TVA’s Shawnee Fossil Plant Unit 6 Sets National Record for Continuous Operation
December 6, 2006
PADUCAH, Ky. – TVA’s Shawnee Fossil Plant Unit 6 in Paducah has set a national record by generating power continuously every day for more than two years and nine months – longer than any generating unit in the country.
The unit set the record Nov. 30, when it had operated for 1,017 days and three hours. Unit 6 continues to add to the record, and through Tuesday had operated for 1,022 consecutive days. The previous national record of 1,017 days, two hours and 59 minutes was set by First Energy’s W. H. Sammis Unit 2 in Ohio on Nov. 14, 2005.
During the record run, Unit 6 generated more than 2.8 million megawatt-hours of power, enough to serve about 190,000 homes in the Tennessee Valley for an entire year.
“This phenomenal national achievement is a tribute to the knowledge, positive attitudes and commitment by every employee at Shawnee, and it bolsters TVA’s mission to provide affordable, reliable power to the people of the Valley,” says TVA President & Chief Executive Officer Tom Kilgore.”
Earlier this year, Unit 6 set a TVA power plant record for longest continuous run on May 17, with 820 days of non-stop operation. That achievement surpassed the prior TVA record set by Widows Creek Fossil Plant Unit 3 in Stevenson, Ala., in 2005.
Jeff Parsley, Shawnee plant manager, said, “Our employees take incredible pride in this achievement. I congratulate them on their commitment to safe operation and continuous improvement, and also salute the TVA organizations that support the plant and contributed to this record.”
Shawnee Fossil Plant ranks in the top 10 percent nationally for availability and reliability. Other units at the plant are also performing well. Unit 2 recently had a record run of 569 days, Unit 4 for 407 days, and Unit 5 for 522 days. In addition, Unit 3 has a record run in progress, with 350 days of non-stop operation to date, eclipsing its previous record of 265 days. Shawnee also set a 10-unit continuous-run record in 2006, running all 10 units for 45 consecutive days.
Shawnee is on the south bank of the Ohio River in McCracken County, Ky. and employs 350 people with an annual payroll of more than $21 million. The plant, which began operation Nov. 1, 1954, has 10 coal-fired generating units.
TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider and is completely self financed. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve approximately 8.7 million consumers in seven southeastern states. TVA also manages the Tennessee River and its tributaries to provide multiple benefits, including flood damage reduction, navigation, water quality and recreation.
Media Contact
Maureen Brown, Chattanooga, (423) 751-3180
TVA News Bureau, Knoxville, (865) 632-6000
