Riverside Generating Station
| Company type | Power plant |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Founder | Consolidated Gas and Light Company of Baltimore |
| Headquarters | Dundalk, Maryland , United States |
Area served | Mid-Maryland |
| Products | Electricity generation |
| Owner | Exelon |
The Riverside Generating Station is a power plant with a capacity of 261 MW, managed by Exelon and situated at 4000 Broening Highway in Dundalk, Maryland. Positioned on Sollers Point adjacent to the Patapsco River, it employs river water for cooling its steam turbine condensers.
Plant description
The facility comprises several units: Unit 4, a 78 MW steam unit fueled by natural gas; Unit 5, an 85 MW steam turbine; Unit 6, a gas turbine with a capacity of 135 MW that operates on both natural gas and fuel oil; and Units 7 and 8, each being 25 MW natural gas-powered gas turbines. Cooling for the condensers is sourced from the Patapsco River.
History
The property was initially acquired in 1922 by the Consolidated Gas and Light Company of Baltimore, which later became part of Constellation Energy. The original plan to develop a manufactured gas plant on this site was never realized. In 1942, the installation of Unit 1—a 60 MW steam turbine and boiler—was completed at a cost of $6.5 million. Subsequently, Units 2 and 3, each rated at 60 MW, were commissioned in 1944 and 1948 respectively. Units 4 and 5 began commercial operations in 1951. By 1993, Units 1, 2, 3, and 5 had been decommissioned.
In 2008, authorization was granted to refurbish and reactivate Unit 5 to operate solely on natural gas with an investment approximating $25 million. Following the merger of Constellation Energy with Exelon in 2012, Exelon announced intentions to retire Unit 4 by mid-2016.
Operations
The Riverside Generating Station functions predominantly as a peaking power facility, activated mainly during intense summer heat periods to satisfy peak electricity demand in mid-Maryland. The plant's operation is coordinated through the PJM Interconnection regional transmission organization.