PACE Tours Bellefonte Nuclear Plant

In August, based on the recommendation of its Integrated Resource Plan and the support of groups such as PACE, the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously to authorize the completion of one nuclear unit at the Bellefonte site in Jackson County, Alabama. The plant has remained in various stages of development since its original construction began in 1974.

On Wednesday, November 2nd, PACE had an opportunity to tour the plant. Typically, nuclear plants under construction are highly restricted to visitors. However, no construction is currently underway at the Bellefonte site as TVA waits for construction to finish at its Watts Bar site.

“The opportunity to see the guts of a nuclear plant, including inside the cooling towers, reactor buildings and containment areas, is very rare,” said PACE Executive Director. “Seeing the plant up close only reaffirms PACE’s belief that completing Bellefonte is the right move for TVA consumers in terms of reliability and cost.”

Bellefonte Unit 1 is expected to come online in the 2018 to 2020 time frame, at which time it will generate 1,260 megawatts, or enough electricity to power 750,000 homes. It is expected to be the first nuclear plant in the United States to meet post-Fukishima design and safety standards.