Tapoco

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Tapoco, originally Tallassee Power Company, is a generator and supplier of electric power. Tapoco is a division of APGI (Alcoa Power Generating Inc.) APGI is wholly owned subsidiary of ALCOA Inc. The Tapoco Project serves to generate and supply hydroelectric power to ALCOA’s Tennessee Operations, an aluminum smelting and rolling mill in Alcoa, Tennessee. The Tennessee Operations complex has had a presence in the Great Smoky Mountains' foothills for more than 75 years. The aluminum smelter, which uses large amounts of electric power, first began producing metal in 1913. The North Plant fabricating facility opened in 1942 to help meet the aluminum needs for World War II. Today, Tennessee Operations is one of the most modern aluminum fabricating facilities in the world.

Tapoco owns and operates the Tapoco Project, four separate hydroelectric complexes located along the Little Tennessee River and the Cheoah River in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. The Tapoco Project is comprised of four developments: Calderwood, Cheoah, Chilhowee, and Santeetlah. TVA assists Tapoco in determining the daily operation levels of the Tapoco developments to best match expected flow releases from Fontana Dam, since TVA's Fontana Dam serves as the primary flow control facility for the lower Little Tennessee River area.

Tapoco was created to manage the water power resources of the Little Tennessee and Cheoah Rivers in order to provide power for ALCOA’s nearby aluminum smelting and rolling operations. ALCOA has been involved in hydroelectric power development and generation in Tennessee and North Carolina since 1909. Tallassee Power Company originally built three of the facilities. The Cheoah Dam and Powerhouse was constructed between 1916-1919, Santeetlah Development between 1925-1928, followed by Calderwood Development between 1928-1930. Tapoco constructed the final dam, Chilhowee, from 1955-1957. Combined, the four developments have a licensed capacity of 380.1 megawatts.