U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis

Nuclear & Uranium

Glossary › FAQS ›

Overview
Data

Analysis & Projections

Major Topics

Find by

‹ See All State Nuclear Profiles

State Nuclear Profiles

Data for 2010 | Release Date: April 26, 2012 | Next Release: February 2013 | full report

Alabama Nuclear Profile 2010 Alabama profile

Alabama total electric power industry, summer capacity and net generation, by energy source, 2010
Primary energy source	Summer capacity (mw)	Share of State total (percent)	Net generation (thousand mwh)	Share of State total (percent)
Nuclear	5,043	15.6	37,941	24.9
Coal	11,441	35.3	63,050	41.4
Hydro and Pumped Storage	3,272	10.1	8,704	5.7
Natural Gas	11,936	36.8	39,235	25.8
Other1	100	0.3	643	0.4
Other Renewable1	583	1.8	2,377	1.6
Petroleum	43	0.1	200	0.1
Total	32,417	100.0	152,151	100.0
¹Municipal Solid Waste net generation is allocated according to the biogenic and non-biogenic components of the fuel; however, all Municipal Solid Waste summer capacity is classified as Renewable. Notes: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding. Other: Blast furnace gas, propane gas, other manufactured and waste gases derived from fossil fuels, non-biogenic municipal solid waste, batteries, chemicals, hydrogen, pitch, purchased steam, sulfur, tire-derived fuel, and miscellaneous technologies. Other Renewable: Wood, black liquor, other wood waste, biogenic municipal solid waste, landfill gas, sludge waste, agriculture byproducts, other biomass, geothermal, solar thermal, photovoltaic energy, and wind. Source: Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," and Form EIA-923, "Power Plant Operations Report."

Alabama nuclear power plants, summer capacity and net generation, 2010
Plant name/total reactors	Summer capacity (mw)	Net generation (thousand mwh)	Share of State nuclear net generation (percent)	Owner
Browns Ferry Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3	3,309	24,771	65.3	Tennessee Valley Authority
Joseph M Farley Unit 1, Unit 2	1,734	13,170	34.7	Alabama Power Co
2 Plants 5 Reactors	5,043	37,941	100.0
Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.Source: Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," and Form EIA-923, "Power Plant Operations Report."

Plants in State

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
Unit	Summer capacity (mw)	Net gneration (thousand mwh)	Summer capacity factor (percent)	Type	Commercial operation date	License expiration date
1	1,101	8,072	83.7	BWR	8/1/1974	12/20/2033
2	1,104	8,843	91.5	BWR	3/1/1975	6/28/2034
3	1,105	7,856	81.2	BWR	3/1/1977	7/2/2036
	3,309	24,771	85.4
Data for 2010 BWR = Boiling Water Reactor. Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding. Source: Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," and Form EIA-923, "Power Plant Operations Report."

Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Location: The Browns Ferry plant is located on an 840-acre site near Athens, Alabama.

Construction Cost: $3.259 billion (2007 USD)²

Reactor Descriptions: All units are General Electric Type 4 boiling water reactors.

Cooling System: The Browns Ferry site is cooled by mechanical draft cooling towers that draw water from the Wheeler Reservoir on the Tennessee River.

(Joseph M.) Farley Nuclear Power Plant
Unit	Summer capacity (mw)	Net generation (thousand mwh)	Summer capacity factor (percent)	Type	Commercial operation date	License expiration date
1	874	6,577	85.9	PWR	12/1/1977	6/25/2037
2	860	6,592	87.5	PWR	7/30/1981	3/31/2041
	1,734	13,170	86.7
Data for 2010 PWR = Pressurized Light Water Reactor. Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding. Source: Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," and Form EIA-923, "Power Plant Operations Report."

Operator: Alabama Power Company

Location and Service Territory: The Joseph M. Farley plant, near Dothan, Alabama, is on a 1,850-acre, wooded and agricultural site along the Chattahoochee River in Houston County.

Construction Cost: $4.115 billion (2007 USD)²

Staffing: Approximately 800 employees

Reactor Descriptions: Both Farley units are Westinghouse three-loop pressurized water reactors.

Cooling System: The Joseph Farley facility is cooled using six mechanical draft cooling towers supplied by water from the Chattahoochee River.

²Nuclear Power Plant Construction Activity, DOE/EIA-0473(86), Energy Information Administration, 1986, pp 16-17, Table 5. Adjusted to 2007 Dollars using Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index.