The 345-megawatt Genoa Station No. 3 will close by late 2021. (Photo: Dairyland Power Cooperative)
Dairyland Power Cooperative has announced plans to retire the coal-fired Genoa Station No. 3, located in Genoa, Wisconsin, in late 2021, as part of its Sustainable Generation Plan. The closure will impact about 80 employees, according to Dairyland.
“Our employees are Dairyland’s most valued resource,” President and CEO Barb Nick said. “As we made this difficult decision, we did so with a deep appreciation for the contributions of our employees who have dedicated their talents and energy to help us deliver on our mission to our members.”
Dairyland will offer human resources programs to impacted employees, including a special retirement program for those eligible. Other programs will include skill development, internal placement opportunities and outplacement services to assist in the transition.
“Our employees work diligently to safely provide Dairyland’s members with sustainable, reliable and affordable electricity every day,” Nick said. “We deeply respect and care for our employees and have developed programs to support and minimize impacts during this transition.”
The Sustainable Generation Plan focuses on the continued addition of renewable resources, Nick said.
Many factors are considered when making important decisions regarding generation facilities. “These include age of the facility, system capacity requirements, regulatory requirements, projected maintenance needs and costs, fuel supply, overall cost of power production and regional market prices for energy,” said Nick.
The 345-megawatt G-3 power plant has reliably powered the region for more than five decades. The supercritical facility, which was brought online in June 1969, was designed to be highly efficient and uses low sulfur coal delivered by barge.
“The fact that G-3 is operating at 50 years old is a testament to the dedication of Dairyland’s employees and decades of well thought-out maintenance initiatives and planning,” said Nick. “Dairyland practices the cooperative principle of commitment to community, and Genoa has been one of our communities for the past 75 years.”
