Rehabilitation of the Historic Ocoee 1 Hydro Power Plant

The Ocoee 1 Hydro Plant is located on the Ocoee River 16 miles east of Cleveland, Tennessee. Built by the East Tennessee Power Company, it was placed in commercial operation in 1912. There are five horizontal Francis, twin runner turbines driving Westinghouse generators which produce 18,000 KW. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) acquired the facility in 1939 for $2.7 million. From 1912 to 1984 the plant produced approximately 6 million megawatt-hours. Due to the age and condition of the plant, a study was conducted in 1986 to determine the future of the Ocoee 1 generating facility. Consequently, plant rehabilitation was approved in February 1987. The construction phase started in March of 1989. TVA's dedication to quality and teamwork resulted in the successful renovation of this culturally significant landmark. Through careful planning, community history was preserved and TVA's power production system was enhanced. This paper will focus on some of the problems encountered during the planning and construction phases.