The Power Plant

It's my job to keep the lights on, and this is where I spend my working hours.  

We have 6 diesel generator sets that can provide over 5 MW of continuous power at 4160 volts.  This power is then distributed through feeders to substations throughout town that convert it 120 volts for use.  The engines were installed almost twenty years ago and are at the end of their useful life. They have many thousands of hours of use.  One engine, as of the time of this writing, has over 93,500 hours of run time.  This same engine in a vehicle would have circled the world over 100 times (4,500,000 miles).  

The coolant from the diesels also provides heat for much of the town.  The hot glycol solution circulated through the engine is cooled by a heat exchanger.  The warmed liquid in the heat exchanger is then pumped through town and provides heat to buildings.  This arrangement performs two useful functions and maximizes our efficiency.

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The  Power Plant

Switchgear

Caterpillar D399

Engine room

View from the office