The end could finally be near for the vacant Jasper Power Plant as the city is accepting bids for demolition that will be heard at an April meeting.
Built in the late 1960’s the Plant provided power and continued to operate into the early 2000’s when it finally quit generating power in 2008, only being fired back up once in 2013 as officials tested the plants stacks. Originally the plant was built to provide power to Jasper but a short time later the city had grown, along with the demand for power, beyond the plants capacity leaving city officials to use the plant as a base and purchase additional power from an outside source. Now the plant, located along East 15th Street near the Patoka River Bridge on the city’s far east side, sits vacant and while ideas have come and gone on what could be done with the building, the general conversation continues to turn to demolition.
Bud Hauersperger, General Manger of Utilities for the City of Jasper, says everything from demolition to converting the plant to a Biomass burning an environmentally friendly crop have been discussed.
Hauersperger said the option for the plant to be re-purposed is not out of the question.
On March 12th a mandatory walk through of the power plant was held with over 30 people representing 28 different firms of demolition contractors from across the country. After touring the power plant facility a majority of the contractors also toured the Hoosier Desk building which is the future site of the Jasper Cultural Center. Of those contractors who attended the walk through some have been back for a closer look at the building.
Hauersperger says there has been discussion that if the same firm could deconstruct both buildings it could potentially save money for the city.
The Utility Services Board will be holding a special joint meeting with the Jasper Library board on April 2nd to review bids for the demolition of buildings at both sites.
