OMU demolishes Elmer Smith Station stacks

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WFIE) - The two stacks at the Elmer Smith Station in Owensboro are no more.

Utility crews demolished the Elmer Smith Station stacks on Sunday morning.

The coal-fired power plant opened in 1964, but has been closed since 2020.

It was once the main source of power for the city.

Tim Lyons, the general manager for Owensboro Municipal Utilities, says the implosion went smoothly. But he says it is a bittersweet day for many, as the stacks have stood in place for around sixty years.

Some people drove out to watch them come down.

“I actually grew up in Hancock County, so whenever we would come into Owensboro, I would actually remember seeing the smoke come out of the top and like everybody else, it was a cloud maker,” Owensboro resident Michelle Nicholson said.

“The plant had lost its usefulness,” Lyons said. “It was just at an age where we needed to move on, and the costs associated with it. But we are planning on moving on in the future and evaluating future options.”

Sunday was a major step in demolishing the site, but there is still more work to go.

Lyons says demolition will likely continue until next summer.

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