Demolition delayed for DTE Trenton Channel Power Plant stacks

The demolition of the candy cane-striped stacks at the defunct Trenton Channel Power Plant has been postponed.

A DTE Energy spokeswoman said late Monday afternoon that the demolition previously set for Friday will be rescheduled. No reason was provided for the rescheduling but weather was not a factor.

"It's just the nature of these projects," said Cindy Hecht, a spokesperson for DTE Energy. "There are a lot of moving pieces."

Hecht said DTE is working through a revised schedule and will keep the community informed about the new target date.

The utility had originally targeted a 7 a.m. start time Friday for the demolition. The retired plant sits along West Jefferson Avenue, south of Grosse Ile Parkway.

The razing of the stacks is the first of a two-phase process. The boiler house is expected to be demolished on May 17. According to DTE Energy, residents living within a two-mile radius of the plant will receive notice the day before each demolition.  

During a recent town hall meeting, DTE Energy officials said residents may feel or hear the demolition of the stacks, which is expected to last about a minute and sound like thunder.

All hazardous materials have been removed from the site, according to the utility.

Trenton Channel Power Plant, the old coal-fired facility also known as the Trenton Stacks, opened in 1924 and served the Downriver community until DTE Energy retired its operation in 2022.

cwilliams@detroitnews.com