H&S Rochester Research · Russell Station

Russell Station, Greece: asbestos abatement record

Russell Station offers another unusually detailed owner-produced record. RG&E published the plant’s history, an asbestos survey reference, technical specifications and a public presentation naming material categories addressed during abatement.

New York exposure researchSource ledUpdated October 7, 2026

What the public record tells us

Facility history

Four generating units built from 1948 to 1957

RG&E states that Russell Station’s first generating unit was built in 1948 and the fourth was completed in 1957. Coal was the primary fuel, and generation ended in early 2008.

Asbestos-abatement presentation

Specific materials of concern

RG&E’s public meeting materials identify pipe insulation, window caulking and glazing, noise-dampening and insulating materials on turbine components, asphalt insulation on condensers, tanks and piping, block/mud insulation on boiler components, ductwork and tanks, and vinyl floor tile and adhesive.

Project specifications

Abatement before demolition

RG&E’s technical summary states that the demolition project included asbestos abatement and that hazardous or toxic materials were removed before the main demolition phase.

How to use these records

Public records can narrow a work-history investigation when they are connected to the person who was actually there. The most useful next details are usually the worker's years, employer or contractor, department, trade, daily tasks, nearby crews, equipment and remembered materials.

Which unit, building or system?

The worker’s location within a large generating station can determine which equipment and material records are relevant.

What trade or maintenance task?

Boiler, turbine, piping, tank, electrical and building-maintenance work create different investigative paths.

What years?

Plant construction, routine operation, outages and final abatement should be kept as separate time periods.

Workplace Evidence Pathway

From this workplace to the next useful question

This pathway separates what public sources document about Russell Station — Greece / Rochester from what still must be established for a particular person.

PlaceYearsJob / areaTask / equipmentSourceLimitationNext question

Documented here

  • EVD-RUSSELL-NY-01 — RG&E states that Russell Station’s four generating units were built from 1948 through 1957, used coal as the primary fuel, and stopped generating in early 2008.
  • EVD-RUSSELL-NY-02 — RG&E public materials for Russell Station identify asbestos-abatement materials including pipe insulation, turbine-component insulation, asphalt insulation on condensers, tanks and piping, block/mud insulation on boiler components and ductwork, and vinyl floor tile and adhesive.

What this does not establish

Historical asbestos exposure of a particular worker. The historical exposure of an individual worker or the manufacturer/date of every material.

Next useful questions
  • What exact years place the person at Russell Station — Greece / Rochester?
  • What job title, department, contractor, crew or work area can narrow the history?
  • Which remembered detail best fits: unit, boiler, turbine or condenser area, pipe insulation, block/mud or turbine insulation?
  • What employment, union, coworker, maintenance, specification or other record can connect the person to the correct time and place?

Primary and authoritative sources

Continue the investigation

Rochester and Finger Lakes research →   Power-generation research →   Products and equipment →

Ask H&S about a New York work history →