Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group to Implode Boiler and Precipitator Buildings
07/23/2024 – The Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG), responsible for the demolition of the Avon Lake power plant, has notified the City of Avon Lake that the boiler #9 & #10 and precipitator #8 buildings will be imploded using controlled explosives. They have not committed to an exact date because of different factors affecting the implosion. However, they have indicated that it will occur before mid-August.
ALERG is the owner of the site and oversees contractors performing the shutdown, decommissioning, and demolition of the former GenOn power plant, as well as all environmental remediation and redevelopment efforts at the site.
Mayor Mark Spaetzel emphasized the City's commitment to balancing communication with resident safety: “My challenge as mayor is to weigh the information we release while keeping the safety of our residents in mind. In an effort to eliminate crowds, for their own protection, our plan is to notify the community within a week of the implosion and send an alert 30 minutes prior to the implosion through the Alert Avon Lake emergency notification system.”
ALERG is collaborating with local authorities, including the Avon Lake Police and Fire Departments, Avon Lake Regional Water, Columbia Gas, First Energy, and the Coast Guard, to ensure a coordinated and safe event. ALERG’s demolition experts have set a 1,200-foot exclusion zone, with an expanded area cordoned off for additional safety. Affected building owners, businesses, and residents will be notified within a week of the demolition.
The City of Avon Lake is implementing several safeguards, including:
• Notifying the public within one week of the implosion.
• Providing information on what to expect through various communication channels.
• Sending alerts via the Alert Avon Lake notification system 30 minutes before the blast.
• Monitoring air quality before, during, and after the event.
• Assisting with the closure of Lake Road and the surrounding area during the implosion.
Residents are encouraged to visit the City’s website, AvonLake.org for details, updates, and to sign up for Alert Avon Lake to receive emergency notifications.
