In a state dominated by some of the largest hydropower projects in the world, the big coal-fired power plant at Centralia is an anomaly. The plant was built in 1972, and is fueled by coal mined in the nearby hills. It produces 1,330 megawatts, and is blamed for producing acid rain in the Puget Sound area. It was purchased by a Canadian power company in 2000, TransAlta, which is building a natural gas powered plant on the site. The nearby coal mine, the Centralia Mine, employs over 500 people, extracting coal exclusively for the plant.