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57.6 MW Hydro operating in Carter, TN — Tennessee Valley Authority
57.6 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1949
Operating Since
Coordinates
36.3413, -82.1264
County
Carter, TN
Nearby Plants
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Tennessee Valley Authority | Tennessee Valley Authority | — |
| Owner(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority | Tennessee Valley Authority | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Watauga Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the Watauga River in Carter County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the 1940s as part of efforts to control flooding in the Tennessee River watershed. At 318 feet (97 m), Watauga is the second-highest dam in the TVA river and reservoir system, and at the time of its completion was one of the highest earth-and-rock dams in the United States. The dam impounds the TVA Watauga Reservoir of 6,430 acres (2,600 ha), and its tailwaters feed into Wilbur Lake.
Read more on WikipediaThe Watauga Hydroelectric Plant, located in Carter County, Tennessee, is a 57.6 MW conventional hydroelectric facility. It began operating in 1949 and consists of two generators. The plant is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which also serves as its balancing authority. The primary fuel source is water (WAT). Watauga is located within the SERC NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, the plant generated 154,816 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 30.6%. Watauga ranks as the 18th largest power plant in Tennessee out of 29, and nationally it ranks 281st out of 1464 plants.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Grid Region
Southeast
Market
SEEM Participant
NERC Region
SERC — SERC Reliability Corporation
Balancing Authority
12.9K MWh
Latest Month
154.8K MWh
Annual Generation
30.6%
Capacity Factor
2013
$2,294/kW
Est. Construction Cost
Total estimated cost: $132.2M
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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ask pi about WataugaTennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Grid Voltage
69.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Federal
Sector
Electric Utility