A Remarkable Project: Combined Cogen/Wastewater/ Geothermal System
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13052/dgaej2156-3306.1714Abstract
What does a cogeneration plant, a wastewater treatment plant, a
geothermal system and free compost have in common? The answer:
the city of Klamath Falls, OR. This creative municipality has brought
these elements together to develop one of the most innovative and
aggressive environmental mitigation projects in the Northwest and in
the nation. The $350 million, 500 megawatt cogen plant is owned by
the city and is being built, operated and maintained by PacifiCorp.
IMCO General Construction, of Bellingham, WA, is giving the cityowned wastewater plant a major upgrade to supply the critically
needed cooling water for the cogen plant.
In addition, the City currently runs a geothermal system which
provides many government buildings and local businesses heat. Included in this upgrade is extending the geothermal loop to include the
WWTP. And the sludge from the wastewater treatment plant is being
mixed into compost and then given away to local gardeners and farmers. The City of Klamath has hired IMCO to provide their construction expertise in bringing all these elements together and ensure that
this collaborative effort is successful
