Explosion Briefly Evacuates Kansas Coal Power Plant Workers

An explosion in the B coal bunker at Kansas City Power and Light’s (KCP&L’s) 651-MW Iatan  Power Plant Unit 1 near Weston, Mo., on Wednesday morning required the brief evacuation of 250 personnel onsite at the facility. No employees or contractors were injured, and the fire was quickly contained, the company said. 

The explosion at about 9:30 a.m. was “very small and quickly contained,” a company spokesperson said. After a thorough safety walkdown, it was determined that Iatan 1 and Iatan 2 could remain online and safely operating. The blaze was contained by about 10:30 a.m. An investigation is expected. 

The Iatan Generating Station comprises two coal-fired power plants. Iatan 1 opened in 1980 and has a 651-MW generating capacity. Iatan 2 opened in 2010 and has generating capacity of over 850 MW. 

Sources: POWERnews, KCP&L

—Sonal Patel, Senior Writer (@POWERmagazine)