Central Power Station Upgrade, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Wood Harbinger is providing mechanical and electrical services for this project that consists of steam, chilled water, emergency power, and distribution system upgrades. For the steam system upgrades, old hog fuel boilers were demolished and two new 65,000 lb/hr gas/oil fired water tube boilers are being installed along with a 200,000 lb/hr deaerator, new feed water pumps, and air compressors. A new 12,000 ton Chilled Water Plant with constant and variable speed chillers, cooling towers, and primary and secondary pump systems are included in this project. Steam distribution pressure is being increased to expand distribution capacity. This modification will require upgrades in over 100 buildings. Chilled Water Distribution piping sizes will be increased as well. New utility tunnels/vaults are being designed to accommodate major growth in the east campus area including a new $350 million basketball arena. A 15 MW gas fired co-generation plant is also being considered.
The Electrical Engineering effort at the University of Oregon is comprised of several components. The Central Power Station with a new Central Chilled Water Plant, upgrade of the steam generation capability, expanded standby-power generation and control, and a new Central Power Station Substation along with provisions for up to 20 MW of co-generation intertie to EWEB (the local Utility Cooperative).
The new Central Power Station Substation will serve the entire campus as well as the new Central Power Station expansion. The substation is divided into the Utility Transformation section and the University Distribution section. The Utility transformation section is a 115 kV/12.47 kV; 70 MVA double-ended substation with capacity to add a third 35 MVA transformer in the future. The University Distribution section has a fully enclosed 12.47 kV switch-house with full capacity ring-bus configured switchgear. The switchgear will provide paralleling and control of the new 8 MW standby-power generation, up to 8 dedicated campus standby feeders, and double-ended normal campus distribution lineups for up to 16 dedicated feeders. This installation will provided a 5 MVA double-ended service for the remodeled Central Steam Plant, 15 MVA double-ended service for the new 12,000 Ton Central Chilled Water Plant, and 20 MVA for present and future campus services. The overall system will be served by a new triple-ended 115 kv; 12.47 kV, 100 MVA GIS substation that will accommodate two 115 kV lines from the PUD and one line from the 20 MVA co-generation.
In addition to the above effort, we also provided walk-through review of all the existing utility tunnels, development of new service vaults and tunnel extensions for the new Basketball arena, and engineering for the extension of the new normal and standby power service from the Central Power Station to the new arena. These changes will replace all of the existing medium voltage power generation and distribution systems currently in place at the Central Power Station.
The Chilled Water Plant portion of this project won the prestigious 2011 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Washington State Gold Award.