W. H. Sammis Power Plant
| Company type | Power plant |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electric power generation |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Defunct | May 3, 2023 |
| Headquarters | Stratton , United States |
Area served | Ohio |
| Products | Electricity |
| Owner | Energy Harbor |
The W. H. Sammis Power Plant was a coal-fired facility with a generation capacity of 2.23 gigawatts (2,233 MW), located in Stratton, within Jefferson County, Ohio. It was operated by Energy Harbor and commenced service in 1960.
History
Construction of the Sammis plant was initiated by Ohio Edison in May 1956, originally intending to build two units each producing 170 MW. By September of the same year, the project scope expanded to include four identical units. Between 1960 and 1962, these initial four units were completed at a total expense of $118 million and were named in honor of Walter H. Sammis, the then-president of Ohio Edison. Unit 5 was added in 1967. Two years later, in 1969, Unit 6 began operation with a capacity of 625 MW and a $75 million investment; this unit featured a Westinghouse stator that was notably featured in Forbes. The final unit, Unit 7, came online in 1971 with a capacity of 650 MW and included a chimney reaching 1,001 feet in height.
In 1982, a $27 million project constructed a four-lane tunnel for State Route 7 beneath the baghouse structure. Following the merger of Ohio Edison with Centerior in 1997, FirstEnergy assumed operational control of the plant.
Due to declining wholesale electricity prices and increased competition from natural gas, FirstEnergy temporarily shut down Sammis in 2012. In July 2016, the company announced plans to retire the four oldest units by 2020 because of escalating operational costs and market challenges, leaving three units operational with a combined output of approximately 1,500 MW. By August 2018, FirstEnergy Solutions revealed intentions to close the remaining units by June 2022, citing unfavorable market conditions under PJM Interconnection’s design that disadvantaged coal and nuclear facilities. During this period, coal supplier Murray Energy expressed interest in acquiring the plant to maintain its operations.
However, retirement decisions were reversed in July 2019 after Ohio enacted subsidy measures benefiting FirstEnergy Solutions’ nuclear power plants. This legislation later became associated with a public corruption investigation unveiled by the Department of Justice in July 2020.
In March 2022, Energy Harbor declared that Units 5, 6, and 7 would be shut down by June 2023; ultimately, the plant ceased its operations on May 3, 2023—concluding activities one month ahead of schedule.
Environmental mitigation
In 1978, Sammis was subject to an EPA lawsuit for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act due to emissions reportedly exceeding limits by fiftyfold. Ohio Edison resolved this case by agreeing to implement pollution control measures and invested $445 million installing electrostatic precipitators over State Route 7. The plant faced further EPA enforcement actions in 1999. To meet regulatory requirements, FirstEnergy initiated a $1.8 billion retrofit program starting in 2005 under Bechtel’s management. This included installation of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems and scrubbers supplied by Babcock & Wilcox. These enhancements reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by approximately 95% and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by about 90%. A new flue-gas desulfurization chimney standing at 850 feet supported these scrubbers. The retrofit concluded in 2010 and received industry accolades for construction quality.
See also
External links
- Energy infrastructure completed in 1960
- Energy infrastructure completed in 1962
- Energy infrastructure completed in 1967
- Energy infrastructure completed in 1969
- Energy infrastructure completed in 1971
- Former coal-fired power stations in Ohio
- Towers in Ohio
- Buildings and structures in Jefferson County, Ohio
- Chimneys in the United States
- FirstEnergy