Power Plant

54 photos · 2009–2025

54 photographs tagged Power Plant, 2009–2025.

Pillsbury A-Mill on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, with its rooftop flour sign above the former mill complex. — The Pillsbury A-Mill stands on the east bank of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, with its rooftop “Pillsbury’s Best Flour” sign visible above the former milling complex. Completed in 1881, the mill was a major part of the flour industry that grew around nearby St. Anthony Falls, where water power drove large-scale grain processing. The brick industrial buildings are seen alongside newer residential towers and the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, showing the mix of historic industry, research facilities, and redevelopment along the riverfront.

Former Northern States Power steam plant with twin smokestacks stands along the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minnesota. — Northern States Power built this steam plant along the Mississippi River in Red Wing, Minnesota, to supply electricity to the regional grid. Completed in the mid-20th century, it burned coal delivered by rail and barge before the company, now Xcel Energy, shifted away from coal-fired generation at the site.

NSP neon sign and industrial smokestacks at a former Northern States Power generating station on Red Wing's Mississippi River waterfront. — The NSP sign marks the former Northern States Power generating station on the Mississippi River waterfront in Red Wing, Minnesota. Northern States Power built the plant as part of a riverfront industrial corridor that relied on the river for water and shipping access. The company merged with New Century Energies in 2000 to form Xcel Energy, and the old sign remains as a marker of that earlier era.

Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant's two containment domes rise above the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minnesota. — Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant sits on an island in the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minnesota, adjacent to the Prairie Island Indian Community. Xcel Energy operates the station's two pressurized-water reactors, which entered commercial service in 1973 and 1974 and supply electricity to the regional grid. The twin containment domes, built of reinforced concrete, house the reactor systems.

Recreational boats travel on the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minnesota, with the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant visible across the water at sunset. — The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant sits on the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minnesota, on land within the Prairie Island Indian Community's reservation. Xcel Energy operates the two-reactor plant, which began generating power in the early 1970s and supplies electricity to the Twin Cities region.

Hibbing power plant in Minnesota displays multiple industrial smokestacks and yellow corrugated metal buildings under clear blue sky. — The Hibbing power plant sits on the Iron Range in Hibbing, Minnesota, a region built around iron ore mining since the late nineteenth century. Facilities like this one historically supplied electricity to support local mining operations and the surrounding community. The plant's corrugated metal buildings and multiple exhaust stacks are typical of mid-century industrial power generation design in the region.

University of Minnesota's Main Energy Plant with railroad bridge spanning the Mississippi River on the Minneapolis campus. — The University of Minnesota's Main Energy Plant stands on the Mississippi River's West Bank, supplying steam and electricity to campus buildings through a district energy system. A railroad bridge crosses the river just beside it, carrying freight traffic through the university area toward downtown Minneapolis.

Steel catwalks, pipes, and ductwork inside Riverside Generating Station, an Xcel Energy power plant in Minneapolis. — Riverside Generating Station is an Xcel Energy power plant along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Built in the early twentieth century as a coal-fired plant, it was later converted to burn natural gas.

The Kaukauna City Hydro Plant, operated by Kaukauna Utilities, is located on the Fox River in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. The facility generates renewable hydroelectric power for the community. — Kaukauna Utilities' Kaukauna City Hydro Plant sits at 601 Thilmany Road along the Fox River in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. The municipal utility uses the river's drop through the city — once a center of papermaking powered by the same waterway — to generate electricity for local distribution.

Fox Energy Center natural gas power plant viewed from agricultural land near Kaukauna, Wisconsin. — The Fox Energy Center sits near Kaukauna, Wisconsin, along the Fox River valley. Wisconsin Public Service operates the natural gas-fired plant, which came online in 2005 to serve the utility's northeastern Wisconsin customers.

Entergy Ninemile 6 natural gas power plant illuminated at dusk along a levee trail in Westwego, Louisiana. — Entergy Ninemile 6 Power Plant in Westwego, Louisiana, is a natural gas-fired generating unit operated by Entergy Corporation. The facility began operation in 2014 and supplies electricity to the New Orleans area.

The J. P. Pulliam Generating Station on the Fox River in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a dock in the foreground. — The J. P. Pulliam Generating Station, located on the Fox River in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was a significant industrial facility for electricity generation. Named after former Wisconsin Public Service Corporation president John Page Pulliam, the plant primarily utilized sub-bituminous coal, with natural gas as a backup fuel. Decommissioned in 2018, its coal-fired units ceased operation, leaving only a natural gas unit active. The station was connected to the regional power grid via 138 kV and 69 kV transmission lines, underscoring its role in supplying power to the area.

