Entergy Mississippi has demolished key structures at the retired Baxter Wilson Steam Electric Station in Vicksburg, cleaning the site for a new advanced natural gas power plant.
The implosion of the longtime generating facility took about five minutes and resulted in a roughly 15-minute precautionary traffic delay on nearby roads and waterways. The former plant, which was permanently retired in 2022, had undergone decommissioning work beforehand, including the removal of chemicals and equipment and the disconnection of power sources.
Once cleared, the site will become the home of Vicksburg Advanced Power Station, an advanced natural gas plant that is already under construction and expected to be operational by August 2028. The project is part of Entergy Mississippi’s Superpower Mississippi initiative, an effort to modernize the electrical grid to provide more efficient and lower-cost power to utility customers.
Entergy Mississippi President and CEO Haley Fisackerly stated that rising energy demand, which is driven by economic growth, data centers, and expanding commercial and industrial projects, underscores the need for infrastructure upgrades. Fisackerly also thanked generations of workers who operated the Baxter Wilson plant since its construction began in 1964.
The demolition and rebuilding efforts follow Entergy Mississippi’s October announcement that the new power station is a $1.2 billion project expected to create hundreds of construction jobs and add long-term employment opportunities in the region. That plan, also part of the Superpower Mississippi Campaign, calls for a 754-megawatt combined-cycle combustion turbine facility on the former Baxter Wilson site, projected to support economic development and reliable energy capacity for that area in Vicksburg.