2006 (Scheduled)
West Central Energy Plant

West Central Energy Plant

The new West Central Energy Plant will provide normal power, standby/essential power, chilled water and heating water to the west side of the UAMS campus and portions of the Arkansas State Hospital (ASH). 

The UAMS buildings served by the new plant include the College of Public Health (chilled water and heating water only), Ward Tower (chilled water, heating water, and normal power only), new patient tower, new parking deck, Psychiatric Research Institute, and the buildings recently acquired from the Arkansas State Hospital (Administration, Admitting, Nurse Administration, Treatment 3, Treatment 4, Living / Treatment 1, and Living / Treatment 2). The ASH buildings served by the West Central Energy Plant will include the new Arkansas State Hospital, Living Unit 3, Living Unit 4, Forensics, Activities, Maintenance, Courts, Kitchen, Community Mental Health Center, APP, and Fullerton. The West Central Energy Plant also will provide normal power to the new Public Health Laboratory on the campus of the Arkansas Division of Health of the state Department of Health and Human Services.

UAMS will operate and maintain the plant. All costs associated with the plant, including maintenance, staffing, electricity, fuel oil, natural gas, depreciation, insurance, and debt service will be allocated to the various buildings served by the plant based upon actual metered consumption and cost of service based rate schedules. The rate schedules will include incentives for energy efficient behavior, including reducing demands during peak periods and returning steam condensate.

The chilled water system includes three 1,500-ton electric centrifugal water chillers and one 1,000-ton heat pump water chiller. The heat pump water chiller will simultaneously produce 38-degree chilled water for cooling and dehumidification purposes and 155-degree heating water for domestic water heating and space heating. The installation of the heat pump water chiller will be the first of its kind in the United States. 

The heating water system includes two gas-fired heating water boilers and two electric boilers. During periods of peak electrical demand when electricity rates are high, the natural gas-fired boilers will be used. During off-peak periods when electricity rates are low, the electric boilers will be used. The use of a hybrid system with both fuels available also provides flexibility in the future when both natural gas and electricity rates are uncertain.

The meter in the natural gas service to the West Central Energy Plant will be electronically combined with the existing UAMS main gas meter.

The power system includes five 2,250-kilowatt_diesel engine generators. During periods of peak electrical demand, the generators will be used and power purchases from the electric utility will be limited. During off-peak periods, electricity will be purchased from the electric utility. The use of the generators in a demand limiting manner, combined with a special interruptible power rate from the electric utility, will save UAMS and the other state agencies served by the West Central Energy Plant more than $1 million annually. The generators also will provide the capability to restore power to all buildings and loads (including air conditioning) in the event of a complete utility power failure.

The West Central Energy Plant will incorporate state-of-the-art technology resulting in the efficient generation of power, chilled water and heating water. The annual operating and maintenance costs of the plant are projected to be more than 40 percent less than those associated with standard equipment and technology.

The plant also will include space and connections for additional equipment (water chillers, boiler and generator) so its capacity can be expanded to serve up to 500,000 square feet of additional floor space.

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