Trojan Cooling Tower Disappears in Mushroom Cloud

The cooling tower at the Trogan Nuclear Plant is nothing but rubble now, but for decades it fueled a major controversy over energy options.

Trojan's Final Bow

Three months of preparation by Controlled Demolition, Inc. of Phoenix, Md. ended in less than three zeconds when its detonation of 2,792 pounds of dynamite turned the Trojan cooling tower into concrete rubble and boiling dust. Hunderds of onlookers watched from across the Columbia River a half-mile away as the 41,000 ton, Southwest Wash. landmark fell. The 499-foot tower has overlooked I-5 since 1973. Portland General Electric owns the site and said it has no current plans for it.