ATHENS, Ala. — On Friday, February 16, the Tennessee Valley Authority's Browns Ferry Unit 3 underwent a safe shutdown for a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage. This outage aims to ensure continuous delivery of carbon-free energy to the Tennessee Valley.
“There is a significant level of planning required to conduct these outages and the work we have scheduled ensures Unit 3 will sustain its performance until the next refueling outage in two years," said Browns Ferry Site Vice President Manu Sivaraman. “Safely completing this work is our first priority so that we continue meeting the commitment we have made to our customers to supply reliable power to the Valley.”
Over 12,000 work activities, including feedwater heater replacements and waterbox system refurbishments, are scheduled during this outage. To accomplish these tasks, over 800 contractors and shared resource employees from other TVA nuclear stations will assist Browns Ferry employees.
TVA's ongoing investments in its nuclear power stations, including Browns Ferry, are vital for meeting the energy needs of the Tennessee Valley for years to come. These upgrades also support TVA's goal of extending the service life of its power plants, with Browns Ferry leading the way by submitting an application for subsequent license renewal to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Browns Ferry Unit 3 is part of TVA's seven-reactor nuclear fleet, which plays a role in supplying low-cost, carbon-free energy to the Tennessee Valley. The TVA nuclear fleet ranks as the third-largest in the nation, reliably providing approximately 40 percent of the electricity used by nearly 10 million people.
For more information about TVA and its 90-year mission of service to the Tennessee Valley, visit their website here.
