Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant, Alabama
Next Update: August 2009
Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant
Net Generation and Capacity, 2007
Unit |
Net Capacity |
Generation |
Capacity |
Type |
On Line |
License |
| 1 | 1,065 |
4,535.277 |
48.6 |
BWR | Dec. 20, 1973 | Dec. 20, 2033 |
| 2 | 1,119 |
7,605.927 |
77.7 |
BWR | Aug. 2, 1974 | Jun. 6, 2034 |
| 3 | 1,114 |
9,086.056 |
93.1 |
BWR | Aug. 18, 1976 | Jul. 2, 2036 |
3,297** |
21,227.26 |
73.5 |
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| * On May 4, 2006, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) renewed the licenses for all three reactors. The dates listed are the new expiration dates. Unit 1 was shut down in 1985 and restarted in June 2007. The on-line date, however, reflects the original date for connection to the grid. The license expiration date and the renewed license expiration are based on the earlier date. **Sum differs from total due to independent rounding. BWR = Boiling Water Reactor Sources |
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Description: Browns Ferry is a 3-unit plant on 850 acres of Alabama soil. In 1975, a fire caused major damage to unit 1. It was repaired and operated from 1976 through 1985, then was shut down for two decades. In June 2007, a rebuilt Browns Ferry 1 reactor returned to service.
Browns Ferry, Unit 1
Nuclear Steam System Supplier (NSSS Vendor) = General Electric
Architect Engineer = Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Owner = TVA
Operator (Licensee) = TVA is the plant operator.
Browns Ferry, Unit 2
Nuclear Steam System Supplier (NSSS Vendor) = General Electric
Architect Engineer = Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Owner = TVA
Operator (Licensee) = TVA is the plant operator.
Browns Ferry, Unit 3
Nuclear Steam System Supplier (NSSS Vendor) = General Electric
Architect Engineer = Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Owner = TVA
Operator (Licensee) = TVA is the plant operator.
Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)
In a typical commercial boiling water reactor (1) the reactor core creates heat, (2) a steam-water mixture is produced when very pure water (reactor coolant) moves upward through the core absorbing heat, (3) the steam-water mixture leaves the top of the core and enters the two stages of moisture separation where water droplets are removed before the steam is allowed to enter the steam line, (4) the steam line directs the steam to the main turbine causing it to turn the turbine generator, which produces electricity. The unused steam is exhausted to the condenser where it is condensed into water. The resulting water is pumped out of the condenser with a series of pumps, reheated, and pumped back to the reactor vessel. The reactor's core contains fuel assemblies which are cooled by water, which is force-circulated by electrically powered pumps. Emergency cooling water is supplied by other pumps which can be powered by onsite diesel generators. Other safety systems, such as the containment cooling system, also need electric power.
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| © U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission |
Containment: According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), all three reactors are BWR Mark 1 models.
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Sources for Data in Table: Capacity, for purposes of this report, is the net summer capability as reported in Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report." Capacity Factor is a percentage calculation in which the maximum possible generation (based on net summer capability) is divided into the actual generation then multiplied by 100. Generation is the net electricity output reported by plant owners on Form EIA-906, “Power Plant Report.” Type of Unit: All U.S. commercial reactors currently in operation are one of two types: BWR (boiling water reactor) or PWR (pressurized light water reactor). The type, on-line date, and the license expiration date are published annually in Information Digest by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.