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First steps of Shiras Steam Plant demolition proceeding

MARQUETTE — The Marquette Board of Light and Power recently provided an update of the Shiras Steam Plant demolition project, although the timeline is uncertain for this project due to the pandemic.

During the MBLP’s most recent board meeting, which was held via teleconferencing software that allowed for all board members and the public to participate in the meeting, officials relayed what’s happening with the MBLP’s Shiras Steam Plant along Lake Street in Marquette.

As of last week, MBLP began shipping ash, dirt and coal from the site to the Haywire Landfill in Manistique, as a pilot project teaming up with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

MBLP Executive Director Tom Carpenter said MBLP is working with the Haywire Landfill to reuse the ash and coal/sand waste as a product to help stabilize the landfill.

“The first steps of construction on the demo have begun with the removal of waste coal/ash material,” Carpenter said. “This was part of our coal combustion residuals cleanup project that will remove the ash settling basins and build a new water containment system on the Shiras dock.”

Carpenter noted that reusing the material is critical instead of dumping it into the landfill.

“It is a beneficial reuse that benefits not only the landfill but also the MBLP ratepayers in that it will be significantly less expensive to recycle the material for reuse than it would be to dispose of it as waste,” he said.

The COVID-19 situation has delayed the demolition process and Carpenter said that in order to kick the project off, engineering consultant Golder Associates Inc. is needed on site before officials can determine the estimated timeline.

“The (Shiras Steam Plant) CCR project itself is being done by M.J. Van Damme construction with consultant support from GEI Consultants. We have MBLP staff that is supporting the project internally,” Carpenter said. “The Shiras demo project is being supported by Golder as our consultant with MBLP staff supporting the project internally.”

Other capital projects were discussed during the meeting, including the Wright Street expansion and the plans for a second interconnection. Carpenter added that the Wright Street project is nearly ready to take off, as it will soon go out to contractors to bid for the construction and second interconnection is still in project development.

Jackie Jahfetson can be reached at jjahfetson@miningjournal.net

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