Salem Power Plant

Built in 1952 on 65 acres of waterfront land, the Salem Power Plant (Salem Harbor Station) employed about 150 people and

provided electricity to about 750,000 homes a year through mostly burning coal.

In 2008, they were paying about $4.75 million in taxes and other revenue to the city of Salem.

On Nov. 6, 2007, three men were badly burned when a rupture on coal Boiler No. 3 led to a burst of 600 degree steam directly at the men. The men died later at a Boston hospital from their burns.

The state shut down the plant for several months and OSHA found 10 violations at the plant and fined Dominion $46,800.

In 2004, the state ordered the plants then-owner USGen New England to invest in infrastructure equipment to reduce emissions.

Two environmental groups opposing the power plant over the years were HealthLink and stoptheplantnow.org.

The coal fired plant was closed in 2014, making way for a new cleaner energy in gas. Footprint Power purchased the plant with plans to clean it up the land and open a new plant by 2017.

When the new plant is completed, there will be a remaining portion of the site, including a 25 acre waterfront that will be redeveloped at a later time, likely for commercial and/or industrial use.

Footprint began generating electricity on May 31, 2018.

An offshore wind port terminal was announced to be in development at the site of Salem Harbor Station in 2021, with agreements to develop the site in 2024. According to the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal site, "The terminal will be a logistics and operations center for turbine pre-assembly, transportation, staging activities and storage of assembly components." The project will redevelop the Salem Harbor Station and will create more than 800 jobs. The partnership is between Crowley, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), and the City of Salem.

In April 2026, the Healey-Driscoll administration filed legislation (House Bill 5377, filed by Healey on April 15) to redirect up to $70M to the new offshore wind terminal project. The Offshore Wind Tax Incentive Program was originally meant for an owner of an offshore wind facility rather than something like the wind terminal in Salem. Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) had not received any applications in the prior two years, but had budgeted $35M for both. This money will support the first phase of construction in Salem. If the legislature is approved, it will fill the funding gap necessary for phase one and construction will be able to begin. Once completed, the project will be the second offshore wind terminal in the state other than New Bedford.

Further information about the project is available at salemoffshorewind.com.

See Also

Vertical File in Salem Collection - Power Plant (pt. 1 & 2)

Vertical File in Salem Collection - Footprint Power

"City, plant strike deal" Salem News, Dec. 4th, 2008, p. 9

"Power struggle: Environmental groups lobby to close Salem Harbor plant, but mayor stresses the need for $4.75 m in taxes, revenue" Boston Globe, Nov. 6, 2008, p. N1

"Power plant's final hours; looking back, ahead on Salem Harbor Station's last day of operation" Salem News, May 31, 2014, p. 1

"Faces of the power plant" Salem News, May 28, 2014, p. 1

"It's been a long time coming; Salem Harbor Station demolition begins" Salem News, July 31, 2014, p. 1

"Busy year for Footprint as project wraps up; new power plant still on track for summer opening" Salem News, Jan. 9, 2017, p. 1

"Salem Power Plant online; Footprint now generating electricity for the grid" Salem News, May 31, 2018, p. 1

"Crowley Wind Services - Salem Offshore Wind Terminal" https://www.crowley.com/wind/salem/

"Healey bill gives $70M for Salem wind terminal" Salem Evening News, April 27, 2026