Hurricane Harvey hit Houston hard with record-setting rains. Thermal Energy Corporation (TECO) has maintained uninterrupted chilled-water and steam service throughout this historic event.
TECO had a ride-out team on site that followed the company’s detailed emergency preparedness plans. The plans outline how to keep our plants running under any condition to ensure chilled-water and steam service isn’t compromised for our customers on the Texas Medical Center campus.
Crews kept a close eye on the Rice University/Texas Medical Center Flood Alert System, which lets us know water levels in Brays Bayou, which is immediately adjacent to our Central Plant, the Paul G. Bell, Jr. Energy Plant.
TECO’s floodwalls and floodgates successfully held back high water levels, particularly from Brays Bayou, shown in the accompanying photo taken August 28, 2017 (click to enlarge). Designed to protect the plant from a 500-year flood, plus 2 feet, the floodwalls and floodgates were installed in 2003 and have definitely done their job.
In addition, our chilled-water system is interconnected between our Central Plant and South Main Plant, allowing chilled water to flow to customers from either plant if one happens to be compromised. The Central Plant houses the company’s combined heat and power unit that enables us to provide all of our own electricity and continue chilled-water and steam service even if the electricity grid fails.
Learn more about TECO’s emergency preparedness plans and our participation in the Mutual Aid for District Energy program through the International District Energy Association – all of which ensure our chilled-water and steam service reliability.
