New life could be coming to Bridgeport. The governor is announcing plans on Tuesday to demolish the former Public Service Electric and Gas Plant. It's an old, decommissioned, coal-power plant in the city.
The property is 33-acres and the governor says the property has cut off people from the waterfront for more than 70 years.
The goal is to turn the property into potential commercial, residential and recreational space.
The plant has a 500-foot smokestack that the governor says has been the source of significant pollution over the decades.
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The smokestack can be seen from Interstate 95 as you drive through the city.
PSEG announced it was retiring the Bridgeport coal-powered plant back on June 1 of 2021, saying it was part of the company's long-term coal exit strategy.
Over the years, the plant has only been used during peak energy demands to supply power to southern Connecticut.
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PSEG had also opened a natural gas power plant in Bridgeport in 2019, which offset the need for this one.
PSEG released a statement on Tuesday saying:
“We’re pleased to reach this agreement and appreciate the support of the State of Connecticut and the City of Bridgeport. We’re looking forward to the redevelopment of the Bridgeport waterfront.”
