U of M 25 MW Plant Retrofit

Citing their obsolete boilers and growing demand for electricity and power, the University of Minnesota turned to Harris for help with the installation of a state-of-the-art combined heat and power plant for their Minneapolis campus.

Due to zoning and permitting constraints, the new turbine generator, heat recovery system and modern mechanical systems had to fit in the historic Old Main Heating Plant. To head off space issues and potential clashes, Harris and its partners relied on 3D modeling to detect and resolve clashes so the project could proceed within time, space and budget constraints.

The installation of the 225,000 pound, 25 megawatt turbine generator took planning and teamwork. The floors of the historic building needed to be reinforced to accommodate the weight of the turbine as it transitioned into the building. Harris relied on a remote control goldhofer to bring the turbine generator safely down an embankment to the building. A crane and then a hydraulic slide system helped ease the turbine generator slowly into the building.