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254.7 MW Hydro operating in Swain, NC — Tennessee Valley Authority
254.7 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1945
Operating Since
Coordinates
35.4507, -83.8050
County
Swain, NC
Nearby Plants
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Tennessee Valley Authority | Tennessee Valley Authority | — |
| Owner(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority | Tennessee Valley Authority | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Fontana Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Little Tennessee River in Swain and Graham counties, North Carolina, United States. The dam is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1940s to satisfy the skyrocketing electricity demands in the Tennessee Valley to support the aluminum industry at the height of World War II; it also provided electricity to a formerly rural area.
Read more on WikipediaFontana Dam is a hydroelectric power plant located in Swain County, North Carolina. The plant is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Commissioned in 1945, it has a total installed capacity of 254.7 MW derived from three generators utilizing conventional hydroelectric technology. Fontana Dam is the second-largest hydroelectric plant in North Carolina (of 8 total) and ranks 80th nationally (of 194 total).
In the most recent year with available data, Fontana Dam generated 878,953 MWh of electricity. This corresponds to a capacity factor of 39.3%. The plant operates within the Tennessee Valley Authority balancing authority area and is located within the SERC NERC region.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Grid Region
Southeast
Market
SEEM Participant
NERC Region
SERC — SERC Reliability Corporation
Balancing Authority
76.8K MWh
Latest Month
879.0K MWh
Annual Generation
39.3%
Capacity Factor
2013
$2,294/kW
Est. Construction Cost
Total estimated cost: $584.4M
This plant's balancing authority participates in the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM). SEEM is a bilateral exchange — no public nodal pricing.
Last updated 2026-03-26
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ask pi about Fontana DamTennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Grid Voltage
161.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Federal
Sector
Electric Utility