Tuesday, June 18, 2013
BWL Cogeneration Plant is "Going Commercial" on
July 1.
New plant to be first new utility power plant built in
Michigan in 25 years and first power plant built by the BWL in 40 years.
Natural gas-fired plant to be among cleanest in Michigan
and U.S.
The Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) will hold a
"Going Commercial" grand opening and dedication event at its REO Town
Headquarters and Cogeneration project on Monday, July 1. "Going
Commercial" is a utility industry term that means a power plant is fully
operational and providing energy to customers.
"We're delighted to invite the public to join us in
the "Going Commercial" grand opening and dedication celebration of
our REO Town Headquarters and Cogeneration project," said J. Peter Lark,
BWL General Manager. "BWL employee ambassadors will be available to assist
visitors taking self-guided tours of the entire facility, which we're very
proud to show off."
Located at 1203 S. Washington Ave. in Lansing, the $182
million project - which is on time and on budget, includes a new cogeneration
power plant and headquarters office building, and restored Grand Trunk Western
Railroad depot, which will be used as a meeting place for the BWL Board of
Commissioners.
When the cogeneration plant begins operation on July 1,
it will generate up to 300,000 pounds of steam for 225 steam customers in
downtown Lansing and 100 megawatts of clean and highly reliable electricity. It
will be the first new utility power plant built in Michigan in 25 years and the
first power plant built by the BWL in 40 years.
Schedule of Events
Monday, July 1
9-10 am
Going Commercial Grand Opening - Depot & Cogeneration
Plant
Invited guests and the public with gather at 9 am in the
depot to hear expected remarks from BWL General Manager J. Peter Lark, BWL
Board of Commissioner and Chair Sandy Zerkle, and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero.
At approximately 9:30 am, guests in the depot will walk a
short distance next door to the cogeneration power plant.
At approximately 9:45 am. Lark, Zerkle and Bernero will
start the power plant, which will be fully operational and providing steam and
electricity to BWL customers.
10-11:30 am
Open House Self-Guided Tours - Headquarters, Cogeneration
Plant & Depot
~Public tours of the facility with assistance from BWL
employee ambassadors
11:30 am-1:30 pm
Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Economic Club
Luncheon - Tent On-site
This is a ticketed event that will highlight the BWL REO
Town project for Lansing Chamber members and guests. For more information see
http://www.lansingchamber.org/event/bwl-going-commercial-event.
1:30-3 pm
Open House Self-Guided Tours - Headquarters, Cogeneration
Plant & Depot
~Public tours of the facility with assistance from BWL
employee ambassadors
This project represents a number of firsts for the BWL,
the City of Lansing and the State of Michigan. After years of research,
community input and planning, the completion of the cogeneration plant is the
first new utility power plant built in Michigan in 25 years and the first power
plant built by the BWL in 40 years. Also, the plant is BWL's first natural
gas-fired electric generating plant, and it's the BWL's first cogeneration
plant. The combination makes the REO Town plant among the most cleanest and
efficient that will be operating in Michigan and the U.S.
This state-of-the-art cogeneration plant scores a major
victory for the environment in mid-Michigan. It is a cleaner, greener and
energy-efficient facility, allowing the BWL to:
- Slash greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent compared to the coal-fired steam and
electric units that the new plant will replace.
- Eliminate the need to burn 351,000 tons of coal compared to the steam and electric units
that the new plant will replace.
- Lower mercury and SO2 (sulfur dioxide) emissions by over 99 percent, and NOx (oxides
of nitrogen) by over 85 percent compared to the coal-fired boilers that are now
retired.
The facility is expected to receive LEED certification.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is recognized worldwide as a
commitment to sustainable, energy efficient and healthier building and
neighborhoods.
A combined-cycle cogeneration facility uses natural gas
to generate steam and electricity in a two-step process. First, a gas turbine
burns natural gas to directly turn an electric generator. It then captures the
hot exhaust to produce steam, which can be delivered to steam heating customers
or used to turn a second electric generator. Since two products are produced
from one fuel source, this is the most efficient thermal process in which to
generate energy.
Since the decision was made to build the power plant, natural
gas prices have fallen dramatically further reducing fuel costs to fuel the
plant.
The facility was built by Lansing's The Christman
Company, Granger Construction Company, Clark Construction Company and Kramer
Management Group, Inc. among other Lansing construction firms, and by 1,000
building trades men and women.
As the cogeneration plant becomes fully operational on
July 1, the headquarters building and restored depot will be completed as
planned in just a few more weeks - and around Labor Day approximately 180 BWL
employees will work in the complex.
The 5.3 acre REO Town site was the best location among
others considered for the new power plant and headquarters because it was
closest to BWL's steam and electric distribution systems. The property
contained an asphalt parking lot and the train depot at the time of purchase.
The historical importance of the train depot to the REO Town neighborhood led
the BWL to restore the depot, which is on the U.S. and Michigan Register of
Historic Sites, to its original state as a part of the project.
The BWL also believed developing the site would enhance
economic development in REO Town, the city and the region. That combined with
the City of Lansing's $2.84 million Streetscape improvement project along Washington
Ave., which has renewed this transportation corridor, is why the REO Town
project has been called "transformational" for the area.
The Lansing Board of Water & Light - Michigan's
largest municipally-owned utility founded in 1885, delivers safe and reliable
water, electric, steam and chilled water service to more than 100,000
residential and business customers.
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