UW-Madison endorses 150-megawatt power plant

UW–Madison Chancellor John Wiley formally recommended Friday that the state move forward with a 150-megawatt West Campus Cogeneration Facility.

Madison Gas and Electric, in partnership with UW–Madison and the state, wants to build the facility at the 600 Block of Walnut Street, adjacent to the Walnut Street heating plant. The natural gas-fired cogeneration facility, which would produce 150 megawatts of electricity, steam heat and chilled water air conditioning, would be one of the cleanest-burning power plants in the state.

In a letter to Department of Administration Secretary Marc Marotta, Wiley urges Marotta to formally recommend the plan for inclusion in the 2003-05 capital budget.

“I believe that to choose another alternative, take no action, or return to planning would jeopardize the commitments and investments the state and university have already made for HealthStar and BioStar programs,” Wiley writes. “This unique public-private partnership builds on the strengths of both parties, and we urge you to recommend it to the Legislature.”

The partnership was first developed to help the university address increasing utility needs brought on by rapid growth of facility space, particularly in science and technology, and MGE’s need to expand its capacity to serve the Madison community.

Though the project was approved by the State Building Commission and the UW System Board of Regents in 2002, the state put the project on hold to allow for both a re-analysis of possible alternatives to the 150-megawatt facility and additional questions and comments by the public.

The university and the state’s Division of Facilities Development analyzed the 150-megawatt plant along with two state-owned alternatives: a 45-megawatt cogeneration plant and a heating and cooling plant without electric generating capacity.

That analysis, combined with input gathered during a public comment period that included two hearings on March 13 and April 28, led to the chancellor’s decision that the 150-megawatt plant is the best course of action.

“The joint proposal has broad support in the community from business, labor, research, environmental, medical and education interests. We believe legitimate concerns raised by neighbors regarding air quality, water use and potential noise associated with the 150-megawatt plant can be effectively addressed, and we are committed to responding to these issues,” Wiley writes.

In addition to the state budget process, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) is also reviewing a construction application for the project. The PSCW issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in March followed by a 45-day comment period that ended April 25. The commission will review the input, revise its analysis and issue a final Environmental Impact Statement that will be used as an exhibit at a series of public hearings that the PSCW will hold prior to making a final decision on the facility’s construction application.

Wiley’s letter to the Department of Administration and other background information is available at http://www.fpm.wisc.edu/fpm/cogen.html.