Oak Creek Power Plant

Oak Creek Power Plant, also known as South Oak Creek, is a base load, coal- and natural gas-fired, electrical power station located on Lake Michigan in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Oak Creek Power Plant along with Elm Road Generation Station make up the entire Oak Creek Generating Site.

Oak Creek Power Plant
CountryUnited States
LocationOak Creek, Wisconsin
Coordinates42°50′40″N 87°49′43″W
StatusOperational
Commission dateUnit 5: December, 1959
Unit 6: December, 1961
Unit 7: March, 1965
Unit 8: October, 1967
Unit 9 (gas-fired): December, 1968

Unit 1 (Elm Road): 2010

Unit 2 (Elm Road): 2011
Decommission dateUnits 1–4: 1980s
Planned closure of Units 5 & 6 May 2024
Planned closure of Units 7 & 8 2025
Owner(s)We Energies
Thermal power station
Primary fuelSub-bituminous coal
Cooling sourceLake Michigan
Power generation
Units operational1 x 261 MW
1 x 264 MW
1 x 298 MW
1 x 312 MW
2 x 634 MW
Nameplate capacitySouth Oak Creek
1,135 MWe
Elm Road Generation Station
1,268 megawatts
Annual net outputTotal (All Fuels, GWh)
2018 - 12,681
2019 - 11,384
2020 - 10,783
2021 - 12,180

The plant was built for an initial cost of $246 million.[1] It is located on over 400 acres (160 ha) of land on the border of Milwaukee and Racine counties.

Advanced Air Quality Control Systems (AQCS) were installed in 2012 for $750 million on all four generating units. In 2009, it was listed as the third largest generating station in Wisconsin with a net summer capacity of 1,135 MW.[2][3] The plant consumes between 6,000 and 6,400 tons of coal daily depending on system demands.[4]

In 2018, the plant was listed as the fifth largest generation station in Wisconsin with an annual generation of 4,767,153 MW-h, behind Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant (10,128,796 MW-h), Elm Road Generating Station (7,913,698 MW-h), Columbia (6,641,670 MW-h), and Port Washington Generating Station (5,829,109 MW-h).[5]

On November 6th, 2020 - A plan was announced that includes the retirement of the 1,100-megawatt South Oak Creek coal plant in southeastern Wisconsin over the next five years. Units 5 and 6 at South Oak Creek would be shut down in 2023 while units 7 and 8 will be shut down by 2024. [6] The closures have since been delayed to May 2024 for Units 5 and 6 and late 2025 for Units 7 and 8.[7]

Expansion

In 2005, two 615-megawatt coal-fueled units were constructed just north of the existing Oak Creek facility. Unit 1 began commercial operation on February 2, 2010.[8] with Unit 2 following in 2011.

Units
Unit Capacity (MW) Commissioning Notes
1–4 1950s Retired in the 1980s
5 275 (nameplate)
261 (summer)
262 (winter)[9]		 1959[9] Plans announced to stop burning coal by 2035.[10]
6 275 (nameplate)
264 (summer)
265 (winter)[9]		 1961[9] Plans announced to stop burning coal by 2035.[10]
7 317.6 (nameplate)
298 (summer)
298 (winter)[9]		 1965[9] Plans announced to stop burning coal by 2035.[10]
8 324 (nameplate)
298 (summer)
298 (winter)[9]		 1967[9] Plans announced to stop burning coal by 2035.[10]
9 18 1968 Natural gas combustion turbine for startup / standby power

Electricity Production

In 2021, Oak Creek Power Station (South Oak Creek Power Plant and Elm Road Generating Station combined) generated 12,180 GWh, approximately 19.46% of the total electric power generated in Wisconsin (62,584 GWh)[11] for that year. The South Oak Creek Power Plant (coal only) had a 2021 annual capacity factor of 61.65% and the Elm Road Generating Station (coal only) had a 2021 annual capacity factor of 69.26%.

