Known as "The Mountaintop Marvel," construction began on the Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant in July 1970 and was completed by 1978. The facility acts like a giant battery by storing water that can be quickly turned into clean energy! Water is pumped up from the Tennessee River to the mountaintop reservoir. When electricity demand is high, water is released down a 1000' tunnel through the center of the mountain, driving giant generators at the bottom - producing 1,600 megawatts of electricity. Learn more 👉 http://tva.me/Lssx50SEQI7 #TBT
Amazing project! About how often does it get used?
I toured this facility back around 1990. Amazing place!
This is truly renewable energy. We need more pumped storage.
Raccoon Mountain was an engineering phenomenon then and continues to amaze. Thanks for sharing on such a unique piece of our history.
Helped ‘fab/install this ‘system a few years back.
It's definitely a place to see to believe.
Whenever I see anything about Raccoon Mountain PSHP, I think of my good friend Gilbert Lindsay, who I'm pretty sure was the plant manager there back in the 1980's. I worked with Gilbert on the construction of the Rocky Mountain PSHP for Oglethorpe Power Corporation from 1989-1995, and he was simply the best man to work for and with!
One of TVA’s greatest assets serving all customers receiving energy from TVA.
Retired-40+ Years Nuclear Power Experience
1moSpent two and half years on this project, pouring thousands of yards of concrete, drilling rock, loading dynamite, putting shot Crete on walls of tunnel. I appreciate that job two weeks out of high school. Then moved to nuclear for 42 years. Bellefonte, TVA Corporats Last job before retiring was VP of Quality at Westinghouse completing Vogtle 3 and 4. Enjoyed big projects because of Racoon Mountain while a tennager. Laborer to a Quality VP of two companies for New Plants