photo by: Warren Scott

Ohio 7 will be closed in both directions near the tunnels through the W.H. Sammis Plant in Stratton for about 30 minutes beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday while crews implode two smokestacks at the north end of the property.

STRATTON — Officials have announced north- and southbound traffic on Ohio 7 near the W.H. Sammis Plant will be delayed for about a half-hour Saturday morning while crews implode two smokestacks and perform other demolition work at the site.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has announced the highway’s north- and southbound lanes near the plant will be closed beginning at 9 a.m. while crews perform the task and clear any debris from the roadway.

Officials with B&B Wrecking and Excavating Inc. confirmed two smokestacks at the property’s north end will be imploded and the area will be restricted from 1,000 feet in all directions.

Since February, traffic through the tunnel has been reduced to one lane in each direction to accommodate the plant’s demolition.

B&B Wrecking and Excavating was hired to pursue the plant’s remediation since the property was acquired by Energy Transition and Environmental Management of Houston.

Energy Harbor, the plant’s former owner, announced its closing in 2023, citing a desire to shift from coal-fired power plants to carbon-free nuclear plants more compliant with federal environmental regulations.

Completed in 1962, it was opened by Ohio Edison and named for Walter H. Sammis, the company’s president and chief executive officer at the time.Each smokestack stands about 500 feet high.

Bradley Bauman, the company’s vice president, said there are plans to record the implosions for possible future inclusion on the company’s Facebook page.

Jeremy Ober, Hancock County director of emergency services, said the public is welcome to watch the implosions from the overlook near the Hancock County OES headquarters in New Cumberland provided they don’t block the building’s entrance.

The headquarters stands across the Ohio River from Stratton.

Four boilers also are slated to be removed from the plant on Saturday, while the tunnel and pollution control equipment atop it are expected to be removed at a later date.

The tunnel and equipment was added in 1982 to comply with federal environmental regulations.

Since February, traffic through the tunnel has been reduced to one lane in each direction to accommodate the plant’s demolition.

B&B Wrecking and Excavating was hired to pursue the plant’s remediation since the property was acquired by Energy Transition and Environmental Management of Houston.