© 2003 Caterpillar

SUMMER 2003
4 Selective catalytic
reduction (SCR) reduces
exhaust emissions
6 Temperature control:
Your Cat® dealer can help
7 Emergency power helps
healthcare industry
“defend in place”
8 Cat 3516Bs make a
smooth transition for
St. Mary’s Medical Center
10 Gas generator sets in
distributed generation
11 A message from
your Cat dealer
PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF
YOUR CAT DEALER AND CATERPILLAR INC.
BY CYGNUS BUSINESS MEDIA INC.
P.O. BOX 803, FORT ATKINSON, WI 53538.
SUMMER 2003, VOL. 15, NO. 2.
CATERPILLAR AND CAT ARE REGISTERED
TRADEMARKS OF CATERPILLAR INC.
© 2003 CATERPILLAR
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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W H E R E T H E W O R L D T U R N S F O R P O W E R
 Power Profile 
Caterpillar® G3516B generator sets add
diversity and improve financial performance
for Mississippi municipal electric utility.
A DIVERSIFIED MIX IS BEST
G reenwood Utilities is maintaining its
status as one of the lowest-cost retail
electricity providers in the nation with
the help of Caterpillar generator sets driven by
advanced natural-gas-fueled engines.
The three G3516B gas-fueled units are
part of a new Greenwood generating facility
that delivers 13.175 MW of total capacity. The
electronically controlled generator sets deliver
1.35 MW each while meeting Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
emissions regulations without exhaust
aftertreatment.
The plant also includes five diesel-fueled
generator sets: three Cat low-emissions
3516B units and two Cat low-brake specific
fuel consumption (BSFC) 3516B units. All
five diesel units (9.125-MW total capacity)
have selective catalytic reduction (SCR)
exhaust aftertreatment. (For more on SCR,
turn to Page 4.)
Greenwood uses its new generating facility
for summer peaking and for hedging against
power purchases at high spot-market rates.
A recent contract with wholesale energy
supplier, Entergy Corp., provides Greenwood
2  Electric Power News  Summer 2003
the capability to sell power back to the grid.
To date, the new facility has allowed
Greenwood to increase operating flexibility
while generating electricity at a highly
competitive cost per megawatt-hour.
A LOW-PRICE TRADITION
The new plant augments Greenwood’s
existing generating capacity, which includes
two coal- or gas-fired boilers totaling 30 MW,
two gas-fired boilers at Wright Generating
Station totaling 17 MW, and a 13.5-MW
combustion turbine with a heat recovery steam
generator (HRSG), capable of burning natural
gas or diesel fuel.
Greenwood Utilities, a municipal utility
based in Greenwood, Miss., serves
approximately 10,000 customers with a peak
electric demand of about 70 MW. It is part of
the Municipal Energy Agency of Mississippi
(MEAM), which purchases, generates and
distributes electricity to business and
residential customers in six cities with about
140 MW of total peak demand.
MEAM’s mission is simple: to work with
member municipalities to keep electric power
flowing at minimal cost. Through a
comprehensive power procurement and
management strategy, the agency has
maintained the lowest residential electric
rates in Mississippi for the past 15 years.
Greenwood has remained a low-cost supplier
in its own right by maintaining multiple
purchased-power suppliers and by keeping
a diverse fuel mix in its generating plant.
“Generation diversity is crucial,” explains
Greenwood plant superintendent Bobby
Bennett. “In recent years, we’ve seen
purchased power supplies tighten with
growth in demand.”
“Three years ago,” he adds, “our primary
power supplier experienced seasonal
shortages. We saw a need to expand supply,
both to ensure reliable power for our
customers, as well as to gain leverage in
negotiating bulk power purchases.”
DIVERSIFY, DIVERSIFY, DIVERSIFY
Bennett believes a diverse mix of
generating fuels is essential to keeping
electricity costs low and stable. Early in the
planning for the new Greenwood facility, the
 Greenwood Utilities serves about exhaust aftertreatment, the diesel units would
10,000 customers in Mississippi. It has be limited to 500 annual operating hours. That
maintained its status as the lowest-cost would have interfered with the utility’s strategy
retail electricity provider in the nation by for dispatching the units, and it would have
diversifying its generation capabilities. hindered the ability to run the units to provide
emergency power during extended outages.
with Cat gas-fueled units. The G3516Bs Thompson Power’s solution of SCR units
delivered the lowest-cost electricity when on each diesel generator set enabled
compared with diesel generator sets, Greenwood to secure a permit for 2,000
combustion turbines, and a variety of annual hours for each unit. The SCR units
purchased power options. reduced NOx emissions by 90 percent from
the factory-specified rate. The gas-fueled
PEAKING AND HEDGING generators qualified for 2,500 annual hours
focus was on diesel-driven generation to
Based on the analysis, Greenwood without aftertreatment.
augment the existing coal/gas boilers and
decided to proceed with the G3516B units. Greenwood also opted for a 10-year
combustion turbine. Traditionally, diesel
The dealer expanded the generating facility to facility maintenance contract with the Cat
generator sets have been the preferred
accommodate the three gas units, which were dealer. “Our relationship with Thompson
