The Fort Churchill Generating Station in Nevada, which is owned and operated by NV Energy, has reached a safety milestone of operating 25 years without a lost-time accident.
According to the Edison Electric Institute, the 226-MW natural gas-fueled plant has the longest safety record for any fossil-fueled generating station in the nation. The plant, which is located near Yerington, Nev., employs about 30 people and can produce enough electricity to serve about 135,000 Nevada households.
EEI presented the utility a "Safety Achievement Award" for operating nearly 1.8 million work-hours with no days away from work. The record dates back to the plant's last lost-time accident, which occurred March 30, 1987.
To put that time in perspective, the last time a lost-time accident was recorded at the power plant, Ronald Reagan was president, a gallon of gasoline sold for under $1, and the top television show was the Bill Cosby Show.
Power plants are inherently dangerous places to work, as plant personnel deal with extremely high temperatures, extremely high pressures and high-voltage electricity.
Over the years, the plant has embraced more than 1,500 safety suggestions, which surfaced through safety audits, safety committee recommendations, and individual contributions.
The first generating unit at the power plant went into service in 1968, followed by a second unit in 1971. The plant is fueled by natural gas and can produce up to 226 MW of electricity.
Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, NV Energy, Inc. is a holding company with principal subsidiaries, Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Power Co., doing business as NV Energy. Serving a combined 45,592-square-mile service territory, NV Energy provides a wide range of energy services and products to about 2.4 million citizens of Nevada and nearly 40 million tourists annually.