DEMOLITION | Foss Marine Terminal Chimney

Built in 1916 by New Bedford Gas & Electric, the Cannon Street Power Plant generated power for the City of New Bedford, Massachusetts until 1992. Located on the New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal waterfront, the 190’ tall, reinforced concrete chimney (which sat atop a 68’ tall boiler house) was dubbed New Bedford’s iconic white “cigarette” that once reigned over the downtown region. As New Bedford transitions toward clean energy, the site was selected for its proximity to offshore wind blocks located approximately 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket islands, and the Cannon Street Power Plant was slated for demolition.
Foss Marine contracted Costello Dismantling Co., Inc. (Costello) of West Wareham, Massachusetts to assist in the demolition/decommissioning of the power plant. Costello then contracted Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) of Phoenix, Maryland, to assist them in the explosives felling of the concrete chimney. CDI mobilized to the site and prepared the chimney in two (2) working days. On the morning of Friday, January 27, 2023, CDI successfully felled the chimney, to the north, over the edge of the boiler house.
The New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal will now support offshore wind projects and provide storage and laydown areas for wind farm equipment and materials, and berth facilities for a range of vessels such as crew transfer vessels, service vessels, and Foss tugs and barges.
Drone footage courtesy of CDI and some drone footage courtesy of Doug Musser and Stephen Colquhoun of Anchor Qea, LLC.