Provo stacks being prepped…

Scaffolding goes up in preparation for final demolition of iconic Provo smokestacks.

The Provo Utilities headquarters in Utah is being replaced by a new complex that has been under construction for the past year. The last thing to come down in late summer is the two smokestacks. The stacks are approximately 75 years old.

The scaffolding will help crews take off thick layers of asbestos-laden paint that covers the two stacks. They will build to the very top of each stack, with the paint being removed from the top down.

The portion of the smokestack that is being abated will be tented to ensure that all asbestos contaminants are contained and disposed of properly.

“Currently, the north smokestack is having the scaffolding installed to allow for the asbestos abatement company, Eagle Environmental Inc., to abate the three layers of asbestos-based paint on the exterior of the stacks,” said Scott Bunker, project manager. “They will first scaffold and abate the North Stack. The portion of the stack they are abating at the time will also be ‘tented’ so as to keep a tight containment on all asbestos that is being removed.

“Once the abatement is completed on the North Stack then the scaffolding will be moved to the South Stack and once that is installed abatement will proceed on the South Stack.”

Bunker said it is hoped that demolition of the power plant will proceed in July with the smokestack demolition sometime afterwards.

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