carbon-free, and Hughes notes the Tennessee Valley’s air and water are cleaner because “TVA cares about the environment.”

“You can count on the dedicated employees at TVA to safely and reliably deliver clean energy that powers your life,” he said.