Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of US-based utility Southern Company, has retired its 67.5MW Plant Eaton in Petal, Mississippi, after nearly 70 years of delivering reliable power to customers in the US.
The coal-fired power generating facility, which began operation in March 1945, was named after Mississippi Power’s first president Barney E Eaton Sr.
When the power plant began operation, the company said it supplied electricity to about 40,000 customers.
Commenting on the plant, Mississippi Power president and chief executive Ed Day noted that it was a "high-tech facility" when it began operation.
"We thank the cities of Petal and Hattiesburg and Forest County for playing a significant role in leading Mississippi into modern power generation," Day added.
"Just as the company planned for the future when Plant Eaton was built, we are doing so today by advancing 21st century coal technology at the Kemper County energy facility.
"The facility is the best solution for our customers and will provide environmentally responsible energy for many decades."
The company noted that its customers grew more than four times to nearly 186,000; spread across 23 southeast Mississippi counties.