Dallas Power & Light Co. and the Legacy of the Dallas Steam Electric Station and Mountain Creek Power Plant
The Dallas Power & Light Company (DP&L) is a public utility company that provides electricity to over 2.6 million customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. DP&L has a long history of serving the region, dating back to the early 1900s.
Two of the most important power plants in DP&L’s history were the Dallas Steam Electric Station and the Mountain Creek Power Plant. Both plants were built in the early 1900s, when asbestos was commonly used in construction. As a result, both plants contained asbestos in various materials, including insulation, fireproofing, electrical wiring, gaskets, flooring, ceilings, and walls.
Workers at the Dallas Steam Electric Station and Mountain Creek Power Plant were exposed to asbestos through a variety of activities, including installing and repairing insulation, removing old insulation, working with electrical wiring, maintaining and repairing equipment, and cleaning and sweeping. Exposure to asbestos can be dangerous, even if it is only for a short period of time. Asbestos fibers can be inhaled or ingested, and they can remain in the body for many years. Over time, asbestos fibers can damage cells and lead to lung cancer, asbestosis or mesothelioma.
The Dallas Steam Electric Station played a vital role in meeting the growing energy needs of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. However, the plant also had a significant environmental impact. The plant’s emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides contributed to air pollution in the region. The plant also used a large amount of water, which could have a negative impact on Mountain Creek Lake and the surrounding ecosystem.
In 2011, DP&L retired the Dallas Steam Electric Station. The plant was replaced by more efficient and environmentally friendly power plants. The plant’s smokestacks were demolished in 2013, and the site is now being redeveloped.
In 2018, Exelon Generation Co LLC sold Mountain Creek along with three other power plants to their creditors. Two of the generators at Mountain Creek were retired by that time.
The legacy of the Dallas Steam Electric Station and Mountain Creek Power Plant is complex. On the one hand, the plants played a vital role in meeting the energy needs of the Dallas-Fort Worth area and provided jobs for the region. On the other hand, the plants exposed workers to asbestos, a known carcinogen, and had a significant environmental impact.