Riverside Plant

Location: On the Mississippi River in northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Plant Description: Riverside is a two-unit coal-fired generating plant.

Two boilers produce steam to drive the turbine-generator on Unit 7. A single pressurized boiler with a cyclone furnace powers Unit 8. The pressurized boiler eliminates the need for exhaust fans.

Power Production Capability: (In service dates) 373 megawatts (MW): Unit 7 – 142 MW (1987) and Unit 8 – 231 MW (1964)

Fuel Sources: Low-sulfur Western coal

Plant History: Built in 1911, Riverside is known as the “mother plant.” It’s the oldest coal-fired plant in the Xcel Energy system. Although construction crews used primitive tools and horse-drawn equipment to build the plant, Unit 1 was up and running within 18 weeks after construction began. A second unit came on line a few weeks later. At the time, Riverside was considered a thoroughly modern steam electric station, and as Minneapolis grew, so did the Riverside plant. Unit 3 was added in 1914, Unit 4 in 1917, Unit 5 in 1921, and two more units in the 1930s. By 1966, Riverside had eight operating units and a net capability of 512 MW. As the plant aged, some units were retired; however, Units 7 and 8 both have been the focus of aggressive maintenance activities in recent years to improve operating efficiency and reduce air emissions.

Interesting Features: At the entrance to the plant, Heritage Hall – a collection of photographs and memorabilia – represents the history of Riverside and Northern States Power Company, a predecessor to Xcel Energy. The retired end of Riverside also is home to one of the company’s technical training centers. Across Marshall Street from the plant are Brady Park, a recreational facility and picnic area, and Marshall Terrace Gardens, an award-winning park project that Riverside employees were involved in developing. These parks, available for public use, are a reflection of employees’ genuine affection for the neighborhood.

Environmental Highlights: Riverside’s use of Western coal limits sulfur emissions, and the plant employs two forms of technology to remove fly ash particulate. Flue gases from Unit 7’s two boilers are carried to baghouses, where huge fiberglass bags filter out particulate. On Unit 8, two electrostatic precipitators trap ash particles before they go up the stack. Precipitators act on the principle of static electricity attracting dust. In this case, the dust is fly ash particles. Fly ash in exhaust gases passes through an electric field, where the particles receive a negative charge. Positively charged plates attract and collect the negatively charged ash particles. In each case, much of the ash that’s captured is used for construction purposes in concrete and road base material.

Riverside is participating with several other Xcel Energy plants in a successful peregrine falcon restoration effort by placing a nest box on one of its stacks. The plant also is a sponsor of the Birding Boat, a riverboat that takes area students up and down a section of the Mississippi River in search of birds, while educators share environmental curriculum and river history.

Community Involvement: With single-family homes only a few yards away, Riverside is physically closer to its residential neighbors than any of Xcel Energy’s other Minnesota generating plants. For years, the plant has conducted operations under the watchful eyes and ears of its neighbors, and employees have taken an active part in the northeast Minneapolis community. Employees deliver Meals on Wheels in the neighborhood. They also volunteer at community events and maintain a close relationship with East Side Neighborhood Service, Inc., an organization that has served the northeast area for many years.

Contact Information:

• Plant Information and Tour Requests — 1-800-895-4999
• Media Inquiries — 612-215-5300