Marble Hill Nuclear Power Plant
Marble Hill Nuclear Power Station is an unfinished nuclear power plant in Saluda Township, Jefferson County, near Hanover, Indiana, USA. In 1984, the Public Service Company of Indiana announced it was abandoning the half-finished nuclear power plant, on which $2.5 billion had already been spent. This is the most expensive nuclear project ever to be abandoned.[1]
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[edit] History
Construction began in 1977 and was halted in 1984, when the Public Service Company of Indiana announced it was abandoning the half-finished nuclear power plant, on which $2.5 billion has already been spent. It said it had to give up the Marble Hill project because of an overwhelming increase in costs and a lack of money to finish construction.[1]
This is the most expensive nuclear project ever to be abandoned. It was also the most serious setback for the troubled nuclear power industry, which saw more than 100 plant cancellations following the Three Mile Island accident near Harrisburg, Pa., in March 1979.[1]
[edit] Description
The two signature containment buildings which would have housed Westinghouse pressurized water reactors still stand as well as the two cooling tower complexes located just north of the containment buildings. The lower portion of the reactor vessel in Unit #1 was already installed at the time construction was halted. The turbine building behind the containment buildings has been demolished, although the multi-story concrete turbine foundations still stand with what remains of the Unit#1 turbine still in place.
[edit] Current status
Marble Hill is currently owned by an undisclosed company based in Michigan and has been under demolition with a contract from MCM Management Corp. Currently, the buildings that are not fully demolished are the two containment buildings, the auxiliary building, the cooling stations, the 'ultimate heat sink' and the downhill freshwater pipeline with pump station. In 2008, the facility has been undergoing more demolition in which the Fuel Handling building (the smaller square building between the two containment buildings) is slowly being torn away and scrapped. All other areas appear intact.
In 1990 Power Equipment Supply Co. ("PESCO") was incorporated in Indiana and was established to sell equipment and parts from the Marble Hill Facility project. PESCO also purchased equipment for resale, brokered equipment, and sold equipment on consignment for others. Public Service Indiana discontinued PESCO operations in early 1996.
As of August 2010 most of the structure has been demolished. 1 of the containment buildings has been completely demolished and the other has no reactor core, and is under heavy demolition.
As of December 2011, both containment domes have been demolished, but approximately 2/3 of the cooling stacks still stand. The control building is under heavy demolition.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Jesus Rangel (January 17, 1984). "Half-built Indiana nuclear plant abandoned at $2.5 billion cost". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/17/us/half-built-indiana-nuclear-plant-abandoned-at-a-2.5-billion-cost.html.
- Time Magazine: "Nuclear Fissures" Monday, Jan. 30, 1984.
- UPI, The New York Times Business page: "Plan Rejected For Marble Hill" , June 19, 1984 10-K SEC Filing, filed by PSI ENERGY INC on 3/27/1997
- Abandon Indiana Site Photos 2010
- Photographs of structures at Marble Hill under demolition, Summer 2010
- Video of Marble Hill 2009
Coordinates: 38°36′03.09″N 85°26′45.19″W / 38.6008583°N 85.4458861°W
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