Latest Headlines
- Florida Special Olympics Torch Run Begins In Century (With Gallery)
- Train Strikes Vehicle At Cantonment Crossing Sunday Night
- Saturday Night Crash Claims Life Of Motorcyclist On Highway 97
- Man Wanted For Cantonment Homicide After Victim’s Body Found
- Play Ball! Saturday Was Opening Day For A Growing Century Blackcats Ball Program
- Escambia Fire Responds To Reported House Fire Off Chemstrand Road
- Photo Gallery: Opening Day At Molino, NEP and Century Ballparks
- Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Problem Spots
- Students Learn About Ag During NHS ‘Fresh From Florida’ Event (With Gallery)
- Cantonment Man Charged With Making False Claim Of Liquor Store Knife Attack
Power Failure Leads To Chemical Release At Ascend, FDEP Says
February 17, 2026
A power failure led to the release of nitrogen oxides on Tuesday morning from Ascend Performance Materials on Old Chemstrand Road, according to a report from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
The “plant suffered power failure and nitrogen oxides (NOx) was released from the Adipic Acid Unit. The total quantity is unknown at this time but operators are restarting the unit to normal operation,” the FDEP initial report released Tuesday afternoon stated. The report stated the incident began at 10 a.m. but did not indicate an end time.
“At approximately 10:00 a.m. today, Ascend sustained a power failure at the Pensacola, Florida site, Based on information currently available, no impacts or chemical spills to the environment occurred as a result of this power outage. Following our standard procedures, the appropriate notifications were made, out of an abundance of caution. The plant is currently in the process of restarting operations,” Ascend said in a stetement.
The incident was reported to FDEP by an Ascend Environmental manager. A release quantity was not immediately reported.
In a report to the National Response Center, Ascend stated that its engineers believed the release was not above the required reportable quantity, but they wanted to make the report out of an abundance of caution.
File photo.
Comments
12 Responses to “Power Failure Leads To Chemical Release At Ascend, FDEP Says”
No! Don’t shut it down why just about my whole family has worked in this plant all of my Grandparents retired from Monsanto and several other aunts and uncle retired my husband and my son work there now and have been for over 20 years so no!
It amazes me when people choose to live next to a chemical plant that was built in the 50s, And then complain about its existence.
JIMMY..when those that live by aren’t notified precautions can’t be taken. Shame on them for not doing so. They definitely need to improve that.
Before you yell shut it down think about what the effects would be. The local economy would suffer this plant supports local businesses more than you think. Right down to your local grocery stores that supply food to all people that has any connection with this plant. Weather you work for this plant or you work for a company that supplies goods or services to the daily operation of this company. I worked there for 37 years and I am still alive. All I can say is if you are scared you should have thought about it before you moved close by. MOVE.
the only people who will be hurt by this are people who dont take propre procautions even though THEY KNOW they live near a chemical plant!!! this is bad but its part of life and god will protect anyone who needs it . most of the air is nitrogen and oxygen anyway so this is nothing to worry about
Don’t shut it down, run it, run it wide open, get it skint back and run like there is no tomorrow.
This plant is very essential for not just materials but jobs..A lot of Families here depend on it.It …would not be a good idea to shut it down
Gases can severely damage human respiratory systems and the environment. They cause breathing difficulties, asthma, lung tissue damage, and, at high levels, fatal fluid buildup in the lungs.
NO
Austin,
I worked there for over 20 years.. I have friends there, that is a terrible thing to say. You probably have neighbors and friends that work or worked there.. pray they correct their mistakes either operational or corporate.
This plant has been here for a very long time. I’m sure it’s aging but with the many paychecks received here and the many people that has retired from this plant and company it would be a shame to see it go. I don’t know what they produce as a finished products if any but I know they ship by rail car, product that is used to produce finished products including automobile parts throughout our USA.
Just saying.
@Scott there are plenty of other nylon manufacturers out there, shut this one down. This place is going under and I would rather have it shut down before someone has to die from the ineptitude. Shut it down and nothing happens to any of the products you mentioned because nobody is buying it from Ascend anyway.
Now before people start yelling…””SHUT EM DOWN SHUT EM DOWN!!!”
Decide what you don’t need or want anymore.
Oven cooking bags? Zip ties? Plastics on your car? Yarn in your seatbelts? This list can go on and on.