On July 29, members of the community, retired power plant workers, family members of retirees and state officials gathered for the Huntington Power Plant Retired Turbine Dedication.
The GE Steam Turbine was built in Schenectady, NY and was commissioned in 1976 for Unit 2 of the Huntington Power Plant and was in service until 1998. During its time, said turbine was responsible for producing up to 3.6 million megawatt hours of electricity. Made of pure steel, the turbine is said to weigh approximately 22 tons.
Price City Mayor Mike Kourianos was the first guest speaker, giving thanks to everyone who came out to be a part of the dedication, with special thanks to Ryan Pollick and his team from Utah Power Credit Union, who provided commemorative t-shirts for all attendees.
Mayor Kourianos expressed gratitude to those who have given time and dedication to ensure the turbine’s smooth and continued operation.
“They are the unsung heroes behind its success,” expressed Mayor Kourianos.
Mayor Kourianos then invited U.S. Representative John Curtis as the next guest speaker. Rep. Curtis expressed that he does not think people realize that when they turn on their lights, just how much work goes into ensuring that the lights come on when they flip that switch. Rep. Curtis stated that this turbine is a symbol of those who have sacrificed so much, including their bodies, at some point.
He joked about how sometimes the individuals in Washington are a little harsh on coal and he likes to tell them that he represents a county called Carbon County. Rep. Curtis then said that he tells them how hard the individuals here work whether its in the power plants or the coal mines to ensure that they are able to keep the lights on as well as heat and cool their homes.
Next up was guest speaker Darrell Cunningham, Retired Plant Manager, who played an instrumental part in the receiving of the turbine. Cunningham reminisced on the school tours that he used to be a part of and how it didn’t matter what age the kids were; whenever he asked where does power come from, they all pointed to a switch. Cunningham gave many thanks to everyone involved in making that switch work, giving thanks to coal miners and truck drivers alike.
Cunningham also spoke about the partnership between the power plant and the Emery County Sheriff’s Office, focusing on the many drills they ran together. Cunningham ended his speech giving many thanks to all of those he worked with along the years.
Cindy Crane, CEO of PacifiCorp, was the last guest speaker for the dedication. Crane expressed how proud she is to be able to be a part of such an amazing community. Crane discussed the environment that existed during the oncoming of the new turbine. Crane also spoke on the massive growth within the company and the positive economic impact it had.
