Power Plant IM was originally built in 1921. When it was finished, it was one of the largest coal burning power plants in Belgium. By 1977, the power plant and its massive tower was the main source of energy in the Charleroi area.
Following years of service, a report found that Power Plant IM was responsible for 10 percent of the total carbon dioxide emissions in Belgium. Due to this, protests from Greenpeace in 2006 gave the power plant a lot of negative attention and it closed in 2007.
After it was closed down, there were reports of looting by metal scrappers. Today security guards are often posted on site, a fact that has not deterred many an urban explorer from investigating the cooling tower's moss-coated innards.
