SGA was retained to explore creative reuse options for the former coal fire power plant that ceased operations in 2012 and is located along the scenic Cheat River. SGA evaluated the power plant building complex and associated infrastructure and vast surrounding lands to determine the opportunities and constraints associated with any reuse alternative. The site remains part of the regional electrical transmission network, which creates special challenges associated with its reuse. The proposed reused considered the environmental legacy of the coal-fired facility including buildings and the site which included a three-boiler house and turbine hall, diesel pump generation, transformer/switch yards, water treatment facilities, cooling towers, and ash settlement basins, as well as a dam and bridge across the river. Reuse scenarios focused on recreational opportunities focused on river and regional trail recreation as well as a solar generation facility that takes advantage of the ability to directly connect to the regional transmission network. The project evaluated the potential for the removal of the dam structure associated with the plant’s operation to retore natural habitat conditions and support native species migration.
