Four new natural gas boilers have arrived at Eastman Business Park to go into RED-Rochester’s new natural gas-fired power plant. The new plant replaces the coal-fired plant and will produce electricity, steam and chilled water for the more than 100 companies operating at Eastman Business Park with far greater efficiency that will lower operating costs and greatly decrease the plant’s carbon footprint.
This investment made by RED-Rochester will cut carbon emissions by 50 percent at the Park, while at the same time providing a major opportunity for heavy users of steam power. The combination of benefits figures to draw more interest and investment in the facilities at EBP.
“The investment in the new natural gas fired power plant is one that will benefit companies operating in the Park, the environment and RED-Rochester,” said Dolores Kruchten, President, Corporate Real Estate & Eastman Business Park Division, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “Along with being much more efficient, burning clean natural gas will reduce our CO2 emissions by 50 percent and eliminate sulfur dioxide emissions.”
Each of the boilers are large, but three of them weigh more than 270,000 pounds apiece! The “smaller” medium-pressure boiler arrived at EBP in late April from Abilene, Texas, and the three larger boilers were transported from Collinsville, Oklahoma to Rochester by road, carried on 230-foot rigs. The rigs were so large they had to follow strict travel regulations, including only traveling at night through some stretches.
RED-Rochester selected ESI Inc. of Tennessee to be their EPC Construction Partner for the overall execution of the Project. The new gas-fired power plant is in mid-construction and is expected to be operational by the end of this year.
“We are big believers in the future of Eastman Business Park; there is a solid foundation of companies operating here today and the prospects for attracting new utility users are very strong based on the exceptional industrial resources here,” Craig Bennett, president of RED-Rochester said. “Our investment in the new natural gas-fired boiler house is a lasting symbol of our commitment to Eastman Business Park and Rochester.”
The project will involve installation of four new high-efficiency natural gas boilers, as well as the conversion of a pulverized coal boiler (Boiler 44) from coal to natural gas. The new natural gas powered boilers and converted Boiler 44 will provide steam to existing steam turbines to provide power and other utility services to RED-Rochester's customers in Eastman Business Park.
In addition to conversion of the Power Plant, RG&E will construct a new natural gas pipeline to serve the RED-Rochester conversions.
Project Snapshot (via Ironclad)
- Total cost of the project: $75 million (not including $17 for cost of new pipeline)
- Natural gas boilers will reduce carbon emissions by 50% and eliminate sulfur dioxide emissions
- 120 MW behind-the-meter tri-generation w/ grid interconnect and a 12.5 KV underground electrical cable network
- 1,700 KPPH of steam produced at 1,400 psi with site-wide distribution at 260, 140/135, 5-10 PSIG and site-wide condensate return system
- 90 miles of largely above-ground distribution pipelines
- 50,000 TONS of chilled water capacity down to 9-degree F.
- 40,000 SCFM of compressed air
- 2,300 SCFM of nitrogen generation
- 36 Million Gallons a Day average hydraulic capacity (54 MGD max) with water intake from Lake Ontario (5 miles to the north) coupled with an underground sewage piping system and in house sewer treatment plant designed for industrial effluent
- 3,000 GPM of demineralized water capacity
- 400 GPM – ultra high purity water
- 3.5 & 12.5 Million Gallon reservoirs, distribution and pumping of industrial, process and fire water