The Marseilles Hydro Plant, also known as the Marseilles Hydro Development or the Marseilles Hydro Power Station, is a historic hydroelectric power station along the Illinois River in Marseilles, Illinois, USA. History Operational period Construction on the Marseilles Hydro Plant began in 1906 and was completed in 1911. The original generator house contained seven 400 kilowatt Westinghouse and General Electric generators driven by Laffel and Sampson turbine water wheels. Each turbine weighed 24 tons and spun on ironwood bearings. The plant was built by Northern Illinois Light and Traction Company (Illinois Power) In 1913 the station underwent a week of performance tests under the direction of lead design engineer C.W. Humphrey and famous architect Daniel H. Burnham. Per its design, the plant diverts water from the Illinois River into its channel, or race, where it flowed into the forebay on the north side of the building. Water then entered a basement like chamber where it drove the water wheels. The plant remained in operation from its completion until 1989. Illinois Power operated the power station with water leased from Marseilles Land and Water Company, the lease was to last a period of 90 years, until 2001 with an option to renew until 2091. In 1933 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers replaced the dam owned by Marseilles Land and Water and entered into an agreement in which the Corps promised to not take any actions that would jeopardize the historic output levels of the hydro plant. Ten years after the plant was decommissioned sister companies of Marseilles Hydro Power, LLC purchased the plant and inherited the agreement between Marseilles Land and Water and Illinois Power. The agreement and ensuing events would lead to a prolonged court battle between Marseilles Land and Water and Marseilles Hydro Power, LLC. Reopening discussion Between 2003 and 2006 there were three separate attempts to reopen the hydro plant and bring it back online. Those efforts were halted due to the lengthy legal battle between the canal owners and Hydro Power, LLC. In March 2008 the city of Marseilles began attempting to enter into an agreement with Marseilles Hydro Power, LLC and North American Hydro Holdings, the plant owners held back by litigation in previous years. This, despite the fact that on December 17, 2007 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued notice to Marseilles Hydro Power, LLC that the license for revitalizing and reopening the