The T.B. Simon Power Plant is the third power plant on MSU's campus, with its most recent predecessor being the Shaw Lane Power Plant, which still stands east of Spartan Stadium and serves as an electrical substation.
The power plant, located on Service Road on south campus, was developed in segments and ultimately took over the title as MSU's chief power provider in the mid 1970s.
In total, the power plant has five units that provide power to MSU:
Units No. 1 and No. 2 were built in 1965,
Unit No. 3 was built in 1973,
and Unit No. 4 was built in 1993.
In 2006, the plant added a Best in Class combined cycle plant which includes: Unit No. 5, a steam turbine/generator, and Unit No. 6, a natural gas combustion turbine and companion heat-recovery steam generator.
The additions of Units No. 5 and No. 6 provided the plant with the Blackstart capability. The Blackstart capability allows the power plant to restart itself on its own if the University were to lose power.
The power plant can now produce 1.3 million pounds of steam per hour and 100 megawatts, making it one of the top 500 generating plants in America.
For the history of energy conservation at Michigan State University please visit the green issues page.