| Paradise Combined Cycle Plant | |
|---|---|
 Former coal units, shut down since 2020 | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Muhlenberg County, nearDrakesboro,Kentucky |
| Coordinates | 37°15′N86°58′W / 37.25°N 86.97°W /37.25; -86.97 |
| Commission date | Coal Unit 1: May 19, 1963[1] Unit 2: November 6, 1963[2] Unit 3: 1970[3][full citation needed] Natural Gas Units 1–3: April 7, 2017 |
| Decommission date | Coal Units 1–2: April 7, 2017 Unit 3: February 1, 2020 |
| Owner | Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Natural gas |
| Cooling source | Green River |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 3 |
| Nameplate capacity | 1,025MW |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
 | |
TheParadise Combined Cycle Plant (formerly known asParadise Fossil Plant) is anatural gas power plant operated by theTennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Located just east ofDrakesboro, Kentucky, it was the highest power capacity power plant inKentucky. The plant originally consisted of threecoal units, with a combined capacity of 2,632 MW (2,379 MW net). Units 1 and 2 were retired in 2017, and replaced with the natural gas units, and Unit 3 was retired in 2020. Thecombined cycle natural gas plant had a capacity of 1.02-gigawatts (1,025 MW) as of 2017.[4]
Paradise is located near the site of the former town ofParadise, Kentucky, on theGreen River. Coal-fired generator Units 1 and 2, each with a capacity of 741 megawatts (704 MW net), began operation in 1963. Unit 3, with a capacity of 1,150 MW (971 MW net), began operations in 1970. The coal units had three natural draftcooling towers, and Paradise was the only TVA fossil fuel plant with cooling towers.[5]
The town was razed by the TVA in 1967 over concerns that ash and other plant emissions would damage residents' health.[citation needed] A barge unloading facility was constructed in 1985 so that coal could be delivered via barge, as well as by train and truck.
The Paradise's two original coal-fired generating units were shut down in favor of two natural gas plants that were brought online for commercial production April 7, 2017.[4] The retirement of Units 1 and 2 reduced the coal consumption by nearly half in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.[6] According to the TVA, the authority made strides in cleaning up the emissions coming from their fossil fuel combustion facilities. Graphs and data from the TVA suggest that emissions insulfur dioxide (SO2),nitrogen oxide (NOx), andcarbon dioxide (CO2) have dropped dramatically since the mid-1970s.[7]
In August 2018, TVA began studying the possibility of closing the remaining unit at Paradise.[8] A final environmental assessment prepared by the TVA concluded that the adverse environmental impact of the coal plant outweighed the need for it in the area; therefore it was decided to close it.[9] On February 14, 2019, the TVA board of directors voted 5–2 to shut down Paradise Unit 3 by December 2020, as well asBull Run nearOak Ridge, Tennessee in 2023. High costs and lowcapacity factor were factors in their decision.[10] This decision came following intense lobbying by theTrump Administration and Kentucky governorMatt Bevin to keep the plant open.[11] Chief Executive,Bill Johnson, of the TVA said that the closing of Paradise and Bull Run's coal units will save consumers approximately $320 million.[12] On February 1, 2020, the last coal-fired unit at Paradise Fossil Plant was shut down after 50 years of operation.[13]
On November 10, 2022, the TVA demolished the cooling towers of all three retired coal-firing units by controlled implosion.[14][15][16] TVA plans to install a solar power farm in place of the demolished cooling towers.[17]
In 1971, singer/songwriterJohn Prine, whose father was from Paradise, released a recording of his song titled "Paradise". The song describes the original site ofParadise, Kentucky, which was destroyed when it was strip mined for coal.[18]
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