Central Plant Master Plan Implementation
Location: Texas Medical Center, Houston
Client: Thermal Energy Corp.
Completion Date: 2014
Burns & McDonnell is providing architectural, engineering, procurement and construction services to Thermal Energy Corp. (TECO) for the initial phase of a master plan implementation at its district energy plant at the Texas Medical Center in Houston.
When the entire master plan is completed, the expansion of the central plant will provide 100 MW of on-site power generation, 80,000 tons of chilled water, 152,000 ton-hours of chilled water storage and 540,000 pounds-per-hour of steam to 75 percent of the 47 institutions’ facilities at the Texas Medical Center. This on-site combined heat and power (CHP) system will double operating efficiency to 80 percent, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve the security, reliability and emergency operation capacity of the utility infrastructure serving the world's largest medical center.
The initial phase of the master plan includes:
- 45-MW gas turbine with space for a second identical unit
- 6-MW back-pressure steam turbine
- 8.75-million-gallon, 75,000-ton-hours chilled-water thermal storage tank
- New East Chiller Plant with four, 8,000-ton electric-drive chillers and space for six future 8,000-ton chillers
- New 29,000-square-foot Operations Support Facility
- 30,000-ton wooden cooling tower replacement
- 138-kV substation expansion and upgrade
- Additional chilled-water loops to serve new loads on the west and south
The estimated construction cost of the initial phase is $365 million, and components of the plan will become operational in phases. Completion of all projects in this initial phase is scheduled for 2014.
- On-site CHP system will save TECO nearly $200 million over next 15 years
- Operating efficiency will double from 40 percent to 80 percent
- Greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption will be significantly reduced
- Carbon emissions reduced by 83,000 metric tons, equivalent of removing 52,000 cars from the road
- Expansion of central plant will improve the security, reliability and emergency operation capacity of the utility infrastructure serving the Texas Medical Center
