Athens is the home of Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant , a Tennessee Valley Authority installation first operated in 1974 , that was once the world 's largest nuclear plant . It provides many jobs to the area and most of the electricity for the Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area . On March 22 , 1975 , the Browns Ferry plant became the scene of what was , with the exception of the Three Mile Island accident , the most serious nuclear accident in United States history . A worker using a candle to check for air leaks started a fire among control wires , causing a temporary threat to operational control of the reactor ( see Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant article on Unit One Fire )
Three Mile Island accident
Three Mile Island accident
Athens, Alabama