technology for municipal utility peaking service
installed and operating a few months later. Power has been building for years,” notes
because, by virtue of their high power density,
At the new plant, the utility’s operating Bennett. “They provide us with excellent
they deliver low installed cost and rapid return
strategy has been to dispatch engine-driven service and are just a phone call away.”
on investment.
units as needed as demand for power Under the maintenance contract, the dealer
Greenwood purchased five diesel-fueled
increases with the onset of warm weather. In provides all maintenance and operations
Cat units for its new facility, issued a request
subsequent warm-weather months, the utility support for the generator sets and the facility.
for proposals (RFP), selected Thompson
base-loads one or both of its coal-fired units, Greenwood purchases the fuel and makes
Power Corporation of LaVergne, Tenn., as the
then uses the engine-driven generators as all decisions related to dispatching the units.
supplier, and started construction on a fast
necessary for peaking or price hedging. Beyond that, Thompson Power maintains and
track. Thompson Power partnered with Rose
Greenwood personnel maintain a daily services the engines, generators, switchgear,
Construction Services of Covington, Tenn.,
spreadsheet calculating gas and diesel units’ controls and communications, and handles
and McElroy Electric of Meridian, Miss.,
generating costs as fuel prices fluctuate. general building requirements, such as heating,
on the project’s design and construction.
Greenwood has taken its strategy one cooling and housekeeping. Thompson also
Meanwhile, Thompson Power manager of
step further and entered into an agreement stocks replacement parts for the facility on site
distributed generation, Tom Stanzione, was
with local wholesale supplier Entergy Corp. and at its local facility in Greenwood, Miss.,
becoming intimately familiar with Greenwood
to sell power back to the grid. “Greenwood three miles away.
operating strategies and its emphasis on
originally used its generator sets to fill voids In addition, Thompson operates the facility’s
securing the lowest installed and operating
for their own needs,” explains Stanzione. “The SCADA system, which monitors more than 600
cost for new generation.
agreement with Entergy now allows them to data points and directs equipment operating
“The more I grew to know the folks at
use peaking generation on a much broader sequences. “We recently added features to
Greenwood and understood their operating
scale — filling voids and needs systemwide.” improve the system’s operating efficiency,”
strategy, I realized the addition of natural-gas-
The new plant also allows Greenwood an notes Stanzione, including an alarm-callout
fueled units would be an asset,” recalls
expanded operating strategy. “We now have system that automatically pages a technician
Stanzione. He also noted the introduction of
the ability to provide base load power (with when sensors indicate an abnormal condition.
the Cat G3516B Series advanced gas-fueled
generator sets. The G3516B is built on the the coal plant), immediate power (with
platform of the widely used Cat G3500 turbines) and peaking power (with diesel and LOOKING AHEAD
Series, which operates at 1,200 rpm and gas generator sets),” explains Bennett. “The MEAM and Greenwood Utilities will
delivers 770-kW output. mix of these three different generation continue to consider adding generating
strategies increased our operating flexibility capacity where financially advantageous.
and allowed for cost savings.” “Distributed generation helps stabilize power
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
prices, enhances reliability and provides
The G3516B design includes a low-
REGULATING EMISSIONS leverage in negotiating with bulk suppliers,”
restriction, high-efficiency fuel delivery system,
Air-quality regulations were also a says Bennett.
integrated digital microprocessor control, an
consideration in the design of the new facility. In striving to ensure low-cost power for
advanced ignition system and an increase in
Upon modifying a Title V air permit with the homes and businesses in Mississippi, Bennett
speed to 1,800 rpm. The result is a generator
MDEQ, Greenwood learned that without sees a promising future in on-site generation
set in the same basic footprint, yet capable of
using a fuel mix that enables
1.25-MW capacity with a standard radiator.
reliable performance,
Thompson Power engineers further Thompson Power’s lead
emissions compliance and
increased output to 1.35 MW by adding a EPG technician, Johnny
Blankenship (seated), and long-term price stability.
separate aftercooler circuit cooling loop using
EPG technician Perry “Diversifying with generation
available well water. The result was a
Parker review data on the provides us with a strong
significant reduction in installed cost per kW,
new Greenwood plant’s integrated approach to the
keeping with Greenwood’s financial strategy.
SCADA system. The system management of our overall
The company’s financial analysis proved
monitors more than 600 energy strategy,” Bennett
that the entire life cycle — initial capital cost
data points and directs concludes. ■
and long-term costs for parts, overhauls, fuel,
equipment operating
operations and maintenance — would benefit
sequences.

