Watts Bar Unit 2 Reactivation
The Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant (WBN) is located in southeastern Tennessee approximately 50 miles NE of Chattanooga and is owned by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The site has two Westinghouse-designed Pressurized Water Reactors.
Watts Bar Unit 1 received a full power operating license in early 1996, and is presently the last power reactor to be licensed in the U.S. TVA suspended construction of Watts Bar Unit 2 in 1985. In 2007, TVA informed NRC of its plan to resume construction of Watts Bar Unit 2.
In May 2013, the NRC staff published "Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, NUREG-0498".
On November 21, 2013 the NRC issued an Order extending the Watts Bar Unit 2 construction completion date to September 30, 2016 (78 FR 72120).
On February 12, 2015, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards endorsed the issuance of a license for Watts Bar Unit 2 following the completion of the remaining inspections and open items; "Final ACRS Review of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2 Operating License Applications."
On May 26, 2015, the Commission issued Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM)-SECY-15-0068 which granted the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) the authority to issue a full-power operating license for Watts Bar Unit 2 when the applicable regulatory requirements have been met. The NRC staff notation vote paper was published May 4, 2015 (SECY-15-0068).
On October 22, 2015, the NRC issued a full power Facility Operating License for Watts Bar Unit 2 to TVA.
Further information about the facility is available on the Watts Bar Unit 2 information page.
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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021