GRAND RAPIDS

Drone images capture before and after of demolished Michigan coal power plant

Updated: Aug. 11, 2023, 10:37 a.m. | Published: Aug. 11, 2023, 10:36 a.m.



James De Young power plant falls in controlled demolition

By Joel Bissell | jbissell@mlive.com

HOLLAND, MI-- All eyes turned toward the James De Young Power Plant on Thursday morning as the three-stack building in Holland quickly fell to the ground.

The former Holland Board of Public Works coal-fired power plant opened for service in 1939 and provided the area with electricity until 2017. These older, less efficient plants that once represented economic vitality are being demolished for cleaner, more efficient options.

MLive captured video of the Thursday, Aug. 10 implosion, above and below you can see the before and after drone images from the 17-acre site on Lake Macatawa.

READ MORE: End of an era: Holland coal power plant falls in morning implosion



An aerial view of the James De Young Power Plant before and after a controlled implosion on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 in Holland, Michigan. The JDY was built in 1939, providing electricity to the area for 78 years before closing in 2017. (Drone image by Joel Bissell | MLive.com)

Thousands of people gathered to watch the stack fall shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 10. After traffic cleared, MLive multimedia specialist got a closer look through the tall black metal fencing surrounding the plant.

You can see more from the demolition in the gallery below.

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