Paradise Fossil Plant

Paradise Fossil Plant
Paradise Fossil Plant
Country United States
Location Muhlenberg County, near Drakesboro, Kentucky
Coordinates 37°15′N 86°58′W / 37.25°N 86.97°W / 37.25; -86.97Coordinates: 37°15′N 86°58′W / 37.25°N 86.97°W / 37.25; -86.97
Commission date Coal
Units 1–2: 1963
Coal Unit 3: 1970
Natural Gas
Unit 1: 2017
Decommission date Coal
Units 1–2: 2017
Owner(s) Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Thermal power station
Primary fuel Bituminous coal
Natural gas
Cooling source Green River
Power generation
Units operational 3
Nameplate capacity 2,175 MW

The Paradise Fossil Plant is a dual coal-fired power plant and natural gas power plant operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Located just east of Drakesboro, Kentucky, it is the largest megawatt capacity power plant in Kentucky. Located near the site of the former town of Paradise, Kentucky on the Green River, it was razed by the TVA in 1967 over concerns that ash and other plant emissions would damage residents' health. The coal unit has a capacity of 1.15-gigawatts (1,150 MW) and the natural gas unit was a capacity of 1.02-gigawatts (1,025 MW).[1][2]

Two of the plant's three generating units were shut down in favor of two natural gas plants that were brought online for commercial production April 7, 2017.[2] Its smokestacks and cooling towers are visible from the Green River bridge on the Western Kentucky Parkway.

In 1971, singer/songwriter John Prine, whose father was from Paradise, released a recording of his song about the town, which said "Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away." Peabody Coal Co. was one of two coal firms that strip mined the area around the town and plant.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Paradise Fossil Plant". TVA. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Paradise Combined Cycle Plant". TVA. Retrieved August 25, 2018.


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