New Look at the Encina Power Station in Carlsbad

The Encina Power Station along the coast in Carlsbad has a new look, in case you haven’t noticed.

Here’s a view of the station and smokestack taken in 2020 from Armada Drive above the Flower Fields.

The Encina Power Station has provided electricity to the Carlsbad region for decades but was retired on December 11, 2018, and replaced the following day by the Carlsbad Energy Center.

Demolition of the Encina Power Station began earlier this year and the iconic landmark smokestack is now history. The look along the coast has changed dramatically, and will shift again as the remainder of the old power station is torn down.

No doubt there are plenty of mixed feelings, with some perhaps relieved the will be gone while others may be nostalgic about, and how the coastline look has changed.

In order to have a more tangible memory of this landmark than photos, Carlsbad resident artist, Bryan Snyder (founder of the Carlsbad Art Wall in 2015), created a hand-crafted resin sculpture of the Encina Power Station. It’s available at his gallery and online ($30 + tax) and shipping is available. I think it’s a pretty cool idea, and I hear it’s quite popular.