Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) data showed the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Watts Bar 2 nuclear unit at 47% power early July 8.
It’s the latest indicator of TVA ramping up the power level at the reactor that was synced to the grid on June 3. The 47% mark came only a couple of days after the nuclear unit had been listed at 41%, according to the NRC data.
TVA operators continue to gradually increase power generation at the roughly 1,150-MW pressurized water reactor (PWR) facility in Spring City, Tennessee.
Plant operators are still testing things out and have taken Watts Bar 2 back down to zero power generation several times since June 3. Eventually, as testing continues, TVA will increase power generation to 100%.
The commercialization of the TVA Watts Bar 2 facility – which sat unfinished for more than 20 years before the TVA board voted to complete the project in 2007 – has been a rare bit of good news for the nuclear industry this year.
