When the Tennessee Valley Authority halted construction of the Hartsville Nuclear Plant, it dashed the community’s economic hopes. From 1981 to 1983, the per capita income of Trousdale County dropped by 21%, a reduction of more than $2,000 dollars.1 The economic effects of nuclear plant closures extended beyond Trousdale County: over 14,000 TVA employees were laid off statewide.2 When the TVA announced their cancellation plan, ads in local newspapers changed from “help wanted” classifieds to “investment recovery” advertisements offering readers the opportunity to buy unused equipment like huge diesel generators. There was little or no effort to assist Hartsville or create a more positive public image.3 The promise of prosperity was shattered with the cancellation of the nuclear plant. The empty nuclear cooling tower is all that remains, devoid of jobs and hope for Trousdale County.

1 US. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Per Capita Personal Income in Trousdale County, TN [PCPI47169], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/PCPI47169/, November 5, 2015.
2 Gregg Jones, Staff Writer. “TVA Nuclear Dreams Fade with Building Constraints.” The Atlanta Constitution (1946-1984), Apr 10, 1983, 18.
3 “Display Ad 39 -- no Title.” 1983. Wall Street Journal (1923 - Current File), Sep 28, 12. http://search.proquest.com/docview/134815825?accountid=14816.