Generation (MW-h) of South Oak Creek Power Plant[12]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual (Total)
2001 594,828 386,288 578,131 436,293 420,042 498,311 581,496 616,278 550,459 425,936 381,037 387,989 5,857,088
2002 313,742 278,455 343,737 437,303 504,601 508,723 656,861 573,386 591,802 395,956 366,701 348,897 5,320,164
2003 483,785 543,226 403,931 400,037 341,862 486,333 558,267 517,715 502,669 611,095 512,605 521,029 5,882,554
2004 515,520 492,324 509,888 547,422 620,759 505,487 563,217 599,107 518,928 594,649 603,603 604,797 6,675,701
2005 419,601 483,080 512,637 309,243 466,286 582,895 534,209 525,192 478,640 522,034 457,986 538,734 5,830,537
2006 514,164 468,906 397,968 528,270 428,392 508,887 620,495 630,081 455,471 415,290 433,711 413,665 5,815,300
2007 436,879 308,027 472,268 467,187 291,119 438,908 439,940 502,457 522,073 604,577 537,923 609,785 5,631,143
2008 644,337 465,184 488,251 473,011 483,015 458,519 575,589 589,011 504,101 313,027 299,315 539,641 5,833,001
2009 418,354 366,090 371,469 208,214 255,481 205,145 370,662 396,817 354,979 527,799 437,597 486,923 4,399,530
2010 520,479 368,245 393,771 294,137 354,652 359,665 449,634 486,374 406,908 363,753 279,763 482,564 4,759,945
2011 449,824 394,542 482,445 415,671 382,364 480,110 500,914 563,176 520,005 559,962 195,935 407,215 5,352,163
2012 251,662 270,999 313,845 294,545 200,395 358,738 314,430 351,105 476,262 329,305 366,571 449,542 3,977,399
2013 429,890 447,066 234,966 294,847 508,249 509,382 583,892 371,217 363,135 335,769 305,937 362,475 4,746,825
2014 497,979 451,409 422,053 373,703 256,698 335,200 442,912 437,966 458,636 389,758 -1,058 236,204 4,301,460
2015 590,000 417,363 376,365 220,173 382,773 452,601 534,681 558,386 576,651 377,010 306,992 367,267 5,160,262
2016 450,687 138,721 237,137 254,619 259,392 350,326 454,283 528,469 371,782 249,577 230,720 304,734 3,830,447
2017 431,400 299,247 228,334 239,290 434,147 418,572 435,904 577,898 381,171 380,547 470,289 398,539 4,695,338
2018 464,871 455,040 168,219 265,170 206,501 407,102 523,526 528,979 472,707 411,130 321,556 508,348 4,733,149
2019 571,936 414,278 396,974 255,313 550,961 -- 347,115 483,216 139,453 55,092 238,098 337,735 3,790,171
2020 336,925 162,630 152,374 52,597 48,356 309,385 527,558 353,924 239,277 267,058 250,114 320,169 3,020,367
2021 504,605 414,046 349,688 349,700 232,464 141,575 559,304 502,534 387,127 385,858 369,384 253,599 4,449,884
2022 371,242 328,695 304,499 251,093 312,481 344,032 406,326 321,783 221,459 174,093 142,192 208,574 3,386,470
2023 291,638 117,985 43,790 0 14,804

Subnotes:

(1) : Table data reflects electrical generation from coal fuels only (subbituminous coal, refined coal). The plant also generates a minor amount of electricity (less than 1%) from natural gas.

(2) : Major fuel changed from subbituminous coal to refined coal in January 2016. The major fuel changed back to subbituminous coal in March 2022 .

