Board Puts Off Decision on Permits for Salem Harbor Power Plant Conversion

The Salem Planning Board reviewed Footprint Power's plan to convert the Salem Harbor Power Station into a state-of-the-art natural gas plant during a public hearing Thursday night that drew a small crowd of area residents to Bentley Elementary School.

Though the plant is in Salem, it is visible to Marblehead residents across the harbor. For years, Marblehead residents have had their own concerns about the coal-fired plant and its pollution.

Throughout the nearly three-hour meeting, Footprint representatives took turns explaining how the natural gas plant, which is slated to replace the current coal-fired facility, will be smaller, cleaner — and much better looking.

Rather than vote Thursday, board members opted to revisit Footprint's three permit applications at their next meeting on May 16. 

Before the meeting was opened up for discussion, Footprint Power CEO Peter Furniss and other company representatives guided the roughly 75 area residents in attendance through a brief Powerpoint presentation. 

The main outlines of the project

The old coal-burning facility will be all but razed, then replaced on a much smaller scale by a gas-fired power plant. Much of the 65-acre plot would be available for uses other than the plant, which would take up only 22 acres.

Toward the Blaney Street side, docks capable of accepting large cruise ships are envisioned. Between the plant and the adjoining sewerage facility, industrial uses are expected.

The new plant would have one smokestack in place of the current facility's three. And that stack would be less than half the height (230 feet) of the tallest existing one (492 feet).

Residents voice their concerns

Although many of the residents who spoke at the meeting said they were pleased to hear that Footprint would be redeveloping the Salem Harbor Power Station site, almost all of them added that they had lingering concerns that they'd like to see addressed.

Concerns raised Thursday included fears regarding noise generated by steam tests, groundwater pollution, the possibility of a plant explosion and the fact that hazardous chemicals would have to be trucked to and from the plant as often as once a week.

Click through the photos attached to this post for a closer look at some computer renderings of the proposed plant.

What are your concerns? 

Let us know in the comments section below.