Summer 2003  Electric Power News 3

 Power Systems Update 
Selective Catalytic Reduction from Caterpillar
provides superior emissions benefits.
I
n an ongoing and proactive approach to meeting
increasingly stringent emissions regulations, Caterpillar
now offers an optional Selective Catalytic Reduction
(SCR) system for its diesel- and natural-gas engines.
SCR is a reliable process that converts nitrogen oxide
(NOx) from engine exhaust into nitrogen and water. In this
technology, a small amount of urea (a nontoxic and biologically
harmless compound) is injected into the engine’s exhaust
steam. After hydrolysis, the urea becomes ammonia and reacts
with NOx to break down into nitrogen and water.
The result is superior emission reduction benefits
with no impact on generator set performance.
Caterpillar SCR systems are capable
of reducing NOx by greater than
95 percent for close-loop control
systems on gas engines and greater
than 90 percent reduction for diesel
engine applications.
A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY
SCR is a proven technology that
has been in operation since the early
1990s with hundreds of thousands of
hours of experience. Caterpillar SCR
systems are completely integrated and
can be configured for use with new
and existing engines. The systems are
currently available for use on Cat
generator sets ranging from 500 kW
to 6 MW.
In addition to the standard SCR systems, Caterpillar
will also offer a Modular Aftertreatment System in which
the SCR system is mounted on a specially designed and
patented half-height ISO frame for use with
Cat power modules. (See the example illustrated on
Page 5 with a Cat G3516B power module.)
The Modular Aftertreatment System is designed for
transportation and installation ease as well as to provide
a complete aftertreatment solution. The half-height ISO
4  Electric Power News  Summer 2003
frame allows two modules to be stacked together and shipped
in one truck to reduce transportation costs.
The system also has the sound attenuation capability of
30 dB(A), eliminating the need for a muffler. The system is
scalable for most Cat gas and diesel power modules. It will be
delivered ready-to-use and can be installed by your Cat dealer.
The Modular Aftertreatment System will be introduced later
this year. More detailed information will be available through
your Cat dealer. ■
Nullifying the NOx
SCR technology reduces NOx by
injecting a small amount of urea into
the exhaust stream. (Urea is a reduc-
ing agent widely used in industrial
and agricultural applications. It is
safe to store, transport and handle.)
Once released into the exhaust
stream, the urea quickly converts
to ammonia due to the hydrolysis
process. The ammonia molecule
reacts with the NOx molecule creat-
ing a breakdown to nitrogen and
water molecules.
The design of the SCR ductwork
ensures uniform distribution of the
SCR technology is used to ammonia flowing into the SCR
reduce the NOx emissions from the catalyst, thus maximizing the NOx
engine exhaust system. NOx is a reduction performance. Keeping
byproduct created when oxygen control over the entire process is a
and nitrogen molecules combine computer that continuously moni-
during engine combustion. When tors atmospheric conditions and
released into the atmosphere, NOx engine parameters, as well as
gradually oxidizes into nitrogen analyzes the exhaust so the urea
dioxide. Mixing nitrogen dioxide injections are as precise as
with other hydrocarbons in sunlight possible for the best emissions
produces smog. reduction benefit.
 ISO frame houses
aftertreatment system
– for rapid installation
on Caterpillar power
modules

Urea tank
skid nests
in (optional)
External
Process
Module for
transport

Reactor Module
houses SCR catalyst
and optional
oxidation catalyst
Urea tank and system
controls mounted on a
common frame

* SCR system shown mounted on Cat G3516B power module

 Rental Power 

Experience on your side

When you need temperature control, whatever your industry or market, Cat dealers can help.

T
emperature
control rental
services from
Cat Rental
Power dealers have
one fundamental
purpose: to keep your
temperatures on target
so you can maintain
production and profits.
Active in the
temperature control
and rental industries for
decades, Cat dealers
supply rental packages
to a variety of industries.
From refineries to
pharmaceuticals to auto
manufacturing to utilities,
Cat dealers have the
temperature control experience.
And Cat dealer experience and
expertise means quick solutions for whatever
temporary challenges your business faces.

SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR INDUSTRY Cat Rental Power low-temperature brine chillers supply chilled
Caterpillar dealers routinely apply temperature control
fluid to maintain process efficiency — ideal for temperature-
equipment to a variety of industry-unique applications like using
sensitive applications ranging from food and beverage packaging
air conditioners or chillers to provide dense air injection to oil
to high-tech electronics manufacturing.
refineries and asphalt plants, or facilitating a scheduled shutdown
For process cooling applications, such as those found in the
at a steel plant by rapidly cooling a blast furnace, or providing
chemical and pharmaceutical industries, Cat Rental Power air-
jacketed reactor cooling for a chemical manufacturer.
and water-cooled chillers are available in modules up to 525 tons.
Cat dealers also specialize in traditional cooling applications,
Many units are self-contained, complete with water pumps and
from providing emergency comfort cooling for institutional
standard connections for fast, flexible hookup.
applications to seasonal warehouse cooling.
These are just some examples of the range of experience
For applications like these, Cat Rental Power can supply
Cat Rental Power dealers have to offer. If you have a cooling
air-conditioning units up to a 90-ton capacity. The self-contained
project, chances are your Cat dealer has completed a similar
units can be paralleled for larger-capacity requirements, or
job before.
combined with chillers to achieve unlimited cool air production.
To find out how Cat Rental Power can help with your next
temperature control challenge or application, contact your local
Cat dealer or call 1-800-RENT-CAT. ■

6  Electric Power News  Summer 2003

  Cat Rental Power: Energy Solutions Worldwide 
Oasis in the distance
Cat Rental mobile generator sets keep Louisiana food stores’ cash registers ringing.
J
ust for a moment, picture yourself as a resident of New Iberia, La.,
watching hurricane winds carve a path of destruction through
your city. Trees laid over on their sides, roofs parted from house
tops, utility lines ripped off their poles — your once bustling town
suddenly goes quiet and darkness closes in around you.
Anxiously, you take to the streets, desperately seeking refuge. Finally,
off in the distance, you spot a beacon of hope — lights coming from the
Super 1 food store. The store, like other Super 1s in Monroe,
Alexandria, Lafayette and many other Louisiana communities, was like
an oasis in the distance following Hurricane Lili last October. While the
rest of the community was blacked out, Super 1 kept humming along as
though nothing had happened.
The reason: the presence of one or more Cat power modules,
providing continuous power to keep lights and refrigeration working.
About 10 of these mobile rental generator sets, ranging from 350 kW
to 1,250 kW, were furnished for the Super 1 chain by Holt Power
Systems of Irving, Texas.
PLANNING FOR AN EMERGENCY PAYS OFF
Larry Aldridge, the Cat dealer’s East Texas sales rep, said
representatives of Brookshire Grocery Co. (owner of the Super 1 food
store chain) arranged for the generators days before the storm actually
hit the Louisiana coast and kept them for about a month.
“About two years ago, we suffered a crippling ice storm, causing
power outages in many of Brookshire’s stores. After that, Brookshire
management vowed to play it safer next time a storm hit, so they sat
down and formulated a contingency plan,” Aldridge recalls.
So, while at least 450,000 homes were out of power and about
2,000 households lost telephone service throughout the state during
WHERE THE WORLD TURNS FOR
Lili, those close to Super 1 food stores were still able to buy fresh food
and other provisions. To Brookshire, supplying their own emergency
power saved untold quantities of fresh and frozen food from spoiling
and added many more loyal customers to their stores.
“We experienced back-to-back hurricanes that month, so Brookshire
kept the generators the entire month, moving them from one location to
another as needed,” Aldridge notes. “One of the most difficult issues
with this project was having diesel fuel delivered, since fuel pumps
nearby were out of service and many truckers refused to drive into
disaster areas.”
Another potential snafu was having enough power cable. In some
locations, approximately 1,000 ft. of cable was needed to reach the
store from an appropriate trailer position on level ground. Aldridge
says Brookshire employed its own team of electricians to bypass
the utility connection and hook up the cable leads to the main breaker
in each store.
“Our Cat generator sets performed well until normal utility power
was restored. I really have to commend Brookshire for being proactive
and prepared when the hurricane hit. As a result, we are recommending
that all our customers establish natural disaster contingency plans for
emergency power,” Aldridge notes. ■
POWER
 Energy Solutions Worldwide 

Three Cat XQ2000 power

modules produced 6 MW of
standby power for WPPI
until transmission line
upgrades were completed.

