One of the most iconic landmarks in the Bridgeport area is none other than the candy cane smokestack from PSEG’s Harbor Station Unit 3. The stack can be seen from various intersections of the city as well as from the popular traffic highway I-95. For years, residents and travelers have used this visual as a representation of Bridgeport. The coal-fired plant will shutdown within the next few years, which means there must be a successor to it. That successor is none other than the 485-megawatt plant Harbor Station Unit 5. It’s sleek and modern looking aesthetic isn’t as tall as the original candy cane, but much more energy efficient and has paved the way for a brighter Bridgeport. It is such an achievement in design, sustainability, and investment, that PSEG decided to have a ribbon cutting event for it.
When PSEG contacted American View Productions to coordinate and design the ribbon cutting event for Harbor Station Unit 5, we knew that this couldn’t just be any ordinary ribbon cutting event. Normally, ribbons are cut for the introduction of something for the public to physically use and walk on. With a power plant, this isn’t the case. We thought, what does PSEG do with this plant at the end of the day? They keep the lights on for the city. We thought that there was no better way to symbolize this other than to curate a 6-foot-tall light switch to symbolize the activation of the plant and a brighter future for Bridgeport. The mayor of the city, the governor of the state, and other city officials along with PSEG staff were present for the big moment when the switch was flipped. With such a strong local workforce, our footage of them and their work was gloriously displayed on a 11 ft by 17 ft jumbotron which also doubled as a countdown timer for the switch. At the end of ceremony, a light bulb with PSEG’s logo inside of it was displayed on the jumbotron as everyone applauded the beginning of a brighter Bridgeport. News media, as well as our own videographers and photographers were present to ensure that this moment was captured so it could last a lifetime.
