PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA
OperatingBiomass power plant
- Capacity
- 73 MW
- Primary fuel
- Biomass
- County
- Hardin County
- Operator
- PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA
- Status
- Operating
- Commissioned
- 1985
- EIA plant ID
- 50296
- Generators
- 2
- Technology
- Wood/Wood Waste Biomass
- Net generation (2024)
- 412 GWh
- Capacity factor (2024, EIA nameplate)
- 65%
- Data vintage
- EIA-860 2024 final; EIA-923 2022-2024 final
- Coordinates
- 35.0477, -88.2661
PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA, a 73 MW Biomass power plant in Hardin County, Tennessee. Operated by PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA, commissioned 1985.
How PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA compares
With 73 MW of capacity, PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA ranks 27th among the 53 operating power plants Bywatts maps in Tennessee and is the largest of the 3 operating Biomass plants in the state. It accounts for about 57% of Tennessee's operating Biomass capacity and 0.4% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 39th-largest of the 350 operating Biomass plants in the database. Commissioned in 1985, it is newer than 66% of the 53 operating Tennessee plants with a recorded commissioning year. It shares Hardin County with one other operating plant, PICKWICK LANDING DAM.
EIA-860 lists 2 generators at the site with 73 MW of nameplate capacity, all wood/wood waste biomass technology. Net generation was 412 GWh in 2024 (a 65% capacity factor), down 1% from 2022. Its generators came online between 1985 and 2010.
Grid neighborhood
The nearest named substation is COUNCE (161 kV), about 0.3 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 161 kV line owned by TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, under 0.1 miles away. One other operating power plant sits within 25 miles: PICKWICK LANDING DAM (240 MW, Hydro).
Computed by Bywatts from HIFLD power plant, substation and transmission line records and EIA-860/923 survey data; distances are straight-line. Sources and methodology
Weather peril exposure
PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA is a 73 MW biomass power plant in Hardin County, TN, operated by PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA, commissioned in 1985. Hardin County carries low modeled catastrophe exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index, scoring 1.6 of 5 at the 15th national percentile. Earthquake is the leading peril, rated Relatively Moderate by FEMA at the 92nd percentile.
The Bywatts loss layer is calibrated to solar PV hardware, so it is not applied to a biomass plant. The ratings below are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings for this location.
Hardin County hazard ratings
| Peril | FEMA rating | National percentile | Peril score | Events per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92nd | 4.7 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Strong wind | Relatively High | 69th | 3.7 of 5 | 3.5 |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66th | 3.6 of 5 | 0.44 |
| Riverine flooding | Relatively Low | 61st | 3.4 of 5 | 1.1 |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 59th | 3.4 of 5 | 0.03 |
| Heat wave | Relatively Low | 55th | 3.2 of 5 | 13.7 |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 50th | 3.0 of 5 | 60.8 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 35th | 2.4 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Ice storm | Relatively Low | 33rd | 2.3 of 5 | 0.78 |
| Winter weather | Very Low | 24th | 2.0 of 5 | 5.2 |
| Hail | Very Low | 17th | 1.7 of 5 | 3.4 |
Perils not assessed in Hardin 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 Hardin 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.