Rockport Power Plant
Encyclopedia
Rockport Generating Station, located just off the new U.S. 231 Route (Now known as the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Parkway) just North of the Natcher Bridge near Rockport, Indiana
, in the United States
, is a 2.6-GW power plant with one of the tallest smokestacks in the world (316.4 meters). The central smokestack and two cooling towers can be seen from as far west as Evansville
, 45 miles to the west, as far north as the U.S. 231-Interstate 64
Junction, and as far east as Lewisport, Kentucky
and Tell City, Indiana
. It can also be seen as far south as Owensboro, Kentucky
as well. RGS is operated by Indiana Michigan Power, a branch of American Electric Power
. During the 1980s a brief public walk-through simulator was set up in an office building across the road from the plant. It allowed the public to literally walk through and see how electricity was made at this power plant at that time. A decline in visitors and overhead needed to run the office, as well as the plants change in ownership, figured well into the closing of this public service. It is now offices for the Warrick Economic Development Corporation.
Two identical non-cyclonic Babcock & Wilcox units (1.3 GW each) were launched into service in December 1984 and December 1989. They are among the largest coal units built.
s along the Ohio River
.
Rockport, Indiana
Rockport is a city in Ohio Township, Spencer County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,160 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Spencer County.-History:...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is a 2.6-GW power plant with one of the tallest smokestacks in the world (316.4 meters). The central smokestack and two cooling towers can be seen from as far west as Evansville
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, 45 miles to the west, as far north as the U.S. 231-Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
Junction, and as far east as Lewisport, Kentucky
Lewisport, Kentucky
Lewisport is a city in Hancock County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1639 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Owensboro, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area.Founded in 1839, Lewisport is named for an early settler....
and Tell City, Indiana
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana, along the Ohio River, Indiana's southern border. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.-History:...
. It can also be seen as far south as Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
as well. RGS is operated by Indiana Michigan Power, a branch of American Electric Power
American Electric Power
American Electric Power is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S...
. During the 1980s a brief public walk-through simulator was set up in an office building across the road from the plant. It allowed the public to literally walk through and see how electricity was made at this power plant at that time. A decline in visitors and overhead needed to run the office, as well as the plants change in ownership, figured well into the closing of this public service. It is now offices for the Warrick Economic Development Corporation.
Two identical non-cyclonic Babcock & Wilcox units (1.3 GW each) were launched into service in December 1984 and December 1989. They are among the largest coal units built.
Coal supply
The coal is delivered to the plant by rail road and by bargeBarge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
s along the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.