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RESERVOIRS
AND POWER PLANTS
Raccoon
Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant
The
Raccoon Mountain project is TVAs largest hydro facility. Water
is pumped to this mountaintop reservoir and then released to generate
electricity
when added power is needed by the TVA system.
Raccoon
Mountain Pumped Storage Plant is located in southeast Tennessee on a site
that overlooks the Tennessee River near Chattanooga.
The plant works like
a large storage battery. During periods of low demand, water is pumped
from Nickajack Reservoir at the base of the mountain to the reservoir
built at the top. It takes 28 hours to fill the upper reservoir. When
demand is high, water is released via a tunnel drilled through the
center
of the mountain to drive generators in the mountains underground
power plant.
The area around Raccoon
Mountain is a state-designated Wildlife Observation Area. The mountaintop
is home to whitetail deer, woodchucks, gray foxes, and, of course,
raccoons.
The most compelling wildlife attraction of the area is a large wintering
population of bald eagles, which can be sighted from the overlook as
they
hunt in the woods and waters.
The Raccoon Mountain
Visitor Center was reopened to the public on June 7, 2003. It is open
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except major holidays. Tours are no longer
available of the power plant itself, but the center has photographs
and models to give visitors the same sort of experience. TVA will continue
to close all visitor centers when the Homeland Security alert is at
a level of high (orange) or higher.
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