Generation (MW-h) of Elm Road Generating Station[13]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual (Total)
2010 0 48,568 -1,840 49,662 201,912 154,065 223,351 1,656 26,969 42,664 340,628 331,711 1,419,346
2011 509,557 375,435 444,647 433,011 274,068 512,028 635,325 522,383 276,896 99,558 345,775 315,362 4,744,045
2012 216,962 59,442 198,746 221,462 156,845 67,051 415,510 573,298 59,517 0 -11,079 -12,698 1,945,056
2013 163,875 265,684 70,368 8,213 347,684 348,443 644,009 465,133 300,761 -8,772 157,720 559,077 3,322,195
2014 714,311 426,494 366,194 645,674 641,388 697,290 531,564 765,127 433,923 171,078 607,447 782,848 6,783,338
2015 689,718 563,248 488,205 542,180 733,797 582,022 742,283 658,592 397,922 415,376 697,745 583,267 7,094,355
2016 607,163 741,395 631,347 668,285 383,667 785,660 835,455 867,693 660,693 176,967 574,292 879,869 7,812,486
2017 905,955 798,714 782,578 521,480 443,478 635,060 883,074 490,738 519,759 382,538 453,522 552,687 7,369,583
2018 442,866 479,164 534,132 711,323 661,782 677,270 858,066 781,569 528,178 585,734 753,872 876,252 7,890,208
2019 637,419 771,005 523,369 534,925 428,616 0 739,105 817,677 765,115 804,830 723,552 812,844 7,558,457
2020 561,777 766,579 822,821 487,910 590,824 691,849 920,085 918,006 841,132 531,151 422,459 178,193 7,732,786
2021 566,469 793,448 909,124 492,576 913,375 891,823 907,844 898,235 669,305 301,026 -2,183 353,921 7,694,963
2022 674,073 632,632 489,365 479,334 378,274 273,575 667,146 734,253 422,028 106,308 401,028 658,207 5,916,223
2023 493,599 498,291 729,680 297,084 447,144

Subnotes:

1. Table data reflects electrical generation from all coal fuels only (bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, and refined coal). The plant also generates a minor amount of electricity (less than 1%) from natural gas.

Incidents

On February 3, 2009, six contract workers were injured when coal dust ignited in a 65-foot coal dust silo on the power plant site. They had been preparing the structure for repairs when an unknown source ignited coal dust that had accumulated at the top of the silo. All suffered burns.[14]

On October 31, 2011, a bluff area roughly the size of a football field and 200 feet above the level of Lake Michigan eroded, washing mud and debris into Lake Michigan. Close to 100 workers were at the site at the time of the collapse; none were hurt or killed.[15][16][17]

See also

References
  1. "We Energies Oak Creek Power Plant". www.we-energies.com. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  2. "Oak Creek Power Plant" (PDF). We Energies. February 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  3. "Wisconsin – Ten Largest Plants by Generating Capacity, 2009" (PDF). U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  4. "We Energies Elm Road Generating Station". www.we-energies.com. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  5. "EIA - State Electricity Profiles". www.eia.gov. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  6. "Partial Closure of Oak Creek Power Plant Planned". WGTD.org. Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  7. Conway, Brendan (June 23, 2022). "We Energies announces new timeline for Oak Creek plant retirements". We Energies News. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  8. "Elm Road Generating Station". Bechtel Corporation. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009.
  9. "Electricity Generating Capacity: Existing Electric Generating Units by Energy Source, 2008". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  10. Journal, Chris Hubbuch | Wisconsin State. "Utility plans to swap coal for gas draw mixed reviews". madison.com. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  11. "Electricity Data Browser". www.eia.gov. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  12. "Electricity Data Browser". www.eia.gov. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  13. "Electricity Data Browser". www.eia.gov. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  14. "We Energies coal dust silo explosion injures 6 workers". www.jsonline.com. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  15. "Bluff collapse at power plant sends dirt, coal ash into lake". www.jsonline.com. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  16. "Bluff Collapses at WE Energies Power Station on Lake Michigan Shore in Oak Creek, Wisconsin". Cardinal News. November 1, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  17. "The Day After: We Energies Bluff Collapse Roundup - Oak Creek, WI Patch". April 25, 2012. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
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