Preparations underway for Cogen power plant

When the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin provides written approval to construct the West Campus Cogeneration Facility, work will begin almost immediately near the intersection of Herrick Drive and Walnut Street.

The PSC gave verbal approval to the 21/2-year project last month, but the construction can’t begin until there is written approval, which is expected at the commission’s Thursday, Oct. 9, meeting.

In the meantime, final efforts are under way to minimize how plant construction — and to a lesser extent, replacement of the Walnut Street greenhouses — will affect activities in the area.

“As with any new buildings on campus, these projects will affect traffic and interrupt other activities that normally occur in the area,” says John Harrod, physical plant director. “We are doing all we can to minimize their impact, and ask that people who use those areas of campus have patience as construction progresses.”

The Cogen plant, a partnership among UW–Madison, the state and Madison Gas & Electric, is being built adjacent to the existing Walnut Street Heating Plant. When Cogen goes online in summer 2005, it will provide 150 megawatts of electricity for the campus and Madison community, as well as steam heat and chilled-water air conditioning for campus buildings. The natural gas-fired facility, which will be one of the cleanest power plants in the state, addresses utility needs brought on by new campus construction.

Beginning in March, the university will start work on the Walnut Street greenhouses, currently located across Herrick Drive from the plant site. Once demolished, the existing 31 wood-framed greenhouses will be replaced with 32 aluminum-framed research greenhouses that are more energy efficient and better-equipped to support modern research needs. The greenhouses, which will swap locations with the parking lot currently located just to their north, will be completed by summer 2005.

The university is working to deal with the closure of the greenhouse lot and other nearby parking. Transportation Services reduced the number of permits issued for those lots, and arrangements are being made to provide alternate parking for those with permits to park in the area.

In addition to the lots, Herrick Drive will be closed to motor vehicles during construction. However, soon after construction begins, crews will install a gravel path and re-open the area to pedestrians and bicycles.

The Cogen facility will require a variety of smaller utility projects around campus that will cause minor disruptions.

During a three-week period beginning in mid-October, Babcock Drive will be reduced to one lane. While the south lane is closed, crews will direct traffic from both directions through the north lane.

Already under way is a three-week valve-replacement project on the chilled water pipes between Babcock Drive and Walnut Street. The project has interrupted chilled-water service to 17 buildings in the area, Harrod says.

The recreation fields directly west of the Natatorium will be closed for the duration of construction. The location is the only viable area that crews can use as a staging area to store equipment, trailers and excess dirt. With the exception of the practice area used by the UW Marching Band, the area will be sealed off.

However, Recreational Sports Director Dale Carruthers points out that the campus will be left with an improved recreation area that will include better drainage and space for additional sports.

“We will have to make a sacrifice now, but it will be well worth it down the road,” Carruthers says. “Right now, the poor drainage that currently exists in the area means a heavy rain closes the fields. That will change.”

The dirt that is moved from the construction zone and stored in the staging area ultimately will be used to crown the fields, so that water drains away from playing surfaces. In addition, Carruthers says, ball diamonds and backstops will be rearranged to provide additional space for soccer, flag football and ultimate Frisbee.

Intramural sports normally scheduled in the area will be re-located to similar facilities elsewhere on campus.

The staging area is also being set up in a way that protects environmentally sensitive areas nearby. Harrod says stored dirt will be seeded to prevent erosion into Willow Creek and Lake Mendota. Storm water will be directed into a “rain garden,” a method of landscaping that replenishes ground water and protects nearby waterways by quickly funneling storm water into the soil.

“This is an inexpensive and natural method of recharging ground water and protecting the lake and creek,” Harrod says. “The garden prevents excess storm water from flowing along the surface — where it either evaporates or collects pollutants and sediment — and deposits them into the lake.”