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Nov. 6, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Power Source at Smith College

 

By the numbers

2008: Year Smith College expects to convert to a Combined Heat and Power system, more commonly referred to as cogeneration system.

2005: Year Smith College Board of Trustees approved the cogeneration system.

1948: Year Smith’s current central steam heating system was completed.

126 West Street: The Physical Plant, location of the cogeneration system.

$11.5 million: Estimated cost of the cogeneration system.

$1.8 million: Annual cost savings to the college with the cogeneration system.

Seven: Years estimated to payback the cost of the new system.

2,600: Smith student population.

$6 million: Annual cost of energy Smith uses to heat, cool, light and power the college. [*Note: This is a conservative figure that does not take into account the increase in oil prices that occured during the summer of 2008.]

Zero: Amount of electricity that Smith currently produces to meet the campus need.

16 million kiloWatts: Amount of electricity Smith will produce under the new system to meet the campus need.

70 percent: Amount of Smith's electrical need that will be met by the new system - substantially reducing the need to purchase electricity from an outside source.

45 percent: Energy efficiency rating of the heating and power system that Smith is replacing.

85 percent: Energy efficiency rating of the heating and power system that Smith is installing.

2.8 million: Square footage of Smith’s residential, academic and administrative buildings.

5 miles: Length of underground piping that delivers heat to campus buildings.

450 tons: Weight of the crane that will hoist the new system parts into the Physical Plant.

250 tons: Maximum weight the crane can lift.

400 tons: Weight of the obsolete equipment removed from the Physical Plant to make way for the new equipment.

95 percent: Amount of the obsolete equipment that will be recycled.

39 tons: Weight of new turbine generator - jet engine - that will be installed to produce Smith’s electricity.

 

 

 

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Office of College Relations
Smith College
Garrison Hall
Northampton, Massachusetts 01063

Kristen Cole
Media Relations Director
T (413) 585-2190
F (413) 585-2174
kacole@email.smith.edu

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