Combined Heat & Power Facilities

Milhouse was retained by Black & Veatch (B&V) to provide electrical engineering, mechanical specialty design, and construction administration services for the $60M design-build-operate combined cycle methane gas turbine generating station at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (AWTP) in Washington, D.C. The 20-year agreement between DC Water and Pepco provides approximately half of the 27-megawatt (MW) electrical load of the Blue Plains AWTP. The project consists of a classified area gas blower building; a classified area gas compressor and conditioning building; and a turbine building with classified areas.

Electrical work included design services for the following:

•  13.2 kV to 480V for 4 MVA substations
•  Multiple motor control centers
•  Power distribution for processes and facilities
•  Lighting and grounding systems
•  Ductbanks
•  Gas alarm and fire alarm systems
•  Security systems and classified areas
•  Electrical systems three 4.5 MW, combined cycle size gas turbines
•  Reduced voltage starting systems for three 450 horsepower (HP), two-pole compressors
•  Siloxane treatment systems
•  250 HP gas blower systems
•  SCADA interfaces

Milhouse also conducted load flow, short circuit, coordination, arc-flash, and harmonics studies for the facilities. Mechanical work included design of instrument air systems, an auxiliary boiler, water treatment systems, and chemical systems for the co-generation facilities. The work also included support design, steam distribution system guides, and anchors.

The  project  was  performed  in  several  offices  nationwide  and  required  extensive  coordination  among consultants. The design incorporated DC Water’s standards, the latest code updates, and good practice design standards for power generating facilities.