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Power plant on west campus hits resistance from local groups
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by John Liesveld
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Representatives from the University of Wisconsin and Madison Gas and Electric are feuding with activist groups and neighborhood associations such as the Sierra Club, Friends of Responsible Energy and the Regent Neighborhood over possible problems a power plant on the west side of campus could create.
The UW and MGE plan proposes the construction of the West Campus Cogeneration Facility adjacent to the Walnut Street heating plant on the west side of the city.
Construction on the power plant is awaiting final approval by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin this Thursday. If the timeline set up by MGE and UW goes as planned, construction on the plant will begin this fall and is projected to be finished in early 2005.
The area could be mired with possible groundwater contaminants from a dry cleaning building that used to exist nearby.
Last week, Chamond Liu of Friends of Responsible Energy sent out two press releases addressing the possibility of such contamination. Recent reports compiled from data by MGE said the contamination exceeds levels for human safety.
Liu said the water “must be safely removed in a process called dewatering,” before construction may begin. Liu also contacted the Public Service Commission regarding concerns about the disposal of contaminated water.
In response, MGE attorney Richard Nordeng wrote the Public Service Commission assuring them that the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District has agreed to accept the dewatering discharge.
Friends of Responsible Energy later claimed that there was no existing agreement between MGE and Madison’s Sewage District for the disposal of the groundwater at that time.
“There was a letter,” Sewage District chief engineer John Schellpfeffer said in an interview, requesting that the District handle the toxic water. Schellpfeffer added the letter was received two years earlier.
“It isn’t that unusual an event,” Schellpfeffer said, adding that this is a standard way of doing business with construction firms. Schellpfeffer said at the time of the letter, it was too early to issue a permit to MGE for the removal.
Schellpfeffer also said he had received an official e-mail and written letter of request from MGE on Tuesday. This request came a week after MGE attorney Richard Nordeng assured the Public Service Commission the groundwater was being handled.
Schellpfeffer said a permit would be issued only after the Sewage District reviewed the request and determined the nature of the contaminated water.
When contacted, Steve Kraus, Media Relations for MGE, agreed with Schellpfeffer, saying, “This was a normal course of action.”
According to Kraus, MGE “meets or exceeds all environmental regulatory requirements.”
Still, Friends of Responsible Energy raises several concerns over the size and scope of the facility and the way in which the plans were rushed in order to meet deadlines. Friends of Responsible Energy representatives also are concerned about other information about which MGE might not have been completely truthful.
Officials from Friends of Responsible Energy made it clear their organization is not against the construction of the plant, but rather they feel many decisions were made prematurely.
The West Campus Cogeneration Facility, when completed, will be a high-efficient, clean-burning natural gas plant used to provide chilled water air-conditioning, steam heat and backup power to the UW campus. In addition, it will send electricity to other MGE customers.
As stated on the MGE website, the West Campus Cogeneration Facility, when completed, will be up to 70 percent more efficient when operating in cogeneration mode because cogeneration mode uses the residual thermal energy that is otherwise wasted in standard power facilities. Conventional power plants have facilities that obtain on average 30 to 35 percent efficiency. The plant will have a net capacity of 150 megawatts, enough power for 75,000 to 100,000 homes. Noise pollution from the plant will also be within the levels approved by a city of Madison ordinance.
