Springdale power plant property could be rezoned residential

Riverfront property in Springdale could look vastly different if council moves forward with a proposal to rezone a coveted piece of land.

The partially dismantled Cheswick Generating Station, which is on 56 acres and includes an adjoining 27-acre parcel, will be the focus of discussion during a meeting Wednesday of the Springdale planning commission.

Members will consider amendments to the borough’s zoning ordinance that would change the property from a utilities/industrial zone to R-2, which allows for medium density housing.

Borough Manager Veronica McKay declined to comment, and Mayor Joseph Bertoline could not be reached for comment.

The planning meeting is open to the public and will be in the borough building at 325 School St.

It was not clear whether the borough received any requests for development on the site, which consists of an operating rail line, a coal yard, bottom ash emergency and recycle ponds, waste ponds and a coal pile runoff pond.

None of the borough’s six council members responded to requests for comment.

Kentucky-based Charah Solutions, a remediation service, owns the plant. It purchased the 55-year-old site from GenOn Holdings last spring.

Calls to Price Weber, Charah’s media relations company, were not returned.

In January, a Charah spokesman said demolition of the power plant was underway and likely would be complete in 2024.

Last year, the company announced its plans to demolish the plant and potentially use the 56-acre property for renewable energy and battery storage options but also said a variety of options were available because of the access to the water.

The power plant was the last coal-fired electric power generating plant in Allegheny County.

More than 50 jobs were lost upon its closing. There were mixed reactions in the community, with some mourning the loss of jobs and revenue in the community and others celebrating the demise of a coal-burning plant that had sparked environmental concerns.