CUC gets four new turbochargers

The CNMI ARRA Office, in collaboration with the CNMI Division of Energy and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., has purchased four new turbochargers for CUC’s Power Plant 1 through the ARRA State Energy Program. CUC power plant engines Nos. 5-8 have been designated to receive the new units.

The project began in August of 2010 and faced many challenges, the most substantial being the ARRA “Buy America” Provision. The CNMI ARRA Office, CNMI Division of Energy, and project management firm N15 Architects worked closely with the U.S. Department of Energy in trying to secure the waiver, which was finally issued in September 2010.

The project aims to retrofit existing engines with the latest turbocharger technology. CUC will be able to effectively extend the engines’ useful life, while improving performance, economics, and environmental impact. The new turbochargers will also improve engine response, provide for lower spare part costs, and provide easier maintenance and time between overhauls.

The first pair of units arrived at Power Plant 1 on Feb. 9, 2011, and CUC installed the first turbochargers on Engine No. 8 and is currently testing the new equipment. Final results won’t be ready until mid-July, but preliminary results indicate that CUC will reduce fuel consumption even more than expected and significantly reduce carbon emissions at the same time. CUC has already started preparing for the next set of turbochargers for Engine No. 6, which is due on island this week.

“The turbocharger installation is proceeding smoothly; we expect all four turbocharger sets on line and running above rated efficiency by the end of the year,” said project manager Chris Fryling of N15 Architects. “We are on track to start saving the Commonwealth at least 2 percent of their total fuel costs, which will add up to millions of dollars over the next few years.”

Projected fuel savings for Engine No. 8, based on preliminary tests, will be more than 650,000 gallons per year. At $3 per gallon, that translates to a savings of almost $2 million per year if the engine runs under full load.

“The turbochargers boost the output of the engines at Power Plant 1,” said CUC executive director Abe Malae. “The end result is higher fuel efficiency that translates to lower costs to customers thanks to the ARRA Office, Department of Public Works, and its Energy Division.”

Two other projects to purchase four lube oil separators and an oily water/used oil separator have also been awarded to CUC through the ARRA State Energy Program. The lube oil separators will allow CUC to reduce waste oil while the oily water separator will clean traces of oil from the dirty water in the power plant before it is released into the sewer system.

Fred Camacho, the CNMI ARRA Communications/IT manager, said: “These projects will go a long way to aid the community with the cost of utilities while helping to reduce the carbon footprint produced at the local power plant.”[I] (Office of the Governor)[/I]