In a historic milestone for the Southern California bayfront, the obsolete South Bay Power Plant imploded this morning. The implosion removed the mammoth structure and opens up 500 acres of waterfront property.

"The removal of the South Bay Power Plant is a visual signal to the community of Chula Vista and the San Diego region that we are serious about bayfront redevelopment," said Chair Ann More of the Board of Port commissioners.

According to the Port of San Diego, the South Bay Power Plant site and its surrounding land will eventually be replaced with public area, RV & business parks.

The South Bay Power Plant was a massive, 165' structure with an open steel framework surrounding boilers and turbines. It has been on the bayfront since the late 1950s and was fully shut down at the end of 2010.

The actualy implosion took few than 60 seconds and sounded like rolling thunder with reverberations. A number of small, controlled explosive charges were placed within the steel and concrete power block structure to bring it down. Heavy equipment will be used to break up the structure. The implosion is expected to generage about 21,000 tons of recyclable metals and up to 3,400 tons of other non-hazardous waste according to Port of San Diego.

check out my video of the Implosion. Viewed from the tip of the San Diego Bay in Imperial Beach.