Gibson Generating Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gibson Generating Station |
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Gibson Generating Station as it appeared from Indiana 64 in 2016. The power plant is often still referred to by locals as PSI, in reference to its original owner, Public Service Indiana, even when it was owned by Cinergy. The plant's two new 620 ft (190 m) smokestacks are seen in the back, behind its three original 550 ft (170 m) stacks. All six stacks are shown. As of January 2018, the two stacks on the left foreground are no longer visible from any vantage point.
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Montgomery Township, Gibson County, near Owensville, Indiana and Mount Carmel, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 38°22′19″N 87°46′02″W / 38.37194°N 87.76722°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 1976–82 under Public Service Indiana |
| Decommission date | 2037-2041 (planned) |
| Owner(s) | Duke Energy Indiana (2006–present) Cinergy (1995–2006) Public Service Indiana (1971–1995) |
The Gibson Generating Station is a very large power plant that burns coal to make electricity. It is located in Gibson County, Indiana, in the United States. The plant is near the Wabash River, which is a big river.
This power plant is huge! It can produce 3,345 megawatts of electricity. This makes it the largest power plant run by Duke Energy. It is also one of the biggest electrical plants in the entire United States. In fact, since late 2012, it has been the largest coal power plant in North America based on how much power it generates.
Right next to the plant is a large, man-made lake called Gibson Lake. This lake is about 3,000 acres big. It is used to cool down the machinery at the power plant. There's also a special area nearby called the Cane Ridge National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge opened in 2006 and is a nesting spot for a rare bird called the least tern.
The Gibson Generating Station sends electricity to many places. It uses several large power lines to connect to 79 counties in Indiana, including the Indianapolis area. It also sends power to cities like Evansville and Henderson.
Contents
How the Gibson Plant Started
The Gibson Generating Station was first built in 1972. It started with two units that burned coal to make power. The company that built it was called Public Service Indiana (PSI). They originally planned to build eight units, but things changed.
During the 1970s, Units 3 and 4 were added. However, new rules about protecting the environment stopped more units from being built. Only Unit 5 was added in 1982. This unit also got its own smokestack.
In the 1990s, Unit 4 got its own separate smokestack. Before that, it shared one with Unit 3. Units 1 and 2 continued to share a single smokestack for a while.
Changes Over the Years
In 1995, a company called Cinergy took over PSI. After this, all five units at the plant got new equipment called SCR systems. These systems help to reduce pollution. During this time, one of the biggest cranes in the world was used at the Gibson Station for construction.
Even with these changes, the plant still had only four smokestacks for its five units. Units 1 and 2 still shared a stack, and Unit 3 was still using an older stack that used to be shared with Unit 4.
Then, in May 2006, Duke Energy took over Cinergy.
Modern Upgrades and Pollution Control
The Gibson Generating Station has had many upgrades to make it cleaner. A new, tall smokestack was built for Units 1 and 2. This new stack is about 620 feet tall. Another new stack was built just for Unit 3. These new stacks were part of installing special systems called wet FGD systems. These systems help clean the gases before they go into the air.
In 2017, some of the old, unused smokestacks were taken down. Now, only four main stacks are standing.
The plant also installed SCR units to lower its NOx emissions. These improvements were finished in 2008, with Unit 5 being the last to get them. All units from 1 to 4 now have wet FGD systems, which means the plant is fully equipped to clean its emissions.
Power Production Details
The Gibson Generating Station has five main units that produce electricity. Each unit can make a lot of power.
| Unit 1 Fully Owned |
Unit 2 Fully Owned |
Unit 3 Fully Owned |
Unit 4 Fully Owned |
Unit 5 Franchised |
Plant-Wide | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rated Summer Net Power Output (MW) | 630 | 630 | 630 | 622 | 620 | 3,132MW |
| Commercial Overhauled |
1974 2007 |
1975 2007 |
1977 2005 |
1978 2009 |
1982 2008 |
Major maintenance performed during low demand periods in the Fall and Spring. |
| Ownership | Duke Energy 100% | Duke Energy 100% | Duke Energy 100% | Duke Energy 100% | Duke Energy 51% Wabash Vly. P.A. 24.5% Indiana Mun. P. A. 24.5% |
Duke Energy 90.3% W.V.P.A. 4.87% I.M.P.A. 4.87% |
How Earthquakes Affect Power Plants
On April 18, 2008, a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook the area. Its center was about 7 miles northwest of the power station. The earthquake caused some minor damage. Unit 4 at the Gibson Generating Station automatically shut down because its sensors detected strong vibrations. This is a safety feature to prevent damage during an earthquake.
Environmental Considerations
Power plants can sometimes affect the environment. Here are a few things to know about the Gibson Generating Station:
- In 2006, Gibson Lake was closed for fishing. This was because of high levels of a substance called selenium in the water.
- In April 2006, Unit 4 accidentally released a blue haze. This haze floated over a nearby town and contained sulfuric acid. It caused breathing problems for some people and led to an investigation by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
- There have been some concerns that the plant's ash disposal areas might be leaking a substance called boron into the local water.
