Power Plant Updates

In the upcoming years the Avon Lake Power Plant transformation will be of interest to many people. The City of Avon Lake, although not in control of the future property, would like to keep people informed. Check here for regular updates.

March 2024

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
March PDF Update


February 2024

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
February PDF Presentation


January 2024

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
January PDF Presentation  January Minutes


November 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
November PDF Presentation  November Minutes


October 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
October PDF Presentation  October Minutes


September 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
September Minutes


August 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
August PDF Presentation


July 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
July PDF Presentation  July Minutes


June 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
June PDF Presentation  June Minutes


April 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
April PDF Presentation   April Minutes


March 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
March PDF Presentation  |  March Minutes


February 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
February PDF Presentation - Updated Conceptual Master Plan 2-13-2023  |  February Minutes


January 2023

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) and Environmental Affairs Advisory Board (EAAB).
January PDF Presentation  |  January Minutes


December 2022

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC). Part of that presentation was a promotional video they produced.
Promotional Video    •    December PDF Presentation  |  December Minutes

November 2022

Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) presented to the Council appointed, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).
November PDF Presentation  |  November Minutes


July 19, 2022

There was  a public meeting to discuss the demolition and redevelopment of the Avon Lake Power Plant site. The featured presenters were from Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG), a subsidiary of Charah Solutions.

The program began in the Avon Lake High School Performing Arts Center (PAC), where ALERG presented information then representatives from ALERG, the City, and the Avon Lake Community Improvement Corporation went to the commons area to discuss the project with attendees.

To watch the presentation on YouTube, please CLICK HERE. To view the Powerpoint slides presented, please CLICK HERE.


May 17, 2022

Below are a second set of questions answered by the Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG).

Q: Do you have an estimate of how extensive the clean-up/restoration will be both in terms of time and amount of soil removed?
A: The former coal yard will be one of the first areas to be addressed to remove coal and coal residuals from the soil surface. This phase is estimated at 3 to 4 months and will be conducted somewhat concurrently with demolition in the coal yard. Other soil management work will proceed after Phase II Environmental Investigations, soil borings, and soil testing is conducted during Summer/Fall 2022.

Q: Where is the closest facility that can receive materials from the site?
A: Appropriately licensed off-site treatment, disposal, and recycling destination facilities that are capable of processing/disposing of/recycling/treating the compounds in the demolition materials will be used. The locations from the site will vary. The closest Subtitle D landfill to the site is Republic Services, Lorain County Landfill, approximately 20 miles south. This landfill will receive demolition debris that cannot be recycled. Asbestos-containing material is being transported to the Ottawa County Republic Landfill located 65 miles west of the site.

Q: Do you anticipate being able to use local (Ohio) contractors?
A: ALERG will utilize local Ohio contractors that meet our qualifications and safety requirements and are responsive to our work task orders, terms and conditions, and are cost competitive.

Q: Will there be post-restoration use restrictions at the site?
A: Currently, ALERG does not anticipate post-restoration use restrictions for the redevelopment of the property. 


May 2, 2022

The Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) has received questions from Avon Lake's Environmental Affairs Advisory Board (EAAB) regarding the remediation and demolition of the Avon Lake Power Plant. Below, we have listed the questions tendered on Thursday, April 28, followed by ALERG's response.

Q: Will there be an environmental site assessment/baseline of the Avon Lake Coal Power Plant be performed?
A: ALERG has been conducting detailed environmental due diligence reviews and Phase I ESA work for the past several months. The Phase 1 ESA was completed before closing and has onsite recognized environmental conditions (RECs) that will be addressed during the remediation and demolition of the plant. Now that we have acquired the property and the plant is being de-energized, we can begin further environmental Phase II testing and assessments in the coming months.

Q: What is the redevelopment/land use plan for the facility?
A: ALERG is working closely with our real estate advisor, planners, engineers, and the City of Avon Lake to assess various land use plans and alternatives for the property. Although still in very early conceptual planning, these Master Plan Concepts have been presented in recent public meetings at the City.

Q: What is the remedial action plan for the facility?
A: Our integrated work teams are currently preparing the site with important environmental controls and best management practices to ensure the site is ready for clean-up and demolition. Subsequent near-term work includes inventory and removal of petroleum, residual chemical/material substances, remaining coal material/coal residuals, and asbestos abatement/removal. These actions will then prepare various areas of the plant for dismantlement/demolition. The facility's Remedial Action Plan (RAP) will be further developed as several rounds of Phase II environmental investigations are conducted and the nature and extent of potentially contaminated media (soil, sediment, groundwater, surface water) become defined and quantified.

