DECATUR, Ala. – On Friday, Sept. 27, TVA’s Browns Ferry Unit 1 was successfully synced to the grid following its scheduled refueling and maintenance outage.  Work performed prepares the unit for a two-year cycle of operation supplying the Tennessee Valley with safe, carbon-free energy.

 “The level of planning that takes place to safely conduct our outages is a testament to the commitment of this team to meet TVA’s Mission of Service to the Valley,” said Browns Ferry Site Vice President Daniel Komm. “With support from across the organization and from our contracting partners, we have completed more than 11,000 activities to ensure this unit provides safe, reliable power to our customers through its upcoming operating cycle and beyond.”  

Work performed during this outage included the replacement of two condensate pumps, 6 main steam relief valves and main steam inlet valves and panels. In addition, numerous refurbishments and equipment inspections took place to strengthen the performance of Unit 1. Browns Ferry is the first TVA Nuclear Power Plant to submit an application for subsequent license renewal to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and these improvements support TVA’s intention to extend the service life of its reactors to meet the needs of our customers for years to come.

Browns Ferry Unit 1 is one of three nuclear reactors located at Browns Ferry and one of seven nuclear reactors owned and operated by TVA to generate low-cost energy to the people of the Valley. TVA’s nuclear fleet is the third largest in the nation, safely and reliably providing about 40 percent of all electricity used by nearly 10 million people in the Tennessee Valley.