 Electric Power News  Rental Insert

Wisconsin Public Power gains reliability by renting
Cat XQ2000s during hot summer months.
Remote start-up
and shutdown

W
hen unusually warm summer weather combines
capabilities
with an increasing population, it’s crunch time for
required only
electric utilities more often than not. That was the an on-call
case in the Badger State’s tourist-dependent technician,
Wisconsin Dells area last summer when these two peak saving WPPI
demand variables threatened to create future power instability. money.
Prior to the summer peak season, American Transmission
Co., an independent transmission line owner serving Wisconsin The Milwaukee-Wis.-based Cat dealer FABCO Power
Public Power Inc. (WPPI), put pencil to paper to determine Systems supplied the modules and assisted WPPI with the
peak energy demand. Officials projected that energy demand installation at its Reedsburg substation.
in the fast-growing Wisconsin Dells area (9 to 10 percent “The installation was complete in about a week,” Oelke
projected growth per year) would surpass the system’s notes. “FABCO people were great to work with and
capacity for enough hours per season to necessitate beefing accommodated the flexibility in scheduling we required due to
up the company’s contingency plan. Its role to meet future the necessary permitting and legal work.”
energy needs would require upgrading existing transmission
lines to increase carrying capacity. A CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION
Meanwhile, additional electrical generating capacity was
To facilitate the temporary rental power, Reedsburg Utility
needed from WPPI to serve the Dells/Reedsburg area. “The
Commission (one of the 37 municipalities) shifted load off one
situation was unique,” recalls Jake Oelke, director of industrial
of its substation feeders, which provided a connection for the
services for WPPI, which supplies power to Reedsburg in
three generators. According to Oelke, FABCO allows the
addition to 36 other Wisconsin cities. “We needed extra
modules to remain on-site, though disconnected, rather than
generating capacity until the transmission line upgrades were
require WPPI to return the equipment each year.
completed, but not necessarily on a permanent basis. Extra
Another convenient feature of this installation was remote
capacity was more of a safety net — to ensure reliability during
start-up and shutdown, according to James Kerschinske,
the upgrading period.”
FABCO account manager. “Since the modules were run for
only a few hours at a time, having an operator on-site seemed a
ADDRESSING A LOCAL CHALLENGE waste of resources. We included a contract provision that if
WPPI, technically a joint action agency, is much like a WPPI encountered an operational issue, we’d have a FABCO
cooperative. It’s owned by 37 Wisconsin municipalities spread technician there within two hours,” Kerschinske explains.
out all the way from Eagle River in far northeast Wisconsin to
Cuba City in the southwestern part of the state. The utility A SAFETY NET
generates about one-third of its peak demand, which totals
During the summer months, the modules came online
about 850 MW, and makes up the rest through purchase power
four different times, roughly between the hours of 2 p.m. and
contracts. Some of these contracts are outside the state.
10 p.m. Normally they ran eight to 10 hours at a time during
At least in the short term, WPPI is hopeful it can increase its
peak demand times. WPPI projects about the same running
purchases as peak demand rises, rather than investing in
time next summer, depending of course, on the weather.
permanent generation. But for now, WPPI gains the needed
