A steam release at the power plant near downtown Milwaukee caused a loud banging noise reported by residents late Dec. 17, We Energies says.
We Energies spokesperson Brendan Conway said the steam release occurred during routine operations of the natural gas-powered Valley Power Plant, located on West Canal Street, around 11:15 p.m. Dec. 17.
While one of the units was being taken offline, excess pressure caused a valve to lift and emit a loud noise, Conway said.
Conway said We Energies has "isolated the issue."
"This pressure release did not impact the system, which is working properly," Conway said in a statement Dec. 18. "We apologize for the disturbance."
Valley Power Plant supplies steam and electrical power to around 450 downtown Milwaukee customers. It has two steam units.
In June, another steam release at the same plant created a series of loud bangs heard in downtown Milwaukee. That release also did not disrupt system operations.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Loud noise from We Energies steam plant startles downtown Milwaukee