FirstEnergy Demolishes Three Emissions Stacks at Hatfield's Ferry Power Station

AKRON, Ohio, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has demolished three emissions stacks at the former Hatfield's Ferry Power Station near Masontown, Pennsylvania, a key milestone in preparing the 236-acre site of the retired coal-fired plant for future development.  

On March 4, a specialized demolition contractor used strategically placed charges around the bases of the three stacks, safely bringing them down in a controlled implosion. The twin stacks immediately adjacent to the boiler house stood about 700 feet tall. The other 540-foot stack, connected to the plant's environmental scrubbers, was the only one in operation at the time of Hatfield's closure in 2013.

"The safe removal of the stacks is an important step in positioning this Greene County site for future economic productivity," said Samuel L. Belcher, senior vice president of Operations for FirstEnergy. "Once demolition activities are complete, the site will feature attractive attributes for energy-intensive and water-intensive industries. Level tracts of vacant land along navigable rivers are a rarity in southwestern Pennsylvania."

FirstEnergy subsidiaries will continue to own and maintain the site as an open grassy area until a use is identified. This includes an operational high-voltage electric substation at the site, which would give a future business access to power from the regional transmission network. The property will also retain a water-intake structure on the Monongahela River.

North American Dismantling Corporation (NADC), the primary demolition contractor, began work at the sprawling plant last year and has made significant headway, removing smaller structures and ductwork. Steel and other metals are hauled from the site for recycling. Power-generation turbines and other equipment are being removed from the boiler house and other buildings for reclamation.

Demolition of the plant will also help eliminate a public safety risk. Break-ins and thefts have occurred at the plant, and trespassing could result in serious injury or death.

The plant's two massive cement hyperbolic cooling towers are scheduled for demolition later this summer, followed by the boiler house in the fall. Demolition activities should be completed in early 2024.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note: Photo and video footage from the demolition of three structures at Hatfield's Ferry Power Station may be viewed/downloaded on Dropbox.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.