Operations
TECO's team of energy professionals – comprised of skilled technicians, specialists, and engineers with extensive experience and expertise – operate and maintain its two district energy plants on the Texas Medical Center (TMC) campus in Houston, Texas.
TECO operates in extremely hot and humid conditions with a high number of annual cooling degree-days. Its Central Plant (Paul G. Bell, Jr. Energy Plant) and South Main Plant house a total of 120,170 tons chilled water capacity and 980,000 lb/hr steam capacity. The two interconnected sites have 27 chillers and nine boilers. TECO’s distribution system features more than 35 miles (7.7 trench miles) of piping ranging in size from 6 to 60 inches in diameter. (See detailed system metrics below.)
TECO’s Central Plant features a 48 MW combined heat and power based (CHP) system and an 8.8-million-gallon chilled water thermal storage tank.
TECO also remotely operates a customer-owned energy plant for The University of Texas Health Science Center on TMC’s South Campus.
System Metrics
| Through August 31, 2023 | Chilled Water | Steam |
|---|---|---|
CUSTOMERS |
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| Number of customers | 16 | 14 |
| Number of buildings served | 51 | 37 |
| Square feet served | 26 million | 20.8 million |
ENERGY SOURCES |
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Paul G. Bell, Jr. Energy Plant – Central Plant |
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| Number of boilers, chillers/fuels | 14 chillers electricity & natural gas |
7 boilers natural gas & diesel |
| Thermal storage tank | 8.8 million-gallon chilled water storage tank | n/a |
South Main Plant |
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| Number of boilers, chillers/fuels | 13 chillers/electricity | 2 boilers/natural gas & diesel |
OPERATIONS/DISTRIBUTION |
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| Capacity | 120,170 tons (including thermal storage) | 980,000 lb/hr (with heat-recovery steam generator & duct firing) |
| Supply temperature | 40°-43° F | 450° F |
| Supply pressure | 55-90 psi | 400 psi plant, 250 psi distribution |
| Return temperature | 52°-55° F | 150° F |
| Water volume in system | 12.4 million gallons | n/a |
| Steam pressure | n/a | 400 psi |
| Piping type | Welded steel coated with coal/tar epoxy | Welded steel, Schedule 40 with insulation |
| Piping diameter | 6 to 60 inches | 2 to 16 inches |
| Piping distribution trench length | 7.7 miles | 7.7 miles (portions of the line have three pipes) |
POWER |
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Paul G. Bell, Jr. Energy Plant – Central PlantCombined heat and power system 48 MWSimple cycle gas turbine generator 48 MW Standby generation 14 MW |
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South Main PlantStandby generation 2 MW |
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