Marshalltown Generating Station, a 650 megawatt natural gas-fired combined cycle plant, is one of the most sustainable and affordable power plants in Iowa’s history. It produces environmentally responsible power for more than half a million homes, and interconnects with an adjacent 2.5 megawatt solar photovoltaic generation facility and a 500 kilowatt-hour battery energy storage system. The facility is designed to integrate with regional wind resources, and with a ramp rate of 50 megawatts per minute the station can quickly adjust to variable wind conditions.
Replacing several less efficient, smaller, and older generating units with the latest energy technology, the combined cycle facility emits less than half the carbon dioxide, two-thirds less nitrogen oxides, and roughly 99 percent less sulfur dioxide and mercury than traditional coal-fired plants.
HDR’s sustainability team guided the effort for the project to achieve Envision Platinum Verification — the highest level awarded under the Envision Rating System for sustainable infrastructure implementation. With a seven-acre nature path and more than 63 acres of restored prairie and pollinator habitat, the site encourages nature to flourish.
