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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBrevig Mission Energy Plan, December 1986BREVIG MISSION ENERGY PLAN JAMES GURKE JUDY ZIAMICKI DECEMBER. 1986 BREVIG MISSION ENERGY PLAN SUMMARY CITY ENERGY SUMMARY BREVIG MISSION UTILITY GENERATION BULK FUEL MANAGEMENT UTILITY BILLING POWER COST EQUALIZATION WASTE HEAT RECOVERY NEW HUD HOUSING INSULATION CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES HEATING SYSTEM ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES SITING Prepared By: Judy Zimicki and James Gurke Energy Consultants to the Bering Straits Regional Strategy December, 1986 SUMMARY What can the residents and city council of Brevig Mission do to decrease individual and community energy costs? The purpose of this energy plan is to provide some specific ideas and actions for individuals and local governments to increase energy efficiency, and to decrease energy use and costs. A more complete discussion of the issues raised in this plan and the role of regional policies and organizations is included in our -Energy Consultant’s Report to the Bering Straits Regional Strategy, available through Kawerak, Inc. There are two large energy issues in Brevig Mission which must be addressed soon by the local government and the residents: 1) the ownership and management of electrical generation equipment, and 2) the energy-saving features of the 1987 HUD housing. * The power module owned by the city cannot be used as originally intended. The city needs to work with the school district and the state to determine how electrical generation needs, starting in 1987, can be met. * Brevig Mission has one of the most successful waste heat systems in the region with the heat used for the school. Waste heat recapture should be included in all future power generation schemes. * Brevig Mission residents use electricity less than most of their Seward Peninsula neighbors. With the new, lower subsidized cost and the construction of new homes, residents should try to keep this consumption at existing levels through wise choices of appliances and lighting. * The city is being offered a major role in the design of the new HUD housing. Take this role seriously and consider the electricity and space heating fuel use as a consequence of all design decisions. CITY ENERGY SUMMARY for BREVIG MISSION November, 1986 Energy Money Coming Into City Power Cost Equalization (PCE) is a program set up by the state of Alaska to help rural residents with high electricity costs. With the program, electricity rates charged by the local utility are subsidized. Brevig Mission started participation in this program in October 1986. Annual payments to the City are estimated to be about $17, 000. Brevig Mission has received $210 thousand since 1981 in electrification grants by the state for bulk fuel storage and bulk fuel loans. In 1981, homes in Teller and Brevig Mission were weatherized under the state weatherization program. A total of 246 homes in the region have been weatherized by the state, at an average cost of $3554 for each home. Of the 41 housing units, 31 received Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program money in 1985. Total amount was $23,401, for an average of $755 per housing unit. Energy Money Going Out Of City Electricity is supplied by generators owned by the Bering Straits School District. The city buys power wholesale from the school at $.24 per KWH. With a PCE subsidy of $.21/KWH, cost to the consumer is $.15/KWH. Exact numbers are unknown, but an estimated 287 MWH are generated per year. Average KWH/yr: Annual cost to consumer: Residential: 44,371 $6,656 Comm/Public: 32,951 $7,718 School 2101, 000 - Gallons fuel oil used for generation: 36,000 cost: $40, 680 Gallons fuel oil for space heating: residential:17, 000 cost: $37,400 ($2.20/gal) comm/public: 7,200 cost:$ 8,136 ($1.13/gal) school 716,800 cost:$18,984 ($1.13/gal) BREVIG MISSION UTILITY Generation Several years ago, the City purchased a module of two 85 KW generators with monies from a legislative grant. The intent was for the city to install the generators and produce power for the entire city, including the school, and be responsible, then, for generation, distribution and billing. However, due to lack of funds for construction of a building to house the powerplant, the generators still sit in their module on the ground behind the school. Efforts have been made to keep the weather out of the module, but some water has leaked in the roof and part of the equipment is rusting and paint blistering so that the generators will need to be thoroughly checked before use. Given the current load in the village and the expected increase from the 20 1987 HUD houses, the two 85 KW machines would be too small to power the entire city and school and also provide necessary back-up power. Several options are available to the City to meet power generation needs: 1. Swap the module for the school power plant. The city would run the existing plant to provide power to the city and school and provide waste heat to the school. The module would be available to the school for back-up power. An agreement for powerhouse ownership, liability and fuel tank capacity would need to be reached. Each generator may need to be appraised to affect this swap. This option is recommended for examination by the city. 2. Swap the module for a new, larger generator set which could support the entire city and school load. The city would probably have to build a new powerhouse and extend the existing waste heat system to the new location. A deal with the school district would need to be made for fuel storage capacity. This is a secondary option. 3. Combine the module and one school generator into a system which would serve the entire city and school. The module could be attached to the front of the existing generator building. An agreement between the city and the school district that allowed use of both the existing powerhouse and the school tank farm would be necessary. The school would want to keep a storage capacity of at least 30,000 gallons to meet their space heating and back-up power needs. .Liability and insurance questions regarding the powerhouse would need to be resolved. Switch gear to synchronize the two systems would need to be instal lad. This option should be further considered. 4. Install the module in a separate building to be run by the city to provide power to all buildings except the school complex. Let the school provide its own power. With this option, the school would need to buy a smaller generator and would probably require full use of the existing tank farm and powerhouse for their use. The module may not also meet the power needs of the city with the anticipated increased loads. This option is not recommended. 