Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant |
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Tailrace (TN River) of RMPS (TVA photo)
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 Location of Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant in Tennessee
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Marion County, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 35°2′54″N 85°23′48″W / 35.04833°N 85.39667°W |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | July 1970 |
| Opening date | 1978 |
| Construction cost | $310 million (1978) |
| Owner(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Operator(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Height (foundation) | 230 feet (70 m) |
| Length | 8,500 feet (2,600 m) |
| Dam volume | 10,000,000 cubic yards (7,600,000 m3) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 107,000,000,000 US gallons (4.1×1011 L; 8.9×1010 imp gal) |
| Surface area | 528 acres (214 ha) |
| Maximum water depth | 222 feet (68 m) |
| Normal elevation | 1,672 feet (510 m) |
| Power station | |
| Name | Power Station |
| Operator(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Commission date | 1978 |
| Type | Pumped-storage |
| Hydraulic head | 1,040 feet (320 m) |
| Installed capacity | 1652 |
| Capacity factor | 20% |
| Annual generation | -686 |
| Website Raccoon Mountain |
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The Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant is a special kind of power station. It uses water to create electricity. This plant is located in Marion County, near Chattanooga, in the state of Tennessee.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) owns and runs this facility. Building started in 1970 and was finished in 1978.
Contents
How the Plant Works
This power plant is called a "pumped-storage" facility. This means it stores energy by moving water between two different levels.
Storing Energy with Water
- Water is pumped from Nickajack Lake at the bottom of Raccoon Mountain.
- It goes up to a large storage reservoir built on top of the mountain.
- The reservoir on top is huge, covering about 528 acres (214 ha).
- It has a dam that is 230 feet (70 m) high and 5,800 feet (1,800 m) long. This is the biggest rock-fill dam ever built by TVA.
- It takes about 28 hours to fill the upper reservoir completely.
Making Electricity
- When people need a lot of electricity, water is released from the top reservoir.
- The water flows down through a tunnel drilled right through the mountain.
- This flowing water spins giant electric generators inside an underground power plant.
- The plant can make up to 1,652 megawatts (2,215,000 hp) of power.
- It can keep making electricity for up to 22 hours.
- The Raccoon Mountain plant is used almost every day. It helps provide power when demand is highest and keeps the electricity system balanced.
Plant Updates
In March 2012, the plant had to stop working for a while. There were small problems with the parts that spin inside the generators. The plant was fully repaired and started working again in April 2014.
Fun Activities at Raccoon Mountain
The Raccoon Mountain facility is a popular place for outdoor activities.
- People enjoy hiking, walking, and running on the trails.
- It's also great for both road and mountain biking.
- Raccoon Mountain hosts several races each year, like the Raccoon Mountain Marathon and Half Marathon. These events bring runners from all over North America.
- There are also shorter races, like the 5K and 10K, held every year.
Images for kids
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A Francis turbine, which is a type of water wheel used to generate power.
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