American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) has developed behind-the-meter (BTM) generation projects to help participating AMP member communities lower their overall transmission costs and provide back-up generation sources. The reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) diesel generation units were installed behind AMP members’ meters in Ohio and Pennsylvania through a partnership with PowerSecure.
PowerSecure performs the engineering, procurement and construction for the installations and provides the operation and maintenance of the peak shaving units.
Twenty-eight AMP member communities participate in the BTM PA and RTO peaking projects, which were developed to help offset rising transmission and capacity costs for project participants. Ten of the Pennsylvania participants in the BTM PA peaking project also participate in the RTO peaking project.
BTM generation provides local generation behind the utility’s meter — resulting in reduced system peaks that reduces costs for the municipal utility’s customers. BTM lowers transmission obligation because the generation is local and not delivered over transmission lines, so the community is able to avoid some transmission costs. In addition, the installations provide the added benefit of providing a source of emergency backup generation should a major outage occur, and the host communities are trained in how to use the units for that purpose.
The BTM RTO Peaking Project — a project serving 24 AMP members within the PJM Interconnection region — consists of eight host sites for a total of 50,220 kilowatts (kWs); the BTM PA Peaking Project — a project serving 14 AMP members in Pennsylvania — consists of six host sites for a total of 34,020 kW.
Each site has a 10-year maintenance and monitoring agreement with PowerSecure in which PowerSecure provides remote monitoring and performance of all preventive and corrective maintenance. AMP dispatches the power and will turn the units on and off, and PowerSecure serves as a backup dispatch center.
BTM RTO Peaking Project
The AMP member communities of Blakely, Catawissa, Duncannon, Ellwood City, Girard, Grove City, Haskins, Hooversville, Lansdale, Lehighton, Lewisberry, Mifflinburg, Monroeville, Niles, Oak Harbor, Royalton, Saint Clair, Schuylkill Haven, Summerhill, Wadsworth, Watsontown, Weatherly, Woodville and Zelienople participate in the project, which consists of eight host sites for a total of 50,220 kWs:
| BTM RTO GENERATION PROJECT
|
|
MUNICIPALITY
|
TOTAL CAPACITY
(kW INSTALLED)
|
STATUS
|
|
Niles |
10,800
|
In Operation
|
|
Wadsworth (HBS) |
10,800
|
In Operation
|
|
Monroeville |
2,700
|
In Operation
|
|
Woodville |
2,700
|
In Operation
|
|
Girard |
2,700
|
In Operation
|
|
Blakely |
5,400
|
In Construction
|
|
Weatherly |
4,320
|
In Construction
|
|
Wadsworth (IPA) |
10,800
|
In Construction
|
|
TOTAL GENERATION
|
50,220
|
|
BTM PA Peaking Project
The AMP member communities of Blakely, Catawissa, Duncannon, Ephrata, Hatfield, Lansdale, Lehighton, Mifflinburg, Perkasie, Quakertown, Saint Clair, Schuylkill Haven, Watsontown and Weatherly participate in the project, which consists of six host sites for a total of 34,020 kWs:
| BTM PA GENERATION PROJECT
|
|
MUNICIPALITY
|
TOTAL CAPACITY
(kW INSTALLED)
|
STATUS
|
|
Ephrata
|
5,400
|
In Operation
|
|
Perkasie
|
4,320
|
In Operation
|
|
Hatfield
|
2,700
|
In Construction
|
|
Schuylkill Haven
|
5,400
|
In Construction
|
|
Mifflinburg
|
5,400
|
In Construction
|
|
Quakertown
|
10,800
|
In Construction
|
|
TOTAL GENERATION
|
34,020
|
|
For more information, contact William Sandell, Vice President of Generation Operations and Development, at (614) 540-6382 or [email protected]