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165.6 MW Conventional Hydroelectric (71 MW) + Hydroelectric Pumped Storage (95 MW) operating in Cherokee, NC — Tennessee Valley Authority
165.6 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Hybrid (2)
Technology
Conventional Hydroelectric + Hydroelectric Pumped Storage
1940
Operating Since
Coordinates
35.1509, -84.1775
County
Cherokee, 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 | — |
Hiwassee Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Hiwassee River in Cherokee County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is one of three dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the late 1930s to bring flood control and electricity to the region. The dam impounds the Hiwassee Lake of 6,000 acres (2,400 ha), and its tailwaters are part of Apalachia Reservoir. At 307 feet (94 m), Hiwassee Dam is the highest overspill dam east of the Mississippi River and is second only to Grand Coulee dam in the nation. At the time it was completed, it was the highest overspill dam in the world.
Read more on WikipediaHiwassee Dam is a 165.6 MW hydroelectric power plant located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. The plant, which began operating in 1940, is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). It utilizes conventional hydroelectric and pumped storage technologies. The plant has two generators and uses water (WAT) as its primary fuel source. Hiwassee Dam is within the Tennessee Valley Authority balancing authority and the SERC NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, Hiwassee Dam generated 257,407 MWh of electricity, resulting in a capacity factor of 17.8%. Hiwassee Dam is the fourth-largest of eight hydroelectric plants in North Carolina, and ranks 119th out of 194 hydroelectric plants nationally.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Grid Region
Southeast
Market
SEEM Participant
NERC Region
SERC — SERC Reliability Corporation
Balancing Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Grid Voltage
161.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Federal
Sector
Electric Utility
13.0K MWh
Net Discharge
257.4K MWh
Annual Net Energy
17.8%
Capacity Factor
Positive values indicate net discharge (generation exceeds station load). Negative values indicate net charging. Pure battery storage plants are typically net negative due to round-trip efficiency losses.
2013
$2,294/kW
Est. Construction Cost
Total estimated cost: $380.0M
This plant's balancing authority participates in the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM). SEEM is a bilateral exchange — no public nodal pricing.
Last updated 2026-03-14
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