Freight trains and University Southeast Steam Plant — Freight cars sit on rail tracks near the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, with the University of Minnesota campus in the background. The Southeast Steam Plant and its red exhaust stacks rise behind the trains, and the Washington Avenue Bridge crosses the river farther upstream. The scene highlights the mix of industry, infrastructure, and campus development along the riverfront.

University of Minnesota’s Southeast Steam Plant 2019 — The University of Minnesota's Southeast Steam Plant sits along the Mississippi River near the East Bank campus in Minneapolis. Built in the early twentieth century to supply heat and power to the growing university, the plant originally ran on coal before converting to natural gas.

University of Minnesota Southeast Steam Plant — The University of Minnesota Southeast Steam Plant stands on the east bank of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, adjacent to the St. Anthony Falls hydroelectric facilities near the university’s East Bank campus. Identified by its four tall smokestacks, the plant supplies district steam and other utility services for the university and is part of the institutional infrastructure concentrated along the riverfront. Originally developed as a coal-fired heating plant, the facility was later converted to burn natural gas while remaining in operation as a major campus energy source.

Knife Falls Dam hydroelectric plant on the St. Louis River in Cloquet, Minnesota. — Knife Falls Dam in Cloquet, Minnesota. The hydroelectric plant at the dam generates 2.4 megawatts of power.

Industrial power plant with coal storage, conveyor systems, and loading structures along Minnesota waterway. — The Taconite Harbor Energy Center is a power generation facility in Schroeder, Minnesota, located along a shipping waterway used for transporting bulk materials. The complex includes coal storage areas, conveyor systems, and elevated structures for loading operations. The facility serves the regional energy grid and industrial operations in northeastern Minnesota.

Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant stands on Lake Michigan shoreline in Wisconsin, permanently closed since 2013. — Kewaunee Power Station in the Town of Carlton, Wisconsin, stands on the Lake Michigan shoreline southeast of Green Bay. The single-reactor nuclear generating station began commercial operation in 1974 and was the fourth nuclear power plant built in Wisconsin. Dominion Energy permanently shut down the plant on May 7, 2013, citing unfavorable market conditions, including low wholesale electricity prices linked to inexpensive natural gas. By 2019, the reactor and auxiliary buildings remained in place on the 900-acre site as the facility continued through decommissioning.

Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant's turquoise-striped containment dome and cooling structures on Lake Michigan's Wisconsin shoreline. — Kewaunee Power Station sits on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Carlton, Wisconsin, just south of the town of Kewaunee. The single-unit pressurized water reactor began commercial operation in 1974, built and originally operated by Wisconsin Public Service Corporation. Dominion Energy later took over the plant before its owners shut it down in 2013, citing economics rather than safety concerns. The containment structure, with its rounded dome and reinforced concrete walls, housed the reactor vessel that once generated enough electricity to power hundreds of thousands of homes. In 2022, ownership transferred to NorthStar Group for decommissioning, a process that includes dismantling the reactor systems and eventually restoring the site.

A welder works inside a large cylindrical structure during the replacement of a water tank at the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. — A welder works inside a large cylindrical structure at the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This facility, which began operation in 1989, processes waste to generate electricity for the local grid. The ongoing work involves the replacement of a water tank, a critical component for the plant's cooling and operational systems. The HERC plays a significant role in waste management and energy production for the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Freight train with graffiti parked beside Old Main Heating Plant in Minneapolis during winter. — These hopper cars sit on tracks running past the University of Minnesota's Old Main Heating Plant, which has long supplied steam heat to the East Bank campus through a network of underground tunnels. Across the Mississippi River, the Gold Medal Flour sign marks the site of the former Washburn-Crosby mill complex, once among the largest flour-milling operations in the world and the namesake of General Mills. The rail corridor along this stretch of river served Minneapolis's milling district for more than a century, moving grain in and flour out to markets across the country.

Wind turbines stand on rolling hills in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. — Guanacaste's wind farms sit along the mountain corridors near the Tempisque River basin, where steady northeast trade winds funnel through gaps in the Cordillera de Guanacaste. The region's wind-power development began in the early 1990s near Tilarán, among the first utility-scale wind installations in Latin America. Costa Rica's state utility, ICE, along with private operators, has since expanded turbine arrays across these hills to feed the national grid, which runs on renewable sources for most of the year. The consistent wind pattern that draws turbines to this landscape is the same seasonal airflow that makes nearby Lake Arenal a destination for windsurfing.

Roof of the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center — Inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in downtown Minneapolis. Operated by Hennepin County, the facility began service in 1989 and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of trash each year, burning refuse to generate steam and electricity for the local grid.

HERC Control Room Monitoring, Minneapolis — Operators monitor facility systems from a control room inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in Minneapolis. Wall-mounted screens display live camera feeds from across the plant, including the waste bunker and combustion areas, allowing staff to track material flow and equipment conditions in real time. Control panels and logs are used to manage burn rates, steam production, and electrical output, ensuring stable operation of the waste-to-energy process. Operated by Hennepin County since 1989, the facility relies on centralized monitoring like this to coordinate daily operations and maintain safety across the plant.

