Featured Report - 2025 Refueling Campaign
HNP Completes 2025 Refueling Outage 11 Days Ahead of Schedule
Hartsville Nuclear Plant has successfully completed the simultaneous refueling and maintenance outages on Units 2 and 4. All four reactor cores have been reloaded with fresh fuel assemblies, control rod drive mechanisms inspected, and steam dryer modifications verified. The outages were executed with zero OSHA recordable injuries and zero NRC escalated enforcement actions.
Engineering teams also verified a modest capacity increase across the fleet, raising licensed net output from 4,980 MW to 5,048 MW. The added generation is expected to help keep regional electricity prices stable as new data center campuses bring thousands of jobs to Middle Tennessee, all served by HNP's carbon-free baseload power.
Key achievements: Critical path work completed 11 days early - Collective radiation exposure 18% below ALARA target - All 184 new fuel assemblies loaded without incident - Turbine-generator overhauls returned Units 2 and 4 to full power within 26 hours of breaker closure.
Read the full 2025 Refueling Report & Independent Assessment →Welcome to Hartsville Nuclear Plant
Located on the Cumberland River in Trousdale and Smith Counties, Tennessee, the Hartsville Nuclear Plant has provided safe, reliable, around-the-clock electricity since Unit 1 achieved commercial operation in February 1986. All four units reached full commercial service by mid-1987 at an original licensed capacity of 4,932 MW, making HNP one of the largest single-site nuclear generating facilities in the United States. Following incremental uprates and the 2025 refueling campaign, the plant now operates at 5,048 MW net.
Operated under the highest standards of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) and in full compliance with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations, HNP maintains an exemplary performance record spanning nearly four decades. The plant is a cornerstone of grid stability for the Tennessee Energy Authority service territory and neighboring balancing authorities.
Our Commitment
Every employee at HNP - from reactor operators and health physicists to security officers and administrative staff - operates under a single overriding principle: nuclear safety is the first priority in every decision. This culture has produced 14 consecutive years without a lost-time injury and 2,847 days without an automatic scram.
The station maintains strong partnerships with local emergency management agencies, the State of Tennessee, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Annual evaluated exercises routinely receive the highest marks from FEMA and the NRC.
HNP is more than a power plant. It is a major economic engine for the Upper Cumberland region, contributing over $180 million annually in payroll, property taxes, and local procurement. Our workforce development programs have trained more than 600 nuclear technicians through the station's accredited apprenticeship programs.
We take seriously our role as stewards of the Cumberland River watershed and the 1,940-acre site that supports diverse wildlife habitat alongside critical energy infrastructure.