Cumberland Power Plant

Cumberland Power Plant at Cumberland City

Cumberland Power Plant is a 2.6-GW pulverized coal-powered power station located at 36°23′29″N 87°39′17″W / 36.39139°N 87.65472°WCoordinates: 36°23′29″N 87°39′17″W / 36.39139°N 87.65472°W in Cumberland City, Tennessee, USA, on the south bank of Lake Barkley on the Cumberland River. Owned and operated by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), it produces the most electricity of all plants in the TVA system.[1]

Tall chimneys

It has one of the tallest chimneys in the world at 1,001 feet (305 m), built in 1970.

Individual units

Its identical Units 1 and 2, rated at 1.3 GW each, were launched into service in March and November, 1973.[2] In 2004, the two units accounted for almost 12% of TVA's total electricity generation.[1]

Coal delivery

Bituminous coal is delivered by barges along the Cumberland River waterway. The plant consumes about 20,000 tons of coal a day.[1]

Water use

All of the waste heat is dumped into Cumberland River water.

Pollution and releases into environment

Toxic release inventory from Cumberland power plant for 2005.[3] All quantities are in pounds.
Pollutant Air Water Land Offsite disposal Total
Antimony compounds391788,94709,164
Arsenic compounds18211946,096046,397
Barium compounds1420279,20025279,367
Beryllium compounds1009,95219,963
Cadmium compounds
Chromium compounds36814287,420787,937
Cobalt compounds638919,887120,040
Copper compounds2866,79864,120371,207
Lead compounds253059,122359,378
Manganese compounds55833,864177,13018211,570
Mercury compounds24003460586
Nickel compounds5162,50498,1806101,206
Selenium compounds2,5012,0756,573011,149
Silver compounds
Thallium compounds36030,200230,239
Vanadium compounds2900191,56013191,864
Zinc compounds2,0062,447248,07012252,534
Hydrochloric acid (aerosol)340,006000340,006
Hydrogen fluoride72,00600072,006
Sulfuric acid (aerosol)8,793,6060008,793,606
Benzo(g,h,i)perylene0.2100.6500.87
Dioxins0.0080000.008
Polycyclic aromatic compounds49.8059.20.0109.0
Naphthalene100000100
Ammonia3,640316003,956
Nitrate compounds0128,87900132,407

Environmental protection measures

To reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, both units at Cumberland use wet limestone scrubbers. To reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx), the units use low-NOx burners as well as selective catalytic reduction systems, which were completed in 2004.[1]

References

External links