By the early 2000s, the facility was capable of producing 550 megawatts of electricity and operated for an average of 10–15 days per year.

[2][3] The plant's location in a largely African American and low-income portion of Northeast, Washington, D.C. raised environmental justice concerns for decades.

The facility also contributed to water pollution in the neighboring Anacostia River, releasing PCBs, lead, iron, cadmium, zinc, and other hazardous materials into the waterway.

[5][6] In 2011, PEPCO entered into a consent decree with the government of Washington DC due to the company's years of releases of PCBs into the river.

[9] In 2014, the plant was stripped of hazardous materials and then demolished, leaving a 19-acre undeveloped riverfront site in a dense urban area.