As part of its ongoing effort to control utility costs and manage expenses as efficiently as possible, the Physical Plant will modify the operation of its steam plant over the summer by shutting down its coal-fired steam boiler until Sept. 30.
The measure should save the university at least $100,000 and offers the added benefit of helping the environment: summer is the annual time period when ozone readings are the highest.
Natural gas pricing has dropped to historically low levels, making the use of natural gas a viable alternative to coal this summer, according to Ken Crowe, the Physical Plant’s director of energy services. The Physical Plant has made an advance purchase of the natural gas that will be required to operate the steam plant over the summer.
The Physical Plant is working closely with UGA’s Biorefining and Carbon Cycling Program and the Faculty of Engineering Outreach Service to determine the best long-term alternative to replace the steam production currently provided by the coal-fired boiler.
