Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant is a pumped-storage hydroelectric underground power station in Marion County, just west of Chattanooga in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the plant can generate a maximum of 1,652 megawatts of electricity. The reservoir at the top of the mountain covers 528 acres (214 ha), with a dam that is 230 feet (70 m) high and 5,800 feet (1,800 m) long, the largest rock-fill dam ever built by TVA. The plant serves as an important element for peak power generation and grid balancing in the TVA system.
| Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant | |
|---|---|
 Tailrace (TN River) of RMPS (TVA photo) | |
  Location of Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant in Tennessee | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Marion County, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 35°2′54″N 85°23′48″W / 35.04833°N 85.39667°W |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | July 1970[1] |
| Opening date | 1978 |
| Construction cost | $310 million (1978)[2][3] |
| Owner(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Operator(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Upper dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Height (foundation) | 230 feet (70 m)[4] |
| Length | 8,500 feet (2,600 m)[4] |
| Dam volume | 10,000,000 cubic yards (7,600,000 m3)[1] |
| Upper reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 107,000,000,000 US gallons (4.1×1011 L; 8.9×1010 imp gal)[4] |
| Surface area | 528 acres (214 ha)[4] |
| Maximum water depth | 222 feet (68 m) |
| Normal elevation | 1,672 feet (510 m) |
| Lower dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity dam |
| Impounds | Tennessee River[5] |
| Height (foundation) | 81 feet (25 m)[5] |
| Length | 3,767 feet (1,148 m)[5] |
| Elevation at crest | 635.0 feet (193.5 m) |
| Spillways | 10 |
| Spillway type | Radial gate |
| Lower reservoir | |
| Creates | Nickajack Lake[5] |
| Total capacity | 252,297 acre-feet (311,204,000 m3) |
| Active capacity | 32,132 acre-feet (39,634,000 m3) |
| Catchment area | 21,870 square miles (56,600 km2) |
| Surface area | 10,370 acres (4,200 ha)[5] |
| Maximum water depth | 145 feet (44 m) |
| Normal elevation | 633.5 feet (193.1 m) |
| Power Station | |
| Operator(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Commission date | 1978 |
| Type | Pumped-storage |
| Hydraulic head | 1,040 feet (320 m) |
| Pump-generators | 4 × 413 MW |
| Installed capacity | 1652 MW |
| Capacity factor | 20%[6] |
| Storage capacity | 22 hours |
| 2017 generation | -686 GW·h |
| Website Raccoon Mountain | |
Construction was started in 1970 and was completed in 1978.[7] The plant was idled in March 2012 due to cracks in the generators' rotors. The plant came entirely back on line in April 2014.[8]
Operation
editDuring periods of high electric demand, water flows from reservoir into a tunnel drilled through the center of the mountain, driving electric generators in the underground powerhouse.[7] During periods of low demand and excess generation, the generators run in reverse and pump water from Nickajack Lake back up to the top of the mountain, where it is stored until needed later. This process repeats continuously, serving as peak power generation. The plant has a maximum power output of 1,652 megawatts (2,215,000 hp) and can generate power for up to 22 hours.[9][10]
Recreation
editThe TVA operates a visitor center, open year-round, that offers exhibits on the history of the generating facility as well as the TVA’s operations. The center also offers views of the Tennessee River gorge and surrounding mountains.[7]
Raccoon Mountain is used for hiking, walking, running, and road and mountain biking. It hosts a marathon, half marathon, double half marathon, relay, 5K and 10K race each year.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b "TVA - The Mountaintop Marvel". www.tva.gov. Tennessee Valley Authority. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ "Repairs for Raccoon Mountain pumped-storage hydro facility pass $50 million". www.hydroworld.com. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ Poindexter, Gregory B. (26 May 2016). "TVA to begin geophysical testing at 1,652-MW Raccoon Mountain pumped-storage project". www.hydroworld.com. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d "TVA - Raccoon Mountain". www.tva.gov. Tennessee Valley Authority. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "TVA - The Great Replacement". www.tva.com. Tennessee Valley Authority. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ "Integrated Resource Plan: 2015 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement" (PDF). Tennessee Valley Authority. March 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ a b c TVA: Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant
- ^ Sohn, Pam (August 10, 2012). "TVA's pumped storage facility on Raccoon Mountain idle". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Archived from the original on August 12, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
- ^ Adkins, F.E., 1987, TVA Report "Raccoon Mountain pumped storage plant; Ten years operating experience," IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Volume EC-2, Issue 3 (September 1987), pages 361 - 368. CODEN:ITCNE
- ^ The Mountaintop Marvel, TVA Heritage website, accessed September 8, 2010
- ^ "Raccoon Mountain Marathon, Half Marathon, and Relay | Run Chattanooga". runchattanooga.org. Archived from the original on 2014-11-14.
External links
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Media related to Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant at Wikimedia Commons
