The Elmer Smith Power Plant was a coal-fired power plant owned and operated by the city of Owensboro, Kentucky. Unit 1 opened in 1964 with Unit 2 opening 10 years later in 1974[2]
| Elmer Smith Power Plant | |
|---|---|
 Power station in April 2006 | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Owensboro, Kentucky |
| Coordinates | 37°47′N 87°04′W / 37.79°N 87.06°W |
| Status | Decommissioned |
| Commission date | 1964 |
| Decommission date | June 1st, 2020 |
| Owner | Owensboro Municipal Utilities |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Bituminous coal |
| Cooling source | Ohio River |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 2 |
| Nameplate capacity | 445 MW |
| Capacity factor | 45.7% (2017) |
| Annual net output | 1,780 GWh (2017)[1] |
The power plant was the main source of power for the city of Owensboro during the years it was active.
History
editAs a result of the Owensboro Municipal Utility Commission approving a contract with Big Rivers Electric to supply electricity for Owensboro,[3] Elmer Smith Power Plant closed on June 1, 2020, and was demolished on December 4, 2022, making it two years, six months and three days later after the power plant's closure.
Emissions data
edit- 2006 CO2 Emissions: 2,846,615 tons
- 2006 SO2 Emissions: 2,525 tons
- 2006 NOx Emissions: 7,045 tons
- 2005 Mercury Emissions: 59 lb[4]
Controversy
editIn 2010, The Clean Air Task Force conducted a study to identify and quantify deaths and other injuries attributed to fine particle pollution from coal-fired power plants[5] and found there to be an estimated 10 deaths annually as a result of fine particle pollution from the Elmer Smith Power Station as well as other negative effects on the health of those affected by the pollutants.
| Type of Impact | Annual Incidence | Valuation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 10 | $75,000 | |
| Heart attacks | 16 | $1,700,000 | |
| Asthma attacks | 170 | $9,000 | |
| Hospital admissions | 7 | $170,000 | |
| Chronic bronchitis | 6 | $2,800,000 | |
| Asthma ER visits | 11 | $4,000 |
Closing
editIn 2019, the city of Owensboro made the landmark decision to close the plant as part of its economic evolution and effort to attract more tourism (5) By closing the plant, the city plans on switching primarily to solar power by 2022 by purchasing energy from the Ashwood Solar Station [6] which is set to open in Lyon County, Kentucky
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Electricity Data Browser".
- ^ "Elmer Smith Power Plant – Owensboro Municipal Utilities". omu.org. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ^ Velzer, Ryan Van (June 26, 2018). "Market Forces Drive Another Kentucky Coal Power Plant To Retire". WFPL. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "Elmer Smith Station - SourceWatch".
- ^ "Elmer Smith Station". Global Energy Monitor. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ^ Schneider, Keith (2019-01-22). "A Kentucky city transitions from coal, minus the doom and gloom". Energy News Network. Retrieved 2021-12-02.