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49.8 MW Hydro operating in Blount, TN — Tennessee Valley Authority
49.8 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1957
Operating Since
Coordinates
35.5453, -84.0503
County
Blount, TN
Nearby Plants
Owner data does not fully agree across sources.
EIA typically reports the operating utility, while GEM resolves to the financial owner or parent corporation. Both can be correct.
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP | Brookfield Smoky Mountains Hydropower | — |
| Owner(s) | Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP | Brookfield Smoky Mountains Hydropower LP | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
GEM identifies the owner as Brookfield Smoky Mountains Hydropower LP
This entity is not yet in the GEM ownership database — chain unavailable.
Chilhowee Dam is a hydroelectric dam located in Blount and Monroe counties, Tennessee, United States, between river mile 33 and 34 on the Little Tennessee River. Construction began in 1955 and was completed in 1957 to provide power for the operation of the Alcoa Aluminum plant in nearby Alcoa, TN. The dam is now owned and operated by Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower. The dam's reservoir covers approximately 1,734 acres (702 ha) at normal full pool and has a drainage area of 1,977 square miles (5,120 km2). The elevation of Chilhowee Reservoir is 874 feet (266 m) above mean sea level (USGS). Chilhowee's powerhouse is equipped with three Kaplan turbines that have a combined generating capacity of 48 megawatts.
Read more on WikipediaThe Chilhowee hydroelectric plant is located in Blount County, Tennessee. The plant has a total capacity of 49.8 MW across three generators, and it began operating in 1957. The primary fuel source is water ("WAT"). Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP is the plant's operator, and the balancing authority is the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Chilhowee operates within the SERC NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, the plant generated 159,115 MWh, achieving a capacity factor of 36.4%. Chilhowee is ranked as the 20th largest power plant in Tennessee out of 29, and it is ranked 304th nationally out of 1464 plants. Financial data indicates that the plant has a power purchase agreement (PPA) price of $79 per MWh, as reported in FERC EQRs.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Grid Region
Southeast
Market
SEEM Participant
NERC Region
SERC — SERC Reliability Corporation
Balancing Authority
13.8K MWh
Latest Month
159.1K MWh
Annual Generation
36.4%
Capacity Factor
Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP · Data from 2023–2025
$71.5/MWh
PPA Price
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
View all articlesNo ask pi reports yet for this entity.
ask pi about ChilhoweeTennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Grid Voltage
161.0 kV
Regulatory Status
NR — Non-Regulated
Entity Type
Independent Power Producer
Sector
IPP Non-CHP