University celebrates opening of new cogeneration facility

Less than two years after construction began on one of the cleanest power plants in the Midwest, officials gathered at the West Campus Cogeneration Facility last week to celebrate the public-private partnership that made it a reality.

The $180 million facility, a partnership among the university, Madison Gas and Electric and the state, will provide electricity for the campus and community, plus chilled water for air conditioning and steam for heating the campus.

The natural gas-fired plant has an overall net efficiency of 70 percent, which compares to 30-35 percent for a typical electric facility.

The highly efficient cogeneration operation uses less fuel than separate heating and electric facilities. The efficient use of fuel reduces operating costs and produces far fewer greenhouse gases.

Madison Gas and Electric and the university worked closely with the community to mitigate environmental impacts from the plant.

Gary Wolter, Madison Gas and Electric chief executive officer, noted that the plant was completed on an aggressive schedule and that construction crews were able to recycle 85 percent of the construction waste that was generated.