Kerschinske notes, “A complete service contract wasn’t
reliability by renting generators.
necessary for this installation because of the relatively few
“We required about 10 MW of contingency power in the
hours of operation, but FABCO performs regular oil change
Dells/Reedsburg area last summer,” Oelke says. “We acquired
maintenance at the beginning of the season.”
half of it with diesel generators and the other half with
Oelke says WPPI is very pleased with how this temporary
interruptible load agreements (with major customers).” The
rental power plan has worked out, despite the low initial usage.
company rented three Caterpillar XQ2000 mobile power
“It wasn’t so much a matter of saving money as it was in
modules, each producing 2 MW of standby power (1,825 kW
providing us a safety net against a blackout situation,” he notes.
of prime power) for a total of 6 MW.
“Those generators are what kept the lights on (and air
conditioners running) during several very hot days.” ■
 Energy Solutions Worldwide 
Three Cat 2-MW power modules help Oregon farm deliver much-needed
water to 35,000 acres of thirsty crops.
T
hreemile Canyon Farms in Boardman, Ore., found
itself in dire need of emergency prime power when
the 5,000-volt utility feeder supplying the farm’s
pumping station lost power.
Threemile’s pumping station pumps enough water to
irrigate 35,000 acres of potato, wheat and mint crops. The
loss of utility power could have had an even more
devastating effect due to the farm’s remote location along
the Columbia River, as well as the area’s hot summer
temperatures — at times in excess of 100 F.
“Water is the lifeblood of our crops,” explains Threemile
farm manager Jim Brewer. “If our pump station loses power
and our crops go without water for more than two days, it’s
devastating. Damages can be astronomical.”
TAKING A PROACTIVE APPROACH
As soon as utility power went offline, Brewer took a
proactive approach and contacted The Halton Company’s
Power Division. The Portland, Oregon-based Cat dealer
quickly mobilized a team of two technicians, four trucking
companies and a tow truck to deliver 6 MW of power, along
with all the necessary cable and transformers to fully power
the farm’s pumping station.
Specifically, the dealer provided four Cat XQ2000
power modules, four 2,500-kva transformers, 1,300 ft. of
5-kV cable and 6,000 ft. of 4/0 cable.
It was no small feat, recalls Brewer. “The size of this
rental, combined with the quick turnaround (20 hours from
phone call to final installation) by The Halton Power Division
was very impressive.”
Also impressive, he notes, was the synchronization of the
 Electric Power News  Rental Insert
power modules to provide enough
power to start the pumps from a
stopped position. Once running, the
generators could be taken off-line
one at a time for routine service,
while remaining capable of
providing enough power to run the
pump station.
DELIVERING RESULTS
The Cat dealer provided an on-
call technician throughout the five-
week rental. A Threemile Canyon
Farm technician was also on-site
monitoring the system and fuel
Four synchronized Cat XQ2000
supply. “If we had questions or power modules provided 6 MW of
concerns, we called our Cat dealer power for the farm’s pump station.
immediately,” says Brewer. “The on-
call Cat technician was here within
a few hours.”
The quick response by the Cat dealer allowed the crops
at Threemile Canyon Farms to receive the water they
needed to thrive. The pump station was also able to resume
and maintain maximum operation throughout the rental.
“The Halton Power Division supplied us with the power
we needed very quickly,” notes Brewer. “I would certainly
rely on them for emergency power in the future.” ■