5. Continue to let the school supply power to the city. The Bering Straits School District wants to get out of the power business. Brevig Mission is the only school remaining in the region which generates power for the city. This option is not recommended. In all options, the city utility must seriously accept the responsibility for power generation 12 months of the year. With increased reliance on freezer storage, it is necessary to have reliable power production year-round even though most families are away at ’camp’ for the summer. Bulk Fuel Management New bulk fuel storage capacity will be necessary in the city with the addition of generating capacity by the utility. If an arrangement can be made with the school for taking over some of their tankage, then the city may only have to purchase an additional 30-35,000 gallon capacity. Total capacity of about 55,000 gallons will be needed for the utility for power generation. Tank placement should consider access to the generator building, the location of existing piping from the shore for pumping fuel from the barge to the tanks, and the possibility of appropriate diking and protection in the event of a spill. Utility Billing The billing and bookkeeping system of the utility is well managed. Expenses are carefully detailed and account records kept up to date with all transactions noted. However, the city has had major problems collecting on over half of the residential accounts with a balance of $7500 outstanding September 28, 1986. In an effort to reverse this trend, the city sent out a letter in September threatening disconnection of power if accounts were not paid or an effort made before October 15. This letter was successful in significantly reducing the outstanding billings of the utility. Similar situations in other small cities have shown that the utility needs to continue to follow through on this new policy, turning off power and aggressively working out payment schedules in order to keep the utility running properly. POWER COST EQUALIZATION Brevig Mission Utility became a participant in the Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program in October, 1986. At that time, the Alaska Public Utilities Commission granted the Brevig Mission Utility a payment of $.214/KWH for the first 750 KWH per month per customer. In this case, the APUC granted the Utility an interim PCE rate which is used for payments while the Commission is compiling the information to determine a permanent rate. It is important for the utility to understand that, should the permanent PCE rate be less than the interim rate, the utility and its customers will be required to reimburse the state the excess amount paid since the interim rate was granted. It is important that the utility inform customers of this possibility during the interim period. If and when the city becomes responsible for power generation, they must submit an amended PCE application which reflects the new costs to the city for all aspects of power generation and distribution. A new rate determination will be done by the APUC at that time. In order to keep in perspective the true cost of power used by each customer, the utility must include on each monthly billing the electricity cost to the consumer that would have been incurred if PCE did not exist. WASTE HEAT RECOVERY Waste heat from the school generators is used as the primary heat for the combined elementary/high school. This system should be kept in all future power generation and distribution schemes. The city is interested in using waste heat also in the washeteria to preheat the water as well as to heat the building itself. The washeteria is open from early September through mid-June. It houses washers, dryers and showers for residents’ use. For the month of March, 1986, numbers of uses were 406 for washers, 101 for dryers and 243 for showers. On an annual basis, the washeteria uses about 18,743 KWH to heat the hot water and run the machines and pumps. Annual fuel oil use is about 6400 gallons for heating the space. About 53,000 gallons of water are used each year for washing and showering. The school uses about 27,000 gallons of water during the 9 month school year. The washeteria is approximately 200 feet from the existing powerhouse. Because the future ownership and configuration of the Brevig Mission power generation system is uncertain, a recommendation for or study of additional waste heat use is not made at this time. However, because of the high electricity and hot water use of the washeteria, and its location near the existing school power plant, this application of waste heat use should be seriously considered when the new or additional generation equipment is designed. NEW HUD HOUSING The city should work closely with the Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority in the design and construction of the 20 new HUD houses proposed for construction in the summer of 1987. Insulation, construction techniques, heating system, electrical appliances and siting are all design elements which affect energy use of the home and should be considered at this stage. The model superinsulated home buildt in St. Michael in 1986 might be an example of the technique recommended. Insulation The homes should be built with minimum insulation levels of R38 ceiling, R30 walls, R43 floor, R7 doors and R3 windows. These values are proposed minimum standards set by the state for this region. Where an old HUD house would use up to 1500 gallons of fuel oil per year for heat, these standards could reduce consumption for the same size house to 650-800 gallons per year. If superinsulation standards of R60 ceiling, R40 walls, R56 floor and R3 windows are used, fuel use could be further reduced to 300 gallons per year. Constructio chniques While high insulation values can prevent excessive heat loss, homes could still feel drafty and cool unless proper construction techniques are also used. These include a continuous vapor barrier wrapping the entire living space; caulking and sealing of all cracks and joints in the building structure, no matter how seemingly small;and weatherstripping that can withstand wear at extremely cold temperatures around all doors and windows which open. Heating System Savings from the choice of good heating systems that are properly installed and maintained will quickly pay back the extra cost of the better system. HUD suggests a oil-fired forced air system for the new units. While this kind of system is more fuel oil efficient than the standard pot burner, it requires an electric blower and comes with a high installation cost. There are high-efficiency fuel oil heaters on the market which cost half as much and use considerably less electricity. In all cases, a back-up system which requires no electricity should be available. This could be a wood stove, or an existing pot burner left hooked up but with the flue pipe plugged to prevent warm inside air from escaping the house. Electrical Appliances The energy consumption of electrical appliances has decreased dramatically in the past few years. Light bulbs that use only one quarter the electricity of common bulbs are available. They cost more, but need to be replaced much less often, paying for themselves in energy savings in less than two years. Refrigerators and freezers can also be bought that use less than one third of the standard appliance. This could mean savings of $160 per year at the subsidized electricity cost of $.21/KWH. In the interest of load management, perhaps the city could become involved in the bulk purchase of energy-efficient electrical appliances for the new housing. In addition to the savings in the electric bills of individual houses, the city would realize savings in cost of their power plant, fuel, and distribution system. Siting Probably the least discussed and used way of saving energy in the new housing projects is in the siting of the homes. Brevig Mission proposed to locate the new homes in Tracts B and C. The city is responsible for lot layout. Rather than use the traditional Lower 48 grid pattern, why not consider aligning the houses to maximize exposure to the low sun of the spring and fall. House shape, orientation of doors and windows and arrangement of interior space can all be designed to reflect the local climate.