Perry K. Generating Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Perry K. Generating Station |
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Perry K. in 2014.
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Coordinates | 39°45′46″N 86°10′01″W / 39.76278°N 86.16694°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | Unit 4: January 1925 Unit 6: July 1938 |
| Owner(s) | Citizens Energy Group |
Perry K. Generating Station is a special kind of power plant in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It creates steam that helps heat many buildings in the city center. This system is one of the biggest of its kind in the United States.
The plant is located on the south side of downtown Indianapolis. You can find it where Kentucky Avenue and West Street meet. For many years, Perry K. used coal to make steam. In 2016, its machines were updated to use natural gas instead. This plant is owned by Citizens Thermal, which is part of Citizens Energy Group.
History of Perry K.
Early Days of the Plant
The story of Perry K. Generating Station began a long time ago. In 1892, a company called Indianapolis Light and Power built a plant. It was located on Kentucky Avenue. This first plant cost about $300,000 to build. It was known as the "Kentucky Avenue Plant."
At first, the plant made electricity. This electricity was used to light up streets and businesses. But in 1905, the plant changed. It started making steam to heat buildings downtown. This is called "district heating."
Growing and Changing
The plant grew bigger in 1937. New boilers were added that could handle more pressure. They also started using a new way to burn coal. This was called "pulverized coal." It meant the coal was ground into a fine powder before burning.
In the same year, the Kentucky Avenue plant got a new name. It became "Section K" of the Charles C. Perry Plant. Another nearby plant was named "Section W."
New Owners
In the year 2000, the company that owned the plant, IPL, sold it. The district heating system and the Perry K. plant were bought by Citizens Gas and Coke Utility. This company later changed its name to Citizens Energy Group. They still own and operate the plant today.
