Tennessee Valley Authority
Bull Run Fossil Plant
Bull Run Fossil Plant is located on Bull Run Creek near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It is the only single-generator coal-fired power plant in the TVA system. When the generator went into operation in 1967, it was the largest in the world in the volume of steam produced.
Balancing efficient power production with environmental protection
Electricity is generated at Bull Run by the process of heating water in a boiler to produce steam. Under extremely high pressure, the steam flows into a turbine that spins a generator to make electricity.
Bull Run generates more than six billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, enough to supply about 430,000 homes. It has been ranked the most-efficient coal-fired plant in the nation 13 times and is consistently in the top five each year. In 2005, the plant achieved its best summer reliability ever, and in November of that year it set a plant record for continuous operation when it ran nonstop for 189 days with no unscheduled outages for maintenance or repairs.
By 2010, TVA will have spent about $5.7 billion on emission controls at its fossil-fuel plants to ensure that this power supply is generated as cleanly as possible, consistent with efficiency.
To reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, Bull Run burns a blend of low-sulfur coal. Construction of a scrubber to further reduce SO2 began in 2005 and is scheduled for completion in 2009.To reduce nitrogen oxides (NOX), the plant uses a selective catalytic reduction system as well as combustion and boiler optimization controls. View more information about emissions at Bull Run and the steps TVA is taking to control them.