There are two operating nuclear power plants in Alabama: Browns Ferry and the Joseph M. Farley plant. The Browns Ferry plant has three boiling water reactors (BWR) and the Farley plant has two pressurized light water reactors (PWR).

Permanently Shutdown Commercial Reactors: As of December 31, 2005, no commercial reactors that have been licensed to operate have been shut down in Alabama. Construction was halted by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on the Bellefonte plant, but TVA is considering the site for one or more new reactors.

Nuclear Power Generation in Alabama, 1975 through 2005 Million Kilowatt Hours

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-906, Power Plant Report, and predecessor forms.

Contribution of Nuclear Power

As of January 1, 2005, Alabama ranked 5^th among the 31 States with nuclear capacity.

Nearly a fourth of Alabama's electricity generation comes from nuclear plants (see Table). Nevertheless, nuclear continues to rank a distant second to coal. Coal is likely to remain king in the State's electricity market for at least a decade, but nuclear power has opportunity for growth. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced in 2002 that it plans to re-start Browns Ferry unit 1, a commercial reactor that has been shut down for two decades. On May 3, 2005, John Moulton, a TVA spokesman, announced that the work is, "60 percent complete and is on time and within budget."

Alabama is also being considered as a potential site for a completely new reactor (or reactors). On December 24, 1974, construction permits were issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to TVA for two reactors to be built near Scottsboro. Bellefonte units 1 and 2, the two reactors permitted, were never completed although the permits remain active. With the passage of three decades, it is unlikely that either reactor will come on line but the site is a potential location for a newer design.

Alabama Nuclear Highlights

• The Browns Ferry nuclear plant is ranked 5th on the Energy Information Administration's (EIA) list of 100 Largest Electric Plants. In the Southeastern United States, it is second only to Georgia Power Company's Scherer plant in size. Among nuclear plants, it is second only to Palo Verde in Arizona in capacity.
• But rankings based strictly on capacity can sometimes be misleading, since they do not necessarily correlate with output levels. Nearly a third of Browns Ferry's capacity has been idle for more than a decade. In 1985, Browns Ferry unit 1 was shut down following a non-nuclear accident. Consequently, it has often been virtually ignored by analysts in projecting future capacity and generation. The TVA has announced plans to return this reactor to service in 2007.
• The Joseph M. Farley power plant is the newer of Alabama's two nuclear plants. The Farley plant contrasts with Brown's Ferry in nearly every aspect. It has two light water pressurized reactors (PWR) compared to Browns Ferry's three boiling water reactors (BWR). The Farley plant is privately owned. Even the naming conventions differ: Browns Ferry refers to location; Joseph M. Farley is a former president of the Alabama Power Company.

The Next Reactor

When did the last commercial reactor come on line in the United States?

When will the next commercial reactor come on line?

These may be the two most-frequently asked questions about the U.S. nuclear industry. The answer to the first question is, the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Watts Bar unit came on line in 1996, making it the last reactor of the 20th century to come on line in this country. No new U.S. reactor has yet entered service in the 21st century (as of October 31, 2005).

The second question has generated much speculation and debate, but to the extent that any future event is foreseeable, the answer is a virtual certainty. TVA, which brought the last reactor of the 20th century on line, will bring the first reactor of the 21st century on line. Browns Ferry 1 (BF1), a boiling water reactor (BWR), is on budget and on schedule for its anticipated re-start in May 2007. Bechtel Power Corporation is preparing the design and Stone & Webster Engineering is implementing the modifications. General Electric is the nuclear system supplier, as with the original unit. Because BF1 first began commercial operation on August 1, 1974, it does not fit the definition of a new reactor. It was shut down in 1985 and has not operated since. But although the type and technology are the same, the 21st century BF1 differs significantly from its dormant ancestor. It is being completely re-built. Those familiar with the Canadian industry are aware that a number of CANDU (Canadian Deuterium Uranium) reactors have been rebuilt and returned to service. But this has not been the practice in the United States. Reactors that have been dormant for more than two years are almost always shut down permanently.

© Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), used with permission. The rotor for unit 1 is lifted by cable, prior to being transported for re-wiring.

Statistically, the Nation's oldest new reactor might have little if any impact on the capacity of the State's electric power industry. Unit 1 represents slightly less than a third of the total capacity of the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant. But the greater significance lies in output, not capacity. In essence, it's not how much can be generated but how much is generated. In 2004, Browns Ferry units 2 and 3 provided 18,487,804 megawatts of electricity while unit 1 was a net consumer (electricity is required to perform various maintenance and related functions while a unit is shut down)

© Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), used with permission. This is a photo of the Unit 1 generator. It's the stator part of the machine and it is being rewound. The work was completed as part of the 60-month modification effort TVA has under way to restart Browns Ferry Unit 1.

License Renewal

Applications for license renewal were submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for all five of Alabama's commercial reactors.

On September 15, 2003, the NRC received a license renewal application for units 1 and 2 at the Joseph M. Farley nuclear power plant. The original license for unit 1 would have expired on June 25, 2017. The original license for unit 2 would have expired on March 31, 2021. On May 12, 2005, the NRC approved the application for license renewal for both, thereby adding 20 years to the license expiration date. The license for unit 1 expires on June 25, 2037. The license for unit 2 expires on March 31, 2041.

On May 4, 2006, the NRC renewed the licenses for all three reactors at the Browns Ferry nuclear plant. The new license for unit 1 will expire on December 20, 2033. The license for unit 2 terminated on June 29, 2034 and for unit 3, on July 2, 2036.

Air Quality in Alabama

Of the 50 States plus the District of Columbia, the electric industry of the State of Alabama ranked 10th highest in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in 2004. The State's electric industry ranks 10th highest in sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions and 9th highest in nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions.

Alabama Airborne Emissions, Electricity Sector, 1989-2004 (CO2)*

*Carbon Dioxide

Alabama Airborne Emissions, Electricity Sector, 1989-2004 (SO2)*

*Sulfur Dioxide

Alabama Airborne Emissions, Electricity Sector, 1989-2004 (NOX)*

*Nitrogen Oxide

More Information on Alabama's Nuclear Industry

Nuclear Generation

Electricity generation by nuclear power plants is available for each reactor and each State for the following years:

• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005

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