Natural gas
Valley generates both electricity and steam for We Energies customers. The plant originally was fueled by coal. To help reduce operating costs and enhance environmental performance, the plant’s fuel source was converted to natural gas.
Location
This plant occupies more than 22 acres adjacent to downtown Milwaukee between the south Menomonee Canal and the Menomonee River.
Type of plant
Cogeneration facility using natural gas to provide intermediate-load (typically operating 24 hours a day) for the electric system while supplying all of the steam to the downtown Milwaukee heating system.
Initial cost
$41 million
Natural gas conversion cost
$62 million
Generating units
2 steam (two boilers per unit)
1 emergency diesel generator
Year in service
Unit 1: 1968
Unit 2: 1969
Converted to natural gas
Unit 1: 2014
Unit 2: 2015
Generating capacity
136 megawatts per unit
Total net generating capacity
272 megawatts
Steam-heating capacity
1.25 million pounds of steam/hour
Steam-heating customers
Approximately 450 in Milwaukee
Fuel
Natural gas
Average fuel usage
25,000 dekatherms of natural gas daily
Fuel handling
Lateral connection to natural gas distribution system in Menomonee Valley
Boilers
Two per turbine generator.
Height: 14 stories
Furnace temperature: 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit
Steam temperature: 900 degrees Fahrenheit
Steam pressure: 1,523 pounds per square inch
Chimney
One 400-foot chimney for each unit.
Cooling system
110,800 gallons of river water are used every minute to convert the exhaust steam from the turbine back into water for reuse.
This water is returned to the river.
Control room
All major functions in the plant are controlled by operators with computer support to continuously monitor and report on pressures, temperatures, flow rates, etc. In addition, the computer aids in start-up, shutdown, load adjustments and information for future reference.
Questions
Call us
Customer service: 800-242-9137 (24 hours a day)
Updated: May 2016
