NSP Power Plant Above the Mississippi River

Power plant surrounded by trees
Perched along a bend of the Mississippi River north of downtown Red Wing, the historic Northern States Power (NSP) steam plant stands out with its twin rust-colored smokestacks and the familiar “NSP” lettering still mounted between them. Built in the mid-20th century as a coal-fired generating station, the facility once fed electricity into the regional grid and played a key role in the expansion of Northern States Power’s service territory across southeastern Minnesota. The long enclosed conveyor stretching from the riverfront marks where coal deliveries once arrived by barge, a reminder of how closely the plant’s operations were tied to the Mississippi’s working waterfront. Although the plant has been retired for years, the structure remains an important industrial landmark—visible from Memorial Park high above the river—and sits near the broader Prairie Island energy complex that includes transmission infrastructure and the nearby nuclear generating station. Surrounded by forested riverbanks and the bluffs that define Red Wing’s geography, the site reflects a layered history of energy production, transportation, and landscape along this stretch of the Upper Mississippi.
Photo taken in July 2022.
Photo Part Of
Power Plants
17 photos • 2026
Map
OpenStreetMap Google Maps
More from Power Plants
Southeast Steam Plant, Minneapolis: Smokestacks and Autumn Trees
Southeast Steam Plant, Minneapolis: Smokestacks and Autumn Trees
The Southeast Steam Plant, located on 6th Street SE in Minneapolis, is a former coal-fired power plant that served the…
Charleroi Cooling Tower Base Overgrown
Charleroi Cooling Tower Base Overgrown
The base of a decommissioned cooling tower at the former Monceau-sur-Sambre power plant in Charleroi, Belgium, is overgrown with vegetation.…
Entergy Ninemile 6 Power Plant at Dusk, Westwego, Louisiana
Entergy Ninemile 6 Power Plant at Dusk, Westwego, Louisiana
Entergy Corporation's Ninemile 6 power plant, a 560-megawatt natural gas-fired unit located in Westwego, Louisiana, began operation in December 2014.…
Fox Energy Center, Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Fox Energy Center, Kaukauna, Wisconsin
The Fox Energy Center, located near Kaukauna, Wisconsin, is a natural gas-fired power plant operated by Wisconsin Public Service. This…
Kaukauna Utilities Hydro Plant, Wisconsin
Kaukauna Utilities Hydro Plant, Wisconsin
The Kaukauna City Hydro Plant, operated by Kaukauna Utilities, is situated on the Fox River in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. This facility…
Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Tower, Wisconsin
Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Tower, Wisconsin
The Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant, located in Kewaunee, Wisconsin, features a distinctive containment building with vertical turquoise accents. This facility,…

Built in Minneapolis

Photographs showcasing change over time

Browse by location, move through long-running series, or start with recent work.

© 1996–2026 Chad Davis