John C. Weadock Power Plant

The John C. Weadock Power Plant was a coal-fired power station located in Hampton Township, Michigan. It was adjacent to the Dan E. Karn Power Plant, which remains operational .

The primary fuel for the Weadock facility was coal.

It was decommissioned in April 2016 and demolished on August 29, 2020.

History

Construction began on the facility in 1937.

The facility began operations in 1940, with a capacity to produce 35 megawatts (MW) of electricity. Unit 1 was eventually joined by 5 similar units.

It was formally dedicated to John C. Weadock on June 22, 1950, at a ceremony attended by approximately 300 people. By the dedication, the facility's capacity had grown to being able to produce 290 MW of electricity. At the time, it was one of fifty power plants operated by Consumers Power (later Consumers Energy).

Unit 7, a coal-fired system, was opened in May 1955. It was followed with the opening of another coal-fired system, unit 8, in January 1958.

Following the opening of the adjacent Dan E. Karn Power Plant in 1959, they became collectively known as the Karn/Weadock Generating Complex. The combined complex occupied 2,400 acres of land.

In 1960, it was one of four plants providing approximately 95% of Consumer Energy's electricity.

The complex acquired an American Locomotive Company RS-1 locomotive in 1968, which it later donated to the Saginaw Railway Museum. The train was used to transport coal around the complex.

In 1980, units 1 through 6 were retired.

From 1990 to 1997, an onsite walleye rearing pond raised approximately 5,000 fingerlings which were released in the nearby Saginaw Bay.

From 1991 until 2010 the complex was certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council for stewardship of its land.

From 2006 until 2010 the complex received the Clean Corporate Citizen designation from the then Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy). It also received from the department membership in the Michigan Business Pollution Prevention Partnership from 2006 to 2012.

In 2007, Consumers Energy announced a $2.3 billion plan to build a coal-fired plant at the complex. The plan was formally cancelled in 2010.

A replacement of the complex's seawall and freighter dock was completed in 2009 for $21 million.

Closing

In 2011, Consumers Energy announced plans to close the facility in 2015.

The facility was decommissioned in April 2016.

Demolition work began in 2017. The final portions of the main building were demolished on August 29, 2020.

Namesake

John C. Weadock was a Michigan and New York corporate attorney. He was involved in the formation of Consumers Power Company (now Consumers Energy) in 1910. He died on September 10, 1950 - not long after attending the dedication of the facility in his honor on June 22, 1950.

Technology

The Weadock facility had two coal-fired units, units 1 and 2, which used a tangential firing type.

Unit 7 had the capacity to generate 152 megawatts (MW) of electricity, while unit 8 was able to generate 151 MW. In December 2015, the plant had the capacity to generate 303 MW of electricity.

Emissions and environment

The Weadock plant was operated under permits from the then Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy). According to that department's Michigan Air Emissions Reporting System Annual Pollutant Totals, in 2008 the facility emitted:

* (Carbon dioxide) - 543.55 tons (2008)
* (sulfur oxides) - 18,824.12 tons (2008)
* (nitrogen oxides) - 5,460.12 (2008)
* PM10 (particulates) - 648.49 tons (2008)

The facility burned approximately 1 million tons of coal each year.

See also

* List of power stations in Michigan

References

{{Reflist, 33em

Energy infrastructure completed in 1940
Energy infrastructure completed in 1955
Energy infrastructure completed in 1958
Energy infrastructure closed in the 2010s
Coal-fired power stations in Michigan
CMS Energy
2016 disestablishments in Michigan