Q: How will the soil and groundwater contamination be managed/remediated?
A: When the site is ready and prepared to conduct Phase II ESA work safely, ALERG will assess soil and groundwater conditions. Analytical data will be compared to Ohio EPA's applicable soil and water quality standards.

Contaminants in soil and/or groundwater will be assessed with respect to potential exposure pathways and risks to human health and the environment. If necessary, for risk reduction, feasible, cost-effective, and sustainable remedial approaches will be implemented. Remedial approaches will be defined as further site conditions become defined by Phase II work.

Q: How will hazardous materials, including but not limited to decommissioning waste (i.e., process chemicals, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead, concrete structures and substructures contaminated with PCB's/other process chemicals, etc.) be managed and disposed?
A: We have a team of highly trained, experienced staff and contractors that specialize in managing the wastes and residuals from a large power plant demolition, abatement, and clean-up project, such as Avon Lake. For the most part, off-site disposal and off-site recycling/re-use of wastes and residuals will be conducted. Appropriately licensed off-site treatment, disposal, and recycling destination facilities capable of processing/disposing of/recycling/treating the compounds in the demolition materials will be used. Clean concrete will be crushed and utilized onsite as structural back fill for subsurface voids, basements, and tunnels.

Q: How will the redevelopment plan and remedial action plan be integrated to reduce risk?
A: ALERG's objective is to safely and effectively remove the power plant and its components to an acceptable standard of workmanship and an environmental due care standard. As future land uses and/or development plans are determined, further risk-based assessments will be conducted by others responsible for redevelopment or, depending on timing, scope, and objectives, may be able to be integrated into our work concurrently.

Q: How will stakeholders be incorporated into the project lifecycle?
A: ALERG's team has communicated frequently with the City of Avon Lake and its Community Improvement Corporation (CIC). We will continue maintaining City awareness and provide information from time to time. ALERG's team also works with state and local regulatory agencies while maintaining compliance with all permit requirements.

Q: Who will be the final regulatory approval body, when it comes to remedial actions, and clean-up targets?
A: ALERG's work is regulated by Ohio EPA. We have obtained/transferred various environmental permits for our planned work. As we conduct environmental assessments, remediation, demolition, and risk reduction planning, we will be following the applicable rule making and policies under the Ohio Voluntary Action Program and under the review of an Ohio Certified Professional (CP).

Q: What is the phased project approach and the approximate project schedule?
A: We expect an approximate 24 to 36 month schedule for the work, which has now started.


April 25, 2022

In January, with the help of environmental consulting firm Verdantas, the City of Avon Lake applied for a $300,000 assessment grant from Ohio’s Brownfield Remediation Program. The grant is for the power plant site. This was a new $500 million grant program for the state, and Avon Lake applied in the first of multiple rounds of the program. It is called an assessment grant because it is specifically for environmental testing, and not for demolition or remediation. The City was excited to hear, on April 25, that it had received this $300,000 grant.


April 1, 2022

Charah Solutions Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky-based says it has completed the full acquisition of the Avon Lake Generating Station and adjacent property. They plan to start immediately start on the environmental remediation and sustainable redevelopment of the property. Through its subsidiary, Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group LLC (ALERG), Charah has acquired the former GenOn property. ALERG will be responsible for the shutdown, decommissioning and demolition of the coal power plant and performing all environmental remediation and redevelopment work at the site. 

Toronto-based Avison Young has been retained to advise on the redevelopment of the property in an environmentally conscious manner and for the future sale of the remediated property.

ALERG has also retained Gensler, a San Francisco-based architecture and planning group, who is positioning the property to expand economic activity and benefit the surrounding communities through job creation and enable this site to provide the best potential use for the community and City of Avon Lake moving forward.


March 31, 2022

A last farewell to the Avon Lake Power Plant presentation was given at the Avon Lake Kiwanis meeting. Thank you to all those in the community who submitting stories, memories, photographs, voices and video shared here. See the videos below for a collection of these contributions.

Avon Lake
Public Library

Paul Englert

Ed Moran

Shea Alltmont

Kathryn Eyring

Dan Rogatto

Melissa Bentley

Ann Jenkins

Susan Schaefera

Chris Brand

Evan McCartney

Ron Thomas

Mary Lou Carswell

Robert Menser

Gary Vasitak


RESOURCES

To view a 360º virtual tour of the inside of the power plant - Click Here