Tennessee Valley Authority
John Sevier Fossil Plant
John Sevier Fossil Plant is on the Holston River near Rogersville, Tenn. It’s named for John Sevier, the state’s first governor.
Balancing efficient power production with environmental protection
Electricity is produced at John Sevier’s four coal-fired units by 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. John Sevier can generate about 4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, enough to supply about 270,000 homes.
Low-cost and cleaner energy
Through 2011, TVA has spent about $5.4 billion on emissions controls at its fossil-fuel plants to help TVA produce power as cleanly as possible. This includes installation of selective non-catalytic reduction systems to reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions at John Sevier..
View more information about emissions at John Sevier and the steps TVA is taking to control them.
In support of recent environmental agreements and its vision of being one of the nation’s leading providers of low-cost and cleaner energy by 2020, TVA will retire two John Sevier units and remove from service the remaining two units by Dec. 31, 2012. The two units removed from service will be, by Dec. 31, 2015:
- controlled by adding scrubbers to reduce sulfur-dioxide emissions and selective catalytic reduction systems to reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions,
- converted to renewable biomass, or
- retired.
Combustion turbine units
The John Sevier Combined Cycle Plant, adjacent to the fossil plant, began commercial operation on April 30, 2012, a month ahead of schedule and about $30 million under budget. The 880-megawatt facility uses clean natural gas along with equipment that reduces emissions to a very low level. This supports TVA's vision to be a national leader in improving air quality.