Tennessee Valley Authority
Johnsonville Fossil Plant
Johnsonville Fossil Plant is located on the east bank of the Tennessee River near Waverly, Tennessee. Although it’s the oldest fossil plant in the TVA system, it maintains an excellent record of efficiency. Unit 3 operated without interruption for 617 days between September 1995 and June 1997, setting a TVA record that stood until September 2004, when Widows Creek Unit 3 surpassed it.
Balancing efficient power production with environmental protection
Electricity is produced at Johnsonville’s 10 coal-fired units 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.
Johnsonville generates about 550 million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, enough to supply 400,000 homes. By 2010, TVA will have spent about $2.5 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, all 10 units use a low-sulfur coal blend. To reduce nitrogen oxide (NOX ) emissions, Units 1 through 6 use combustion controls and boiler optimization, and Units 7 through 10 use low-NOX burners. View more information about emissions at Johnsonville and the steps TVA is taking to control them.
Combustion turbines
TVA added 16 combustion turbine units at Johnsonville in the early 1970s, and another four in 2000. These units, which can burn either fuel oil or natural gas, are designed to start quickly. Although they cost more to operate than TVA’s other power sources, they are needed to meet the demand for electricity during peak operating periods.