CHEROKEE DAM
OperatingHydro power plant
- Capacity
- 135 MW
- Primary fuel
- Hydro
- County
- Jefferson County
- Operator
- TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
- Status
- Operating
- Commissioned
- 1942
- EIA plant ID
- 3397
- Coordinates
- 36.1674, -83.4981
CHEROKEE DAM, a 135 MW Hydro power plant in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Operated by TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, commissioned 1942.
Weather peril exposure
CHEROKEE DAM is a 135 MW hydro power plant in Jefferson County, TN, operated by TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, commissioned in 1942. Jefferson County carries low modeled catastrophe exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index, scoring 1.3 of 5 at the 8th national percentile. Earthquake is the leading peril, rated Relatively Low by FEMA at the 85th percentile.
The Bywatts loss layer is calibrated to solar PV hardware, so it is not applied to a hydro plant. The ratings below are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings for this location.
Jefferson County hazard ratings
| Peril | FEMA rating | National percentile | Peril score | Events per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85th | 4.4 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 84th | 4.4 of 5 | 51.9 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 52nd | 3.1 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Ice storm | Relatively Low | 51st | 3.0 of 5 | 0.22 |
| Riverine flooding | Relatively Low | 41st | 2.6 of 5 | 0.50 |
| Strong wind | Relatively Low | 38th | 2.5 of 5 | 4.6 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 37th | 2.5 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35th | 2.4 of 5 | 0.08 |
| Hail | Very Low | 19th | 1.8 of 5 | 3.0 |
| Heat wave | Very Low | 11th | 1.4 of 5 | 0.53 |
| Winter weather | Relatively Low | 7th | 1.3 of 5 | 4.5 |
Perils not assessed in Jefferson County
These perils carry no usable National Risk Index figure for this county, so they are excluded from the scoring rather than scored zero. A zero would claim the peril was assessed and found benign.
| Peril | Why it is not scored |
|---|---|
| Coastal flooding | FEMA rating is "Not Applicable" for this county |
Model hail, wind and flood exposure for Jefferson County in the weather risk calculator
Ratings are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings; the peril score is a Bywatts transform of the FEMA national percentile. Full data sources and the solar vulnerability methodology are in the weather risk calculator.
Modeled estimate for screening and negotiation. Built from FEMA National Risk Index county hazard data and a solar vulnerability layer documented above. Not a quote, a binder, or actuarial advice, and not a substitute for a carrier's own model. Hazard data: FEMA National Risk Index December 2025, synced 2026-07-24. Resolution is county level, not site level.