Healthcare —
Emergency power
helps hospitals ‘defend in place’
W
ith human lives on the line every day, hospitals
and healthcare providers share compelling
reasons for maintaining reliable electric
power. Having Level One Emergency Power Supply Systems
(EPSS) in place and properly maintained is standard
operating practice.
“A comprehensive power plan, for both
normal and emergency situations, helps
protect the safety of patients and
hospital staff,” says Dan Chisholm,
principal of Motor and Generator
Institute, Winter Park, Fla.
Nonambulatory patients, in
particular, need assurance, he
explains, because they can’t leave
the building on their own.
“Hospitals must be able to ‘defend
in place’ if power is lost,” he
stresses. For this reason alone,
he says, there may not be another
industry where a reliable EPSS
is more vital than in healthcare.
The “defend in place”
requirement, Chisholm adds, is
necessary in the nation’s 5,800
acute care facilities or hospitals and
3,500 outpatient ambulatory surgical
centers, along with long-term care
facilities that have life support systems.
“That includes only 20 to 30 percent of
the approximate 17,000 long-term care
organizations in the United States,” he says.
POWER PROTECTION IN PLACE
Chisholm explains that all hospitals are
required to have Level One emergency generator
installations, which follow the most stringent
regulations regarding equipment, maintenance and
testing standards. “The average hospital has four
generators, rated from 100 kW to 2 MW, depending on
how much load they must carry. In each case, the EPSS
must be able to power Essential Electric Distribution System
(EDSS) loads or roughly 25 to 30 percent of total hospital
demand,” he explains.
Included in Level One loads are surgical suites, intensive
care units, other patient care areas and elevators – anything
having to do with life safety. Most EPSS include diesel
 Industry Perspective 
generators because diesel fuel can be stored on-site, which is
more reliable than municipal natural gas sources after
tornadoes, earthquakes or other natural disasters.
The required performance benchmark for Level One is
that hospital Emergency System circuits must be online within
10 seconds. “With proper maintenance, many can be active in
about six seconds,” Chisholm adds. Depending on local
codes, normal installations must have enough on-site fuel to
sustain 24 hours of running time, though hospitals in seismic
areas may need 96 hours of fuel on-site.
Historically, he notes, most health facility standby
generators have performed admirably when called on for
short-term operation. “The long-term reliability of an EPSS is
also important,” Chisholm states. “Areas such as starting
systems, fuel and fuel supply systems, engine cooling and
lubrication, radiators, battery maintenance and testing should
be given the proper attention.”
Several agencies support aggressive maintenance and set
tough standards, including individual state health
departments, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health
Care Organizations (JCAHO) and the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA), which devotes a special section in its
National Electric Code (NEC) that specifically covers hospital
electric distribution systems (Article 517).
Noteworthy is NFPA’s mandate that once a month (or
every 20 to 40 days under NFPA 99), the EPSS must be run
for 30 minutes under load. “Most generator set manufacturers
suggest running the EPSS weekly for long enough to raise
water temperature, provide lubrication to moving parts and
burn condensation from combustion chambers,” Chisholm
explains. “That’s about five minutes.”
“A properly installed and maintained EPSS is key to
ensuring reliability when the lives and health of hospital
patients are on the line. That alone puts healthcare in a
special category of standby power users,” he concludes. ■
Dan Chisholm is a technical expert in the field of
emergency electrical distribution systems, specializing in
healthcare facilities. As principal of Motor and Generator
Institute, Winter Park, Fla., he has provided educational
seminars to healthcare facilities’ engineers throughout
the country. As founder, and former owner of an EPSS
service company, Chisholm has provided emergency
service to more than 300 healthcare facilities.
He now provides consulting services to more than 700
hospitals nationwide and is the editor of the online industry newsletter
“Healthcare Circuit News” (www.mgi-hcn.com).
Summer 2003  Electric Power News 7
 Industry Profile 
Three Cat® 3516Bs replace aging tandem generator sets to give
St. Mary’s Medical Center 100 percent backup capacity.
Each new
Cat 3516B is rated at
2,000 kW standby
at 4,160 volts.
A QUICK LOOK AT ST. MARY’S MEDICAL CENTER
• A 520-bed medical center with a long-term care facility, and centers for
women and children, heart services, senior health, cancer care and more
• The hospital serves Evansville and a 150-mile radius in the Tri-State
area (Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky)
• The first hospital in the nation to offer family-centered maternity care
• St. Mary’s Medical Center LifeFlight is the area’s only emergency air
ambulance service, logging 403 patient transports in its first 16 months
• The hospital has been in existence since 1872; it’s now the largest
employer in the Tri-State area
• St. Mary’s Medical Center is part of Ascension Health, the nation’s
largest not-for-profit system
8  Electric Power News  Summer 2003
T
eamwork can do wonders for an electric power
generation project. Just ask Saeid Elmi, director of
engineering services, construction and security at St.
Mary’s Medical Center, Evansville, Ind. “The evidence
is on our second floor, above the chiller units,” he says.
“Though we were space limited, we recently replaced
30-year-old tandem generator sets with three Cat 3516Bs
in less than four months, including new utility feeds. By
involving all parties early on, the $1.7 million project was
completed on time and within budget.”
The project team included Elmi; Paul Kerney and Sam
Hosp of Cat dealer Whayne Power Systems (Evansville,
Ind.); and representatives of the local utility (Vectren), an
electrical contractor (State Group), Geoble Mechanical
(plumbing and piping), High Tech Sheet Metal (ductwork)
and engineer Ken Parrish, P.E., from I.C. Thomasson
Associates, with experience in hospital installations. Elmi
explained that Parrish did not spend time (and money) on
detailed electrical drawings. Instead, he gave overall
direction and focused on meeting codes, including seismic
zone, firewalls, separations and serviceability issues.
Because Elmi is involved in all hospital projects, he’s
learned the importance of putting together a quality team.
“The key is knowing where you want to go and building the
road together,” he explains. “We negotiated costs quickly,
did lots of brainstorming, met and used e-mails to create a
step-by-step timeline that everyone was committed to. We
ended up with a very clean, awesome project.”
THIS HOSPITAL GIVES 100 PERCENT
While hospitals are required by the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) to provide backup power to
run critical life safety equipment, St. Mary’s Medical Center

