EPS CASE STUDY:
City of Unalaska
Waste Heat to Energy Organic Rankine Cycle
Study, Design, Build
Electric Power Systems, Inc. (EPS), working with other members of the
Engineered Solutions Group, Inc. (ESG), delivered complete engineering, design,
procurement, construction management, and commissioning to the City of Unalaska
during a recent $2.35 Million dollar upgrade to their Unalaska Power Plant. This
successful project enhanced powerhouse efficiency by adding water jacket heat
capture equipment to the existing thermal generation units. Based on an average
of data collected over a nearly one year period following project completion, the
City is realizing a payback of 2,100 kWH/day with an estimated savings of 4550K gal. of fuel/year. The new systems have realized 98% operational availability
in the first 15,000 hours. $1.3 million of this project was funded by a State of
Alaska grant, with the remainder funded by the City. With $250,000 in annual
fuel savings, the City will fully recover its investment in approximately 5 years,
while continuing to offer stable energy rates to its customers.
EPS has been delivering a broad spectrum of comprehensive professional services
to utilities throughout Alaska since our founding in 1996. This complete study/
design/build/commission project included evaluation, study, design, procurement,
construction administration, and commissioning. Complete construction was
delivered by sister companies in the ESG. Our deliverables included detailed electrical,
mechanical, and structural drawings, CSI formatted construction specifications, as
well as piping, flow, and instrumentation diagrams, panel and cable schedules, and all
other documents and management tasks needed to take this project from conception
to completion on schedule and within budget. Included in our services was the
design, installation and commissioning of a complete remote automation and
monitoring system (SCADA & Integration) that allows operators and engineers
to log into, control, monitor, and retrieve reports over a secure IP connection from
anywhere in the world.
EPS Corporate Headquarters: 3305 Arctic Blvd, Suite 201, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Tel: 907.646.1953 • [email protected] • www.epsinc.com
Part of the Engineered Solutions Group, Inc.
EPS partnered with other members of our parent corporation, the Engineered Solutions, Group, Inc.
(ESG) throughout the design, construction, and commissioning of the Unalaska Waste Heat to Energy
Project described on the front of this case study.
Electric Power Constructors, Inc. (EPC) delivered complete procurement, installation, testing, and commissioning of all
electrical components. Their experienced journeymen also added a construction professional’s view to the design processes
providing constructability reviews. EPC is full-serviced licensed electrical construction contractor delivering complete
interior and exterior electrical construction across Alaska.
Mechanical Builders, Inc. (MBI), delivered complete structural and mechanical procurement, installation, testing, and
commissioning for this project. Experienced journeyman millwrights also provided constructability reviews during the
design phase. MBI is a full-service licensed mechanical construction firm specializing in utility, industry, and commercial
applications across Alaska.
EPS Corporate Headquarters: 3305 Arctic Blvd, Suite 201, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Tel: 907.646.1953 • [email protected] • www.epsinc.com