Alexandria Power Plant Shuts Monday

GenOn Power Plant had been in use since 1949

A coal-fired power plant in Alexandria that has drawn the scorn of environmentalists for decades is about to be shut down.

The GenOn Power Plant will close Monday under an agreement between city officials and Houston-based GenOn Energy

The plant opened in 1949 and had been forced to scale back its operations to comply with the Clean Air Act in recent years. GenOn will get back about $32 million the city had held in escrow to use for environmental controls under an agreement signed in 2008.

Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille tells WTOP-FM that the closure is a victory for local residents, some of whom never thought they'd live to see the plant shut down. He says the city hopes to redevelop the site into commercial and retail space.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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