Mitchell Power Plant

Coal-fired power station in West Virginia

39°49′48″N 80°49′05″W / 39.82997°N 80.81797°W / 39.82997; -80.81797Power generationNameplate capacity

1,632.6 MW

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[edit on Wikidata]

Mitchell Power Plant is a large coal fired power station located on West Virginia Route 2 south of Moundsville, West Virginia, United States.

It has a 1,206-foot (368 m) tall chimney, which was built in 1971.^[1] This smokestack was once the tallest in the world for a short period of time. As of 2013^[update] it is the sixth tallest, and still the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern United States.^[2]

A second 1,000 foot tall smokestack was built in 2006 to comply with emission regulations. On March 6, a fire broke out at the top of the new stack trapping several construction workers just as they were finishing the installation of the stack's fiberglass liner.^[3] Three of the workers were rescued by helicopter evacuation; a fourth worker at the site, Gerald Talbert, died from the accident.^[4]

Records
Preceded by Chimney of Lippendorf Power Station	World's tallest chimney 367.6 m (1206 ft) 1968-1971	Succeeded by Inco Superstack

References

^ "Mitchell Power Plant". Skyscraper Page. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
^ "Comparison Diagram of World's Tallest Chimneys". Skyscraper Page. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
^ "Fire traps workers atop W. Va. Smokestack". NBC News. March 5, 2006.
^ "Families settle for $27M in fatal W.Va. Smokestack fire".