Waterford Nuclear Generating Station, commonly called Waterford 3 and formally Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3, is a single-unit commercial nuclear power plant on the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. The facility sits on a large riverside property and is a notable element of the region's electric supply and industrial landscape. The station is commonly identified in industry and regulatory materials as Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3.
Location and site
The plant occupies an extensive riverside tract, referenced in public materials as a roughly 3,000-acre site that supports both the generating unit and support facilities; this landholding is described on regional information pages as about 3,000 acres. It is located up-river from the community of Hahnville and within the jurisdiction of St. Charles Parish, in Louisiana. The proximity to the Mississippi River provides the primary source of cooling water and transportation access for large components.
Design and main features
Waterford 3 is a single nuclear reactor unit used to produce baseload electricity for the regional grid. Like many U.S. commercial reactors it uses a water-cooled reactor design and requires substantial on-site systems for steam production, cooling, electrical generation and grid connection. The station is owned and operated by the regional utility company Entergy and appears in utility and regulatory listings under that operator name.
History, operation and maintenance
The unit was developed as part of late-20th-century expansion of nuclear generation in the region. It has undergone regular operating cycles that include planned refueling outages, maintenance, and periodic equipment upgrades to meet evolving safety and regulatory standards. Day-to-day operations emphasize continuous power production, while scheduled outages are used for inspection, maintenance and replacement of fuel and key components.
Role, importance and community impact
As a baseload facility, the plant supplies steady electric power to utilities and supports local economic activity through jobs, taxes and contracted services. Nuclear generation at the site contributes low-carbon electricity compared with fossil-fuel plants, which is often cited by operators and planners when discussing regional emissions and resource diversity. The facility is mentioned in local and regional planning documents and community information resources, including pages for nearby communities such as Hahnville.
Safety, oversight and regulation
The station operates under federal nuclear regulatory oversight that requires routine inspections, emergency planning, environmental monitoring and security measures. Emergency preparedness includes coordination with local authorities and parish-level agencies. Public information about regulatory status, inspection findings and licenses is commonly available through federal and operator publications and on the plant's information pages.
Notable facts and distinctions
- Identified in industry references as Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (official designation).
- Situated on an extensive riverside property noted in site descriptions (site acreage).
- Located upriver from Hahnville and administered within St. Charles Parish, Louisiana (local community context).
For technical details, licensing history and performance records consult the plant operator's information pages and federal regulatory documents associated with the station's public profile and oversight.