Town hall meeting set on study of state-owned heating and cooling plants

A town hall meeting detailing the progress of a study on state-owned heating and cooling facilities in Madison will be held Tuesday, June 17, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Mechanical Engineering Building at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The public meeting will be held in the 3M Auditorium, Room 1106, at the Mechanical Engineering Building at 1513 University Ave. The auditorium is best accessed from the Engineering Drive entrance to the building and parking is available in Lot 17, just south of the building.

The meeting is designed to inform the public of the study’s progress and offer a chance for individuals to provide feedback on a draft of a comprehensive feasibility study that examines how to meet state government’s downtown heating and cooling needs.

The session, sponsored by the state Department of Administration (DOA) and UW–Madison, will allow citizens a chance to learn more about alternative ways for the state to heat and cool the state Capitol, state agency buildings and the UW–Madison campus.

One-on-one discussions with experts, displays on the findings of the draft report and a forum for comments will be featured at the meeting. Here is the agenda:

• 5:30-6:15 p.m.: Self-guided review of displays and discussion with experts;
• 6:15-6:30 p.m.: Informational presentation;
• 6:30-8 p.m.: Open forum;
• 8-8:30 p.m.: Revisit displays and discussions, and wrap-up.

The study is being conducted as part of an agreement reached last November between DOA, UW–Madison and the Sierra Club to complete a feasibility study on the Charter Street Heating Plant and other power plants in Madison.

The state-owned heating and cooling plants include the Charter Street Heating Plant, the Walnut Street Heating Plant, the Capitol Heat & Power Plant and the West Campus Cogeneration Facility, which is co-owned by the state and Madison Gas & Electric. The state-owned facilities mainly provide steam to heat and cool state agency buildings and UW–Madison. Potential for using MGE’s Blount Street Plant site is also considered in the study.

Questions regarding the meeting should be directed to the DOA at (608) 266-1855 or UW–Madison at (608) 262-9406.