Norris Dam — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 3411
- Capacity
- 131.4 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Anderson, TN
- Operating Since
- 1936
- Generators
- 2
- Operator
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- Parent Company
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- Annual Generation
- 386,937 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 33.5%
- Balancing Authority
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- SERC
Norris Dam
OperatingHydro
Ranked #10 of 29 Hydro plants in TN#146 of 1454 nationally
131.4 MW Hydro operating in Anderson, TN — Tennessee Valley Authority
EIAGEMWD
131.4 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1936
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
36.2242, -84.0914
County
Anderson, TN
Nearby Plants
- Chestnut Ridge Gas RecoveryLandfill Gas4.8 MW · 12.5 km
- Buffalo MountainWind1.8 MW · 25.0 km
- Eagle Point Energy CenterMuni. Waste25.3 MW · 25.5 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Tennessee Valley Authority | Tennessee Valley Authority | — |
| Owner(s) | Tennessee Valley Authority | Tennessee Valley Authority | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
About
Norris Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control structure located on the Clinch River in Anderson County and Campbell County, Tennessee, United States. The dam was the first major project for the Tennessee Valley Authority, which had been created in 1933 to bring economic development to the region and control the rampant flooding that had long plagued the Tennessee Valley. The dam was named in honor of Nebraska Senator George Norris (1861–1944), a longtime supporter of government-owned utilities in general, and of TVA in particular. The infrastructure project was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
Read more on WikipediaNorris Dam is a hydroelectric power plant located in Anderson County, Tennessee. The plant, owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), began operating in 1936. It has a total capacity of 131.4 MW derived from two generators utilizing conventional hydroelectric technology. The plant's primary fuel source is water (WAT). Norris Dam is the tenth-largest hydroelectric plant in Tennessee out of 13 such plants, and ranks 146th nationally out of 194.
In the most recent year with available data, Norris Dam generated 386,937 MWh of electricity, resulting in a capacity factor of 33.5%. The plant operates within the Tennessee Valley Authority balancing authority and is located within the SERC NERC region.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
SERC
Balancing Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
Grid Voltage
161 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Federal
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
43.9K MWh
Latest Month
386.9K MWh
Annual Generation
33.5%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial Data
No financial data available for this plant.
Pricing & Market Data
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
News & Articles (10)Beta
Industry·corporate
Valley So Low
Jared wrote about the TVA in his new book, Valley So Low: One Lawyer's Fight for Justice in the Wake of America's Great Coal Catastrophe.
TVA (operator)
99% Invisible·1 years ago
Industry·corporate
Community Spotlight: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
The city has grown into a leading center for scientific research, energy innovation and advanced manufacturing.
Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development·1 years ago
Industry·corporate
See historic Norris Dam Through the Years
Construction of Norris Dam began in 1933, just a few months after the creation of TVA, and was completed in 1936.
TVA (other)Norris Dam (operator)
Knoxville News Sentinel·1 years ago
Industry·corporate
Brackish Water
It was after midnight. Stars made pinholes in the cold, black sky above the coal-fired Kingston Fossil Plant, while the East Tennessee earth...
Oxford American·1 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all 10 articles