Kentucky combined cycle plant enters operation, replaces coal generation

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) recently announced that the 1,025-megawatt combined cycle gas plant that replaced units one and two at the Paradise Coal Plant near Drakesboro, Kentucky was released for commercial operation.

TVA decided to retire units one and two, because they determined it was not economically feasible to continue to operate them. Unit 3 will continue to generate power.

“I’m especially proud of our team,” Bob Deacy, senior vice president of generation construction, projects and services at TVA, said “This project was completed two-and-a-half months early and slightly under budget at $900 million.”

Approximately 900 workers installed 1,462,655 linear feet of cable, 71,000 linear feet of underground pipe, 100,000 feet of above-ground pipe, 53,000 linear feet of underground conduit and 80,000 linear feet above ground conduit over the course of the project.

The plant is now under Power Operation’s management, with 30 employees operating the facility.

“Our 15 LPCs and 15 directly served customers will continue to receive the low-cost, reliable energy they have enjoyed in the north-central Kentucky region since TVA began serving them in 1963,” Power Operations Senior Vice President David Sorrick said. “Kentucky and Muhlenberg County are vital and important parts of our service region, and TVA remains committed to the area.”