More than 200 current and former employees recently gathered at Harrison Power Station in Haywood, W.Va., to commemorate the coal-fired plant’s 50 years of service. The event was combined with Harrison’s annual Health & Safety Fair and a 50th anniversary display was set up in the station’s main conference room. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines were followed during the event.)

The display included old photos, equipment previously used at the facility and other historical items. In addition, three large graphics were mounted on the walls of the conference room that showcased how much coal has been burned (240,283,664 tons) and the number of megawatt hours (MWhs) that have been produced (611,647,033 MWhs) by the station over the last 50 years.

Harrison employees turned the station’s main conference room into a 50th anniversary display that featured old photos, equipment previously used at the facility and other historical items.

According to Gary Dinzeo, the station’s director, it was great to relive memories with some old friends and to honor Harrison for its many years of service. “It kind of felt like a family reunion,” Gary said with a chuckle. “Harrison employees share a close bond, and everything we have accomplished over the last five decades is a direct result of the many talented and innovative people who have worked here.”

Gary added: “I’d like to thank everyone who helped to put this event together – especially the members of our 50th anniversary committee – for making it a special occasion for our current and former employees.”

(L.) Travis Masoner, manager, Maintenance, received the honor of cutting the 50th Anniversary cake to share with guests. (R.) Retirees Rodney Osbourn (l.) and Harold McKinney reminisce about the old days of working at Harrison Power Station. Harold is a former director of the station.

A Half-Century of Making Megawatts

Harrison Unit 1 first came online in 1972, followed by units 2 and 3 in 1973 and 1974, respectively. According to Gary, Harrison has a long history of excellence in terms of safety, reliability and overall performance. The plant has reached multiple milestones during its five decades of service to the company and our customers.

“In 1986, Unit 2 completed a continuous run of 346 days – which at the time was a record for a coal-fired station – and the unit was only taken offline because it was scheduled for a maintenance outage,” said Gary. “In 1994, Harrison was the first station of its size to achieve one million hours worked without a lost-time injury. Both records are significant achievements for an electric generating facility.”

John Rapp, superintendent, Maintenance (l.), and Dan Rossero enjoy checking out the 50th Anniversary display set up in Harrison’s main conference room.

Even at 50, Harrison shows no signs of slowing down. Just this year, a dry sorbent injection system came online to help manage stack opacity, and additional equipment is being designed to help the station meet effluent limitation guidelines* – which will require the elimination of bottom ash transport water – by 2025.

Although a lot has changed at Harrison over the years, one thing has remained constant – the dedicated and hard-working employees who have made the station what it is today.

“Our culture of excellence was established on day one by Harrison’s original operating team,” said Gary. “The foundation they set of doing things the right way every time and creating an environment of looking out for each other and being a good corporate citizen is still followed today. We have built on that foundation through the years, but those standards still serve as our guiding principles at the station.”

Harrison is one of the largest and cleanest coal-fired generating facilities in the country, and according to Dan Rossero, vice president, Operations, it continues to play a critical role for our company and the region we serve.

“Harrison Power Station has touched the lives of many people through the years, and plant employees continue to have a meaningful impact on the local community,” said Dan. “Through our investments in the station and our involvement in environmental initiatives like tree planting events and the West Virginia Adopt-A-Highway Program, we are committed to helping Harrison achieve additional milestones in the future.”

Harrison retirees who attended the 50th Anniversary event paused for a group photo outside the station.

* New effluent limitation guidelines were finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in August 2020.