HERC Turbine Hall Operations Floor — The turbine hall at the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in Minneapolis houses control panels, steam piping, and generator equipment that convert heat from burned municipal waste into electricity. High-pressure steam is routed from the boilers through insulated lines into turbines, with control systems monitoring output and maintaining stable operation. Overhead cranes and access platforms support maintenance of large components within the hall. In operation since 1989 and run by Hennepin County, the facility integrates waste processing with power generation and district energy service for downtown Minneapolis.

HERC Turbine Generator Hall — A turbine generator housing and connected high-pressure steam line are seen inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in Minneapolis. Steam produced from burning municipal solid waste is directed through insulated piping into turbines like this, where it is converted into electricity for the local grid. The enclosed generator units help reduce noise and protect critical components, while adjacent piping and supports manage the flow and pressure of steam across the system. Operating since 1989 under Hennepin County, the facility integrates waste processing with energy production to serve downtown Minneapolis.

HERC High-Pressure Steam Lines — Inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in downtown Minneapolis. Operated by Hennepin County, the facility began service in 1989 and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of trash each year, burning refuse to generate steam and electricity for the local grid.

HERC Boiler Floor Equipment, Hennepin Minneapolis — Pumps, valves, and piping systems operate on the boiler floor inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in Minneapolis. These systems circulate water and steam through the facility’s boilers, where heat from burning municipal solid waste is captured and converted into usable energy. The resulting steam is distributed to downtown buildings and also used to generate electricity. In service since 1989 and operated by Hennepin County, the plant relies on a network of motors, gauges, and control valves like these to regulate pressure, flow, and temperature across its waste-to-energy process.

HERC Combustion Unit Access Doors, Minneapolis — Maintenance access doors line a combustion unit inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in downtown Minneapolis. These sealed panels provide entry points for inspection and servicing of the high-temperature chambers where municipal solid waste is burned. Operated by Hennepin County since 1989, the facility uses controlled combustion to convert trash into energy, producing steam that is distributed to nearby buildings and used to generate electricity.

Inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC), Minneapolis — Inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in downtown Minneapolis. Operated by Hennepin County, the facility began service in 1989 and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of trash each year, burning refuse to generate steam and electricity for the local grid.

Crane inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC), Minneapolis — A crane-mounted grapple lifts mixed municipal waste inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in downtown Minneapolis. Operated by Hennepin County, the facility began service in 1989 and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of trash each year, burning refuse to generate steam and electricity for the local grid.

Waste Processing Floor, HERC Minneapolis — A crane-mounted grapple lifts mixed municipal waste inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in downtown Minneapolis. Operated by Hennepin County, the facility began service in 1989 and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of trash each year, burning refuse to generate steam and electricity for the local grid.

Crane on the HERC Waste Processing Floor, Minneapolis — A crane-mounted grapple lifts mixed municipal waste inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in downtown Minneapolis. Operated by Hennepin County, the facility began service in 1989 and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of trash each year, burning refuse to generate steam and electricity for the local grid.

HERC Waste Processing Floor, Minneapolis — A crane-mounted grapple lifts mixed municipal waste inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in downtown Minneapolis. Operated by Hennepin County, the facility began service in 1989 and processes hundreds of thousands of tons of trash each year, burning refuse to generate steam and electricity for the local grid.

Steel catwalks and coal hoppers inside the boiler house of the Menasha power plant in Wisconsin. — This structure is part of a coal-fired power plant located in Menasha, Wisconsin. Large steel hoppers funnel bulk fuel down toward boiler feed equipment on the lower level. Elevated steel catwalks with grated flooring provide operator access across the boiler house for inspection and maintenance. Copper tubing bundles visible along the turquoise-paneled boiler wall are part of the heat-exchange or economizer system. Insulated ductwork and piping route combustion air and process fluids between the boiler and auxiliary equipment throughout the facility.

Insulated steam pipes and red valve wheels inside the Menasha power plant piping system. — This piping array is located inside the Menasha power plant on the Fox River in Menasha, Wisconsin.

Brick steam plant with a tall spiral-patterned smokestack near the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. — The Southeast Steam Plant sits along the Mississippi River near the University of Minnesota's East Bank campus in Minneapolis. It is operated by the university to provide steam heat and electricity to campus buildings.

Ford Motors Steam Plant in St. Paul — The abandoned decaying Ford Motors steam plant on the banks of the Mississippi River. The plant has sat vacant since the 2011 closure of the Twin Cities Assembly Plant.

