UTILITY COMMITTEE

The Utility Committee met on April 8, 2002, at 6:30 p.m. with Chairman Ruane presiding. Members present were Councilmen Speed and Truitt, Mr. Nichols, and Mr. Lambert. Members of Council present were Mr. Pitts, Mr. Carey, Mr. Salters, Mr. McGlumphy, and Mayor Hutchison.

AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS

Mr. Speed moved for approval of the agenda, seconded by Mr. Truitt and unanimously carried.

Presentation - Environmental Improvements to McKee Run

Mr. Dean Blaha of Duke Power presented members with information regarding the City of Dover McKee Run Generating Plant and the Clean Air Act. In 1985, there were approximately 23 million tons of SO2 and 19 million tons of NOx emitted annually from all sources, of which, 16 million tons of SO2 and 7 million tons of NOx were emitted by electric utilities. Mr. Blaha stated that in 1995, Phase I of the Acid Rain Program established a cap of 9 million tons of SO2 and the 100 highest emitting utility plants had to immediately reduce their emissions. In 2000, Phase II required all other units to reduce SO2 emissions. He explained that the Acid Rain Program established a National Cap and Trade Program which assigned a certain number of allowances for all units and required all units to reduce emissions to below those allowances or buy from others.

Mr. Blaha explained that in October 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the “Finding of Significant Contribution and Rulemaking for Certain States in the Ozone Transport Assessment Group Region for Purposes of Reducing Regional Transport of Ozone”, which is commonly referred to as the NOx SIP Call. In May 1999, the EPA established the Federal NOx Budget Trading Program to place a cap on NOx emissions, similar to the Acid Rain Program for SO2. In Delaware, the NOx SIP Call sets a statewide NOx emissions budget of 22,861 tons over the five-month summer control period from May 1^st through September 30^th. Mr. Blaha advised members that the emissions budget for Dover is 198 tons and he provided a graph depicting the City’s actual tonnage versus allowances. In reviewing the graph, he noted that the actual NOx versus future allowance would have exceeded allowance during the past five (5) years. He also noted that there was an average excess of 65 tons, a maximum excess of 135 tons (1998), and that there is a need to reduce NOx by an average of 25% and NOx by a maximum of 40% (1998).

Mr. Blaha stated that the technology (pre-combustion) available to reduce NOx emissions consist of improved instrumentation, low NOx burners, dampers and drives, overfire air ducts, and flue gas recirculation. These technologies would reduced NOx by 20% to 50% and cost approximately $2 to $4 million. The technology (post-combustion) available, SNCR and SCR, would reduce NOx by 40% to 98% and cost approximately $20 to $75 million.

Mr. Blaha stated that Phase II of the Acid Rain Program should be available in the very near future and should provide a more accurate cost estimate. The estimated amount of $2 to $4 million was determined as a result of Phase I of the program and, as a result, $4 million has been budgeted for this project.

No further action was taken by members.

Bid - Puncheon Run Sewer Pumping Station Channel Grinding System

Members considered a request for a grinding system in the Puncheon Run Pumping Station, located on South Governors Avenue, to replace an existing mechanical bar screen system, which has reached the end of its service. The existing screen removes coarse solids by intercepting them as they enter the station. This material is then dumped in a cart and manually deposited in a private 3 c.y. trash dumpster. Emptying of the cart is part of the daily maintenance requirements at this pumping station. Staff has elected to replace the screen system with a channel grinder in an effort to better protect our pumping equipment and lower our operation and maintenance costs at the station. The proposed grinding system will reduce large particles of debris to a size which does not require their removal from the waste stream. These reduced particles pass through the pumping system and are transferred along with the rest of the waste stream to the Kent County Wastewater Treatment Facility for processing. The system will be installed by City staff. Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc., assisted the City in the preparation of the bid documents and technical specifications for the proposed grinding system.

Two bids were received with the low bid from Franklin Miller, Inc., for a Taskmaster Titan, at a cost of $28,675. After evaluation of the bids, staff recommended that the bid be awarded to JWC Environmental in the amount of $36,996 for the purchase of a CMD 3200 Channel Grinding System. Members were advised that the CMD 3200 offers a larger unit in terms of width (22" vs. 17.25"), horsepower (7.5 hp vs. 5 hp), higher operating pressure (2850 psi vs. 2000 psi), and faster jam reversal (0.5 seconds vs. 4 seconds), and that staff felt that it will provide the level of reliability being sought in this equipment. In addition, the Franklin Miller unit is a completely new model with very little performance history. Staff felt confident that the CMD 3200 would provide an adequate level of reliability for the City.

Funding for this equipment purchase in the amount of $45,000 has been included in the Construction - Purchase line item of the Wastewater Improvement and Extension Fund. It was noted that this equipment purchase and installation was originally a part of the Puncheon Run Pump Station Upgrade Project which was deferred until FY2003 due to inadequate funding. This purchase can move forward independently of the upgrade project since it’s function is to provide protection of the pumps within the pumping station. In order to keep the project on schedule, it was requested that this matter be considered during the Council Meeting later this evening for final approval.

Mr. Nichols moved to recommend that staff issue a purchase order to JWC Environmental in the amount of $36,996 for the purchase of a CMD 3200 Channel Grinding System, to be installed by City staff at the Puncheon Run Pumping Station, and that this matter be presented to Council this evening for action. The motion was seconded by Mr. Lambert and unanimously carried.

Mr. Speed moved for adjournment, seconded by Mr. Truitt and unanimously carried.

Meeting Adjourned at 7:12 P.M.

                                                                            Respectfully submitted,

Eugene B. Ruane

Chairman

EBR/jg

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