R. Gallagher Generating Station

R. Gallagher Generating Station
CountryUnited States
LocationNew Albany, Indiana
Coordinates38°15′49″N 85°50′16″W / 38.26361°N 85.83778°W / 38.26361; -85.83778
StatusRetired [1]
Commission dateUnit 1: June 1959
Unit 2: December 1958
Unit 3: April 1960
Unit 4: March 1961
Decommission dateUnit 1: 2012
Unit 3: 2012
Unit 2: 2021
Unit 4: 2021
OwnerDuke Energy
Thermal power station
Primary fuelBituminous coal
Turbine technologySteam turbine
Cooling sourceOhio River
Power generation
Nameplate capacity280 MWe
[edit on Wikidata]

The R. Gallagher Generating Station was a four-unit coal-burning power plant located along the Ohio River some two miles (3 km) downstream from New Albany, Indiana in southernmost Floyd County, Indiana. The total aggregate capacity (year-around) of the plant's four identical units was 560MW. Unit 2 began operating in 1958; unit 1 in 1959; unit 3 in 1960 and unit 4 in 1961. In early 2012, both Units 1 and 3 were retired.[2] Units 2 and 4 continued to operate because Duke Energy installed baghouses, greatly reducing the pollution and meeting the current standards set by the EPA. The plant's 2012 output was 280 megawatts (each unit is rated at 140 megawatts). The plant is connected to the grid by 138 and 230 kilovolt transmission lines.[3]

Environmental impact

Sulphur dioxide emissions

As of 2006, R. Gallagher was the dirtiest major power station in the US in terms of sulphur dioxide gas emission rate: it discharged 40.38 pounds (18.32 kg) of SO2 for each MWh of electric power produced that year (50,819 tons of SO2 per year in total).[4]

Shutdown and Plant Closure

Duke Energy shutdown the plant on June 1, 2021,[5] earlier than the previously scheduled retirement in 2022. After shutdown Duke Energy will continue the process of closing coal ash basins on site, which could take several years. The Gallagher plant is expected to be dismantled at some point in the future.[6][7]


Planned Implosion and Demolition

On October 20, 2024 the boiler house of the R. Gallagher Generating Station was imploded [8] after being shut down since June 1, 2021, with the twin smoke stacks scheduled to be demolished by 2025.

See also

References

  1. ^ https://www.duke-energy.com/Our%20Company/About%20Us/Power%20Plants/Gallagher%20Station
  2. ^ "Gallagher-station". Duke Energy Corporation. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  3. ^ "Existing Electric Generating Units in the United States, 2006" (Excel). Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy. 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  4. ^ "Dirty Kilowatts 2007 Report Database". Environmental Integrity Project. Retrieved 1 May 2008.
  5. ^ "Southern Indiana power plant once named 'nation's dirtiest' shuts down". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  6. ^ "Duke Energy retiring Gallagher plant earlier than expected. Plant was demolished on October 19th, 2024". News and Tribune. Retrieved 24 Feb 2021.
  7. ^ "Duke Energy retiring Gallagher plant earlier than expected". WDRB News. Retrieved 27 Feb 2021.
  8. ^ "Duke Energy implodes building in New Albany, causing loud, trembling noise across area".