Energy Island SEG Arrives

The Standby Engine/Generator (SEG), a key item of the Energy Island Project, arrived at the Power Plant recently.

Tom Ott, project manager, located the slightly used SEG at a discounted cost in Kansas.

The SEG burns natural gas, which is a clean and abundant fuel and, once up and running, it will be capable of providing power to the entire campus.

John Beaudry, director of power plant technology, said “This is a wonderful addition to our Energy Island Project. We are making great strides forward thanks to the hard work and generosity of many. The SEG will be a wonderful training unit for our students because it will have synchronizing and paralleling capability. This is an important development because it brings us back to former times at Williamson when the power plant was able to generate all of the electricity for the campus.”

The SEG is located at the site of the former control room, which was refurbished to house the SEG by Williamson’s power plant, carpentry, masonry, and paint students.

The next equipment to be purchased will be another natural gas engine that is smaller. Beaudry said, “It will bring us closer to being a world-class micro grid by giving us the option of choosing which power generating source to run based on economics, efficiency, and environmental impact.

In addition to Tom Ott, on hand when the SEG arrived were Gregory Lindemuth, executive vice president; Tom Zane, power plant assistant; Jack Bierling, facilities manager; Kevin Knapp, power plant technology junior; and, representing the Alumni Association, Stacy Starr 6W8, Association president.

More pictures of this event can be found on the Williamson Facebook page.