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History
Sales Order LookupHistory
(KPH water tower with old power plant in the background)
In the mid-1980s, Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital investigated
additional Steam generation capability to serve itself and Western Michigan
University (WMU). Major new buildings were being constructed on the
campus, including a new recreational center, a computer center, a
library, and a business school.
A coal-fired power plant, built in 1924, provided 300,000 pounds per hour
(lb/hr) of saturated steam and 3-megawatts (MW) of electricity to the campus.
The plant hadn't been up graded since 1965. Based on the needs of the
expanded campus and deteriorating equipment in the power plant, the
hospital was proceeding to design and build a new 300,000 lb/hr, 15-MW
coal-fired power plant.
In 1991 and 1992, three 50,000 lb/hr, coal-fired boilers were converted to
100% natural gas and two others (150,000 lb/hr each)were retrofitted to co-fire
natural gas and coal as a means of meeting tougher NOx emissions
requirements. The plant underwent a three-phase refurbishment and
expansion from 1995 to 1997.
The project also included the installation of a 925-kilowatt (kW) back-pressure
steam turbine generator, a natural gas-fired 770 kW peaking/emergency
generator, a new 13.8 kilovolt (kV) and 2.4 kV electrical switchgear
and switchboards, and a new hot process water treatment system. The
plant expansion was accomplished within the existing power house structure,
which made space considerations very critical.
In addition, all of the improvements were made in phases without
interrupting service to the campus. Maintaining service to the campus
was a challenge. Our operators made heroic efforts to keep the units
on-line under extremely harsh conditions. One wall of the plant was
wide open for two months during the winter.
