HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It’s been providing power in some capacity for more than 60 years, and it will continue to do 
so.
Rumors and rumblings that the Westar Power facility on the east side of the city was being shut down are not true
according to Dan Dejmal of Westar. In fact it’s quite the opposite. Dejmal says a change in dispatch facilities for the plant has actually increased the plants output. While the plant does not run full time, it does provide power during peak loads and emergencies.
The plants steam turbine, built in the 1960′s ran as a base load unit until about 1990 when it was scaled back to back up service. The plant also has gas turbines which were installed in the 70′s. Dejmal says they normally run the plant between Memorial Day and Labor Day but this year they ran quite a bit during the Spring.
There is some work going on at the plant. Three small steam units that were built in the 1950′s and retired around 2000, were partially demolished about 5 years ago, and this year Westar began removing the boilers for those units from the back side of the plant.
Dejmal says there are preparing to fire up the steam facility again for the hot weather forecast for next week. Dejmal says the plant is still in Westar’s plans for at least the next ten years.