The Monceau-sur-Sambre cooling tower in Charleroi, Belgium, stands as a relic of the region's industrial past. — The Monceau-sur-Sambre cooling tower in Charleroi, Belgium, is a 118-meter reinforced-concrete hyperboloid built in the 1960s for the nearby power station. Its flared shell and vertical ribbing were designed to cool large volumes of circulating water used by the generating plant. The associated coal-fired station was taken out of service in the early 2000s, leaving the tower as one of the most prominent surviving industrial structures in the Charleroi area.

The base of a cooling tower at the former Monceau-sur-Sambre power plant in Charleroi, Belgium, is overgrown with vegetation. — The base of a cooling tower at the former Monceau-sur-Sambre power plant in Charleroi, Belgium, stands amid dense vegetation on the abandoned industrial site. The tower was part of a coal-fired generating station in the Charleroi basin, one of Belgium’s major heavy-industry regions. By 2017, when this view was made, the plant had been closed and the remaining structures formed part of the post-industrial landscape left after the decline of coal-fired power generation in the area.

Industrial pipes and metal staircase at University of Minnesota's Main Energy Plant facility. — The Main Energy Plant, on the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus along the Mississippi River, generates steam and electricity for the Twin Cities campus through a combined heat and power system.

The Hamm's Brewery Power Plant in St. Paul, MN, provided energy for brewing operations and remains a testament to the city's industrial history. — The Hamm's Brewery Power Plant in St. Paul, Minnesota, was constructed to support the brewing operations of the Theodore Hamm's Brewing Company, founded in 1865.

Granite Falls Power Plant Smoke Stack — The smoke stack at the now demolished NSP power plant in Granite Falls, Minnesota.

HERC Facility and Downtown Minneapolis — The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) sits along 6th Avenue North on the edge of downtown Minneapolis, converting municipal solid waste into electricity and district steam.

Adair Wind Farm in Adair, Iowa, with wind turbines over farm fields. — Adair Wind Farm in Adair, Iowa, spans agricultural land with multiple utility-scale wind turbines. The installation generates electricity from wind as part of Iowa’s large wind power network.

Wind turbines near Adair, Iowa, rise above harvested farm fields. — Wind turbines near Adair, Iowa, stand in harvested farm fields in west-central Iowa. The turbines are part of a wind farm that generates electricity from wind power.

A "No Trespassing, U.S. Government Property" sign on a chain-link fence overlooking the Mississippi River in St. Paul, Minnesota. — A "No Trespassing, U.S. Government Property" sign is visible on a chain-link fence overlooking the Mississippi River in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Owatonna Power Plant in Owatonna, Minnesota, is illuminated by a neon sign at dusk. — The Owatonna Power Plant in Owatonna, Minnesota.

The Lowry Bridge and Riverside Generating Station are illuminated at night across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. — The Lowry Bridge and the Riverside Generating Station are visible across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. The Riverside Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant, has been a significant source of electricity for the city since its construction in the early 20th century. The Lowry Bridge, a steel arch bridge, was completed in 2012, replacing an earlier structure and improving traffic flow across the river. The photograph captures the industrial and infrastructural elements of the city at night, with the illuminated bridge and power plant contrasting against the dark sky.

The Xcel Energy District Energy Plant in St. Paul, Minnesota, provides steam for downtown buildings and is a vital part of the city's energy infrastructure. — The Xcel Energy District Energy Plant in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, stands along Shepard Road near the Mississippi River. The facility is part of St. Paul’s district energy system, which distributes steam and chilled water to connected buildings in the central business district rather than relying on separate on-site heating and cooling plants.

The Southeast Steam Plant smokestacks in Minneapolis, a former coal-fired power plant, stand against autumn trees. — The Southeast Steam Plant on 6th Street SE in Minneapolis on the Mississippi riverfront. Built in the early 20th century as a coal-fired generating station, the plant supplied electricity and steam heat and remained part of the city’s utility system for decades.

Glencoe Municipal Electric Plant in Glencoe, Minnesota, with stacks and fuel storage tanks. — Glencoe Municipal Electric Plant in Glencoe, Minnesota, is the city-owned power plant that supplies electric service to the community. The facility is part of the local municipal utility system and includes generating equipment, stacks, and fuel storage structures used in power production.

Glencoe Municipal Electric Plant fuel tanks beside the power plant in Glencoe, Minnesota. — Glencoe Municipal Electric Plant in Glencoe, Minnesota, is the city’s municipally owned power facility. The large tanks beside the plant store fuel used for generating electricity and backup power. The site includes stacks, utility buildings, and a fenced service yard along the street.

Abandoned Market Street Power Plant with brick masonry walls and arched windows on Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans. — Market Street Power Plant on Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans is a former electric generating station built in the early 20th century. The facility supplied power to the city before closing and later becoming an abandoned industrial property. Its large masonry walls and arched windows are characteristic of the plant’s original industrial architecture.

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