Three generations of smokestacks probably means three generations of pollution control. (Actually, only the smokestack on the left were installed with pollution controls. The 1000' smokestacks in the middle just kept the pollutants away from the immediate neighborhood.
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| Street View, May 2024 |
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| TVA "When it was finished in 1955, Kingston stood as the largest coal-burning power plant in the world — a distinction it held for more than a decade....To meet the demand, Kingston burns about 14,000 tons of coal a day, an amount that would fill 140 railroad cars." It was built to support Oak Ridge National Laboratory to increase production "of atomic defense material due to the Korean conflict." |
The Google search results are dominated by a bad ash spill in 2008. For example:
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| 4:10 video @ 2:58 |
I have noticed that the EPA wrote new regulations for ash ponds in 2015, and a lot of companies shut down power plants rather than try to meet those regulations. Here is what TVA says about the spill.
"In 2008, TVA worked diligently to clean up a coal ash spill, regain the trust of the public and leave the area better off than it had been before. Those efforts were completed in 2015. Read more about them—and see the salient legal documentation—on our Kingston documents page." [TVA]
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| TVA posted Kingston Fossil Plant generated its first megawatt 70 years ago this week. Since 1955, it has helped power the region with a generating capacity of nearly 1,400 megawatts—enough electricity for more than 800,000 homes. We're building a next-generation energy complex on-site, featuring more than 1,500 megawatts of natural gas. We are also planning for battery storage and solar. Learn more 👉 http://tva.me/O1hN50VRR8y |
The claim of solar power in their new plant is basically a PR stunt because it is just 4mw compared to the 1,500mw capacity of the gas-powered plant.
The new combined-cycle power plant will also require a new 122-mile natural gas pipeline. [powermag]
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| powermag The two 1000' (305m) tall smokestacks were built in 1976. |
When I researched which railroad serves this plant, I discovered it used an industrial spur off the Tennessee Central.
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| 1952/54 Harriman Quad @ 24,000 |
But the TC went out of business in 1968. [tcry_history] A 1968/71 topo map confirms that the industrial spur was then connected the the Southern Railroad.
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| Mining #Shorts posted TVA is facing a potential Clean Air Act lawsuit over its decision to keep Tennessee’s Kingston coal plant operating while constructing new gas generation beside it. The Southern Environmental Law Center filed a 60-day notice on July 20 for Appalachian Voices and the Sierra Club. The notice is required before a citizen lawsuit can be brought in federal court. The dispute centers on permitting, not a finding that TVA broke the law. TVA originally planned to retire Kingston’s nine coal-fired units by the end of 2027. That retirement helped the utility secure a minor modification permit for the gas project because emissions from the closing coal units could be included in the calculation. In February 2026, TVA reversed course, citing rising electricity demand, reliability requirements and the need for dependable generation. It authorized continued coal operations alongside the gas plant, subject to permits and environmental rules. The groups argue that this change requires a major New Source Review permit before construction continues. Such a permit would bring emissions modeling, pollution-control reviews and public participation. Their notice estimates the two facilities could potentially emit 2,380 tons of nitrogen oxides, 1,644 tons of sulfur dioxide, 851 tons of carbon monoxide and 556 tons of fine particulate matter annually. TVA has said it’ll comply with applicable laws and permitting requirements. The utility also expects to invest more than $630 million in Kingston upgrades. Unless the dispute is resolved during the notice period, the groups could file suit in federal court after 60 days. - Photo: Brian Stansberry / WikiCommons |
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