Gibson Generating Station
| Company type | Power station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electric power generation |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Owensville, Indiana , United States |
Area served | Indiana, including Indianapolis; Evansville, Indiana; Henderson, Kentucky |
| Products | Electricity |
| Owner | Duke Energy |
Gibson Generating Station
Situated in the northern part of Montgomery Township, Gibson County, Indiana, near the Wabash River and close to Mount Carmel, Illinois, the Gibson Generating Station is a coal-powered electricity facility. As of 2013, it boasted a combined capacity of 3,345 megawatts spread across five units, making it Duke Energy’s largest generating site and ranking it tenth among the biggest power plants in the United States. After the 2013 shutdown of Ontario’s Nanticoke Generating Station, Gibson emerged as the highest-output coal-fired power plant in North America.
The station encompasses a 3,000-acre artificial cooling reservoir known as Gibson Lake. Nearby, Duke Energy maintains a public access area to the Wabash River and the adjacent Cane Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, which spans 26 acres and serves as a critical breeding habitat for the least tern.
Gibson Generating Station is linked to the electrical grid through five 345 kV transmission lines and one 138 kV line, supplying power to 79 counties in Indiana, including Indianapolis. Additionally, a 345 kV transmission connection extends from the plant to Evansville, Indiana, and Henderson, Kentucky, operated by Vectren and Kenergy respectively.
History
Originally constructed in 1972 by Public Service Indiana (PSI), the Gibson Generating Station began as a two-unit coal-fired plant with initial plans for eight units. During the 1970s, Units 3 and 4 were added; however, environmental restrictions prevented further expansion. Unit 5 was completed in 1982, accompanied by two additional stacks. In the 1990s, Unit 4 was equipped with its own stack while Units 1 and 2 continued sharing a single chimney.
Cinergy acquired PSI in 1995 and implemented Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology on all five units utilizing one of the largest cranes worldwide. Despite these enhancements, four stacks served five units until some were dismantled later on.
In May 2006, Duke Energy took ownership of Cinergy.
Changes and Upgrades
A new shared stack with separate flues was constructed for Units 1 and 2 alongside an individual stack for Unit 3 during the installation of wet Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems. The obsolete stacks were demolished in 2017, leaving four stacks remaining.
SCR systems aimed at reducing nitrogen oxide emissions were installed by 2008, completing Unit 5’s upgrade. Wet FGD scrubbers have been retrofitted on Units 1 through 4, resulting in fully scrubbed exhaust emissions throughout the entire facility.
Unit information
| Unit 1 Fully Owned |
Unit 2 Fully Owned |
Unit 3 Fully Owned |
Unit 4 Fully Owned |
Unit 5 Franchised |
Plant Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Net Power Output (MW) | 630 | 630 | 630 | 622 | 620 | 3,132 MW |
| Commercial Operation Last Overhaul |
1974 2007 |
1975 2007 |
1977 2005 |
1978 2009 |
1982 2008 |
Routine major maintenance is scheduled during periods of low demand in Fall and Spring. |
| Ownership Structure | Duke Energy – 100% | Duke Energy – 100% | Duke Energy – 100% | Duke Energy – 100% | Duke Energy – 51% Wabash Valley P.A. – 24.5% Indiana Municipal P.A. – 24.5% |
Duke Energy – 90.3% W.V.P.A. – 4.87% I.M.P.A. – 4.87% |
Earthquake impact
At 4:37 a.m. CDT on April 18, 2008, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake occurred near the facility in Wabash County, Illinois, registering a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong). The event caused only minor damage; notably, Unit 4 at the Gibson Generating Station automatically shut down as its vibration sensors detected the tremors.
Environmental issues
- Fishing activities in the lake were halted in 2006 due to increased selenium concentrations.
- In April 2006, a blue mist containing sulfuric acid was emitted from Unit 4 over Mount Carmel, resulting in respiratory health complaints and triggering an investigation by the Illinois EPA.
- There have been concerns regarding possible boron contamination leaking from the plant’s ash disposal areas into surrounding groundwater sources.