The end to an era: Monticello stacks, unit 3 boiler demolished

On July 1, spectators at the Monticello Power Plant bore witness to history. All three stacks of the plant, along with the unit 3 boiler were imploded in one big boom. People gathered in boats, planes, on grassy areas near the lake, and at closed-off gates to the facility to watch the stacks go down. Most are not surprised by the decision to demolish the stacks.

In 2017, Luminant, a subsidiary of Vistra Energy, announced the closure of the plant, which had been up and running since 1978. Curt Morgan, Vistra Energy’s president and chief executive officer, said, “For more than 40 years, Monticello employees have generated reliable power for Texans, and we honor and recognize their service. But the market’s unprecedented low power price environment has profoundly impacted its operating revenues and no longer supports continued investment.”

Morgan continued, “This was a difficult decision made after a year of careful analysis. We are sensitive to the consequences of our decision on employees and members of the local community, with whom we have worked closely for decades. Luminant will be coordinating with civic leadership to prepare for the impacts of the transition.”

After the plant halted all operations in January 2018, Commercial Liability Partners (CLP) purchased it. With the acquisition complete, CLP has begun the process of demolishing and remediating the existing infrastructure with the goal of preparing the sites for future redevelopment.

As work progresses at the site, CLP said they will work closely with state and local officials, as well as community stakeholders, to continue to develop plans for potential long-term use. CLP will address the environmental needs at the sites, including remediation, groundwater monitoring, abatement, decommissioning, and demolition of the facilities.

For some, this is much more than simply the destruction of a power plant - this was the implosion of decades of their lives.

“My husband worked there for many years, with Luminant and Fluor Daniels. It was sad in many ways to our family and all the families it employed when the jobs were starting to be let go... Spent many days on this lake that now has no access. The catfish stories, the bass fishing stories, the swimming memories are all throughout this area. The lives lost at work, the family within the company. The boys that grew into men. This was not just a power plant,” said Leslie Brosnan.

Wally Freeman, a long-time contract employee of the plant, says that she wants the local community to feel grateful for the time that the plant was active. Freeman owned a professional cleaning business and held contracts at the plant for 28 years.

“Before the plant came in, there was nothing. There were no restaurants; there was nothing to do. This plant brought in business. We have the college because of that plant… I just feel so thankful to have worked so hard for so long there,” Freeman said.

The Tribune reached out to CLP to determine if there are any solid plans for the redevelopment of the site but was unable to make contact.