Utah’s Cleanest Power Plant
Background
Located at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, Provo is Utah’s third largest city and has the largest municipally owned electric utility in the state of Utah.
After 75 years of serving the community, Provo’s former power plant needed to upgrade its outdated equipment to be more environmentally friendly and reduce the emissions that were trapped near the valley floor by the area’s winter inversions.
Solution
In 2016, the old power plant was demolished and a year later a new state-of-the-art power plant with five Cat G3520H generator sets was brought online with Wheeler Machinery Co. managing the construction.
Annually, it produces emissions equivalent to only eight automobiles and provides more power than the plant it replaced at 13 MW compared to 10 MW.
As a member of the Utah Municipal Power Agency (UMPA), a consumer-owned corporation that helps schedule city power resources among its member communities, Provo implemented peak shaving systems to help reduce power consumption and provide cheaper power when wholesale electrical rates are high, typically during the heat of summer and cold winter periods,
The systems use generators and paralleling equipment that can start up and synchronize frequencies with the power grid as necessary during these periods of high demand.
Results
The Provo Power Plant is now considered the cleanest burning natural gas-fired power plant in the state.
UMPA’s post-combustion emissions after treatment technology reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by 93 percent, carbon monoxide emissions by 90 percent and formaldehyde emissions by 90 percent. Further, the ecoCube System converts nitrogen oxide into nitrogen and water vapor, reducing smog.
By serving as construction manager, Wheeler Power Systems applied its experience and expertise in the design of the plant and hired preferred subcontractors. Now that the plant is completed, UMPA has the comfort in knowing it can call on the Cat dealer anytime to resolve issues.
Wheeler provides ongoing maintenance and technical support, ensuring that the Cat G3520H generator sets are ready to run at all times. Due to its efficiency and emission control technology, the project has garnered widespread acclaim from state and local stakeholders.
Utah Municipality Power Agency (UMPA) | Wheeler Machinery Co.
A Breath of Fresh Air | Provo Power | Cat® G3520H Generator Set
Cat® Generators Expand Power for New Utah Plant | Cat | Caterpillar
Testimonial
“One of the things we’ve learned in the generation business is that having good partners is critical to our success, and when we decided to build a plant, one of the things we wanted to do was to select a vendor that really took our needs into consideration. I’ve known… the Wheeler Cat people for years, and I have seen them do a lot of different projects for other cities in the state of Utah. I’ve always been respectful of their work and the value they add with their superior customer service.”
Kevin Garlick, UMPA Power Resource Manager
