AVON LAKE, OH — The City of Avon Lake is planning to shut down the Avon Lake Generating Station, which has been the city’s landmark for almost a century. The Avon Lake power plant was constructed from March 1925 to July 1926 at the cost of roughly $ 30,000,000 at the time.
The city’s administration is currently partnering with GenOn Holding, Inc, the power plant’s current owner, and its successor to convert the site to a greener public space for recreational use.
“We’re excited about this opportunity for a transformative redevelopment for Avon Lake,” said Mayor Gregory Zilka. Zilka added that the site’s rebuilding would help the administration push for a cleaner environment and improve the quality of life for residents in its community.
Therefore, the city will apply for federal brownfield grants and other sources to speed up the environmental remediation project. The coal-fired power plant operates fewer than 50 days a year and employs around 55 people affected by the closure.
The city understands such a situation, and Zilka stated that the city would work with its partners at Ohio Means Jobs Lorain County to assist them in transition.
The plant’s shutdown will have no impact on residents’ energy needs due to the plant’s limited usage.
The city expects the loss of property tax revenue. The new real estate and business development will offset any short-lived impact on businesses, schools, and homeowners.
“The innovative skills of our partners combined with our determination to take advantage of suddenly gaining a half-mile of lakefront land equal a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Mayor Zilka. “We plan to take advantage of it.”