One of the three remaining buildings scheduled to be taken down from the former Sims site came down around 9 a.m. Friday, signifying the first of multiple planned explosive demolitions to raze the Harbor Island coal plant.
The scrubber building, located in between the smokestack and the unit 3 boiler house, was the first building to come down. There was a three- and one-minute countdown before viewers along the waterfront near Waterfront Stadium saw the building come down, accompanied by a loud explosion.
A perimeter was set up around the controlled explosion with Grand Haven Department of Public Safety officers. Multiple firetrucks and ambulances were stationed off Harbor Drive.
“The demolition went really good,” Board of Light & Power engineer Erik Booth said. “The contractors they brought in, Bierlein, are top drawer contractors. They did a really good job — the site perimeter was set up really well.”
While the safe zone around the site was set at 1,400 feet, the explosion could be heard — and felt — for miles.
At the Tribune office at 700 Washington Ave., advertising representative Kim Street said the explosion shook the windows in the building.
Eric Kaelin of 103.5 WAWL Radio was talking with Grand Haven mayor Bob Monetza when the boom halted their conversation for a moment.
"I had Mayor Monetza on talking about shoveling the sidewalks, and I couldn't feel it, but we heard it," Kaelin said.
The explosion isn't audible on-air, but after a short pause, Kaelin says, "You know what that was? That was the power plant coming down."
"Yup, they just exploded a part of the power plant," Monetza said. "Just heard it boom."
Demolition of the former Sims coal plant on Harbor Island has been in effect since early 2020. It was determined that the coal plant would no longer be used months before its last day in operation in early February 2020.
The scrubber building housed two vessels that used to scrub the exhaust gas from Unit 3 for sulfur dioxide emissions, Booth said.
Bierlein, the demolition contractor, was awarded a $5 million contract. As of Jan. 22, about $3 million has been invoiced, which is on track with what’s expected, Booth said. Dykon, a separate explosive contractor, executed the explosive demolition.
BLP General Manager Dave Walters said at a board meeting that a 1,400 foot radius is likely to be used for this kind of explosive demolition. That is all being left up to Bierlein and Dykon, as they are responsible for any liability, Walters said.
The demolition of the Sims plant is in the final stages, Booth said. BLP is ahead of schedule. Only the smokestack and Unit 3 building still remain visible on the island from afar. Demolition is expected to be wrapped up by June, according to a BLP board meeting discussion.
You can watch a video of the demolition by clicking here.
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