wanted to extend beyond the requirement
for 100 percent backup capabilities for its
current power needs, as well as to cover
future growth.
“We wanted continuous power in all
parts of the hospital, whether in the
operating or emergency rooms, in the heart
center or diagnostic services,” Elmi explains.
“Our goal was for the entire facility to run
without anyone realizing we’re on a
generator.”
Evansville is located in a seismic area,
so the hospital needed to be prepared for
natural disasters as well as man-made
ones. In addition, St. Mary’s Medical Center
has applied and is being considered as a
Level Two trauma center (notification should
come later this year), which would increase
the need for reliable power.
The existing power capacity came under
scrutiny as Elmi and his team reviewed the
hospital’s old tandem generator sets, which
were capable of producing 3,600 kW of
standby power.
“We’ve had to load shed in the past and
weren’t able to run our chillers, even during
routine tests,” Elmi recalls, “and sophisti-
cated equipment like MRIs and CT
scanners, as well as the heart room, need
a continuously cool environment.”
Another concern surfaced when Vectren
informed St. Mary’s Medical Center that its
12,500-volt substation was unable to
guarantee its primary and alternate feeds.
“The hospital has two separate utility
feeds,” Kerney explains. “If the primary feed
fails, the switchgear automatically shifts to
the alternate source. If that also fails, the
generators are utilized.”
The switchgear links the primary and
alternate utility feeds. It also has the
capability to work in closed transition for
operating the system during testing without
disrupting hospital power. “During an
outage, it works in open transition,” Kerney
says. “When the utility feed is back online,
the switchgear returns to closed transition
with soft loading features.”
CLOSE COLLABORATION
“After reviewing our existing system, we
knew we had to do something,” Elmi points
out. “Our request for new generators took a
few years to justify, but in July 2002 we
received approval. Actual installation began
the first of this year.”
Elmi and Whayne Power Systems did
their homework and were ready to make the
project reality.
“Whayne Power Systems employees
worked with us to provide upgrade ideas
and explain what was available,” Elmi says.
“We didn’t want to invest in bricks and
mortar; we had to use available space. The
Cat generators were a perfect size and
capacity. We replaced four engines and
two generators with three new generator
sets that doubled power capacity to 6 MW.”
The new generators are rated at
2,000 kW standby at 4,160 volts.
Elmi adds, “We chose Whayne Power
Systems and Caterpillar because we
wanted the best equipment with proven
reliability. This wasn’t a project to assign to
Summer 2003
The old tandem generator sets,
capable of producing 3,600 kW
of standby power, were removed
with the help of cranes.
the lowest bid. We expect the
generators to last as long as
the building — at least another
30 years.”
Elmi has worked with the Cat
dealer for more than 20 years. “It’s
always been a good relationship,”
he says. “When you receive quick
response and reliable service at the
right cost, there’s no reason to change.
They’re also easy to work with and we’re
comfort-able knowing they are
knowledgeable and fair.”
At the same time St. Mary’s Medical
Center was preparing for the new
generators, Vectren was building a new
substation on the hospital grounds. “We
gave them the land and they built the
substation, upgrading it to 69,000 volts.
So we had brand-new and more-capable
primary and alternate feeds,” Elmi says. “We
worked together to coordinate the timing
and were ready to switch at the same time.”
BUILT-IN REDUNDANCIES
Two of the three generators can handle
the current load needs at St. Mary’s Medical
Center. “The third generator is for redundancy
and to handle future growth,” Elmi explains.
“We also have two separate 20,000-gal. fuel
tanks with separate pumps. A complete
power failure will affect only one unit.”
With the installation of the new power
system, the hospital is now able to
synchronize with the utility, load shed,
power up and utilize the generators for
testing without interrupting power in the
hospital. The hospital electrician team, led
by John Schmitt, performs weekly dry runs
and monthly load tests. The crew also
performs battery, lights and alarm checks,
and routine maintenance.
“We rely on Whayne Power Systems for
support, preventive and heavy maintenance,
but routine duties are completed internally,”
Elmi says. “Equipment like this can be
intimidating if you’re not familiar with it. We
need our crew to feel comfortable if there’s
an emergency.” ■
 Electric Power News 9
 Distributed Generation 
in natural-gas-fueled distributed generation
Gas generator sets are on the forefront of an emerging industry thanks to
power market changes and generating technology advances.
T he distributed generation market is evolving rapidly, and
so are the technologies that produce the power.
Distributed generation today, and into the foreseeable
future, demands clean, reliable power at the lowest cost per kW
hour. More than any other technology, natural-gas-fuel generator
sets are positioned to meet those requirements.
MARKETS CHANGE, TECHNOLOGIES ADVANCE
Four forces have changed the electric power business:
1. Demand for power has risen quickly with economic
expansion and growth in computer and data systems and
household appliances. Peak power demand is estimated to grow
by two percent per year through 2010.
2. Power market restructuring has modified the traditional industry
model in which electricity comes from large, centralized power plants
owned and operated by government-regulated utilities. Opportunities
have opened for private, smaller-scale generators and, in some
areas, market-based pricing programs for power users.
3. Environmental concerns and air-quality regulations have shifted
the mix of fuels used to produce electricity — in general away from
coal and fuel oil and toward natural gas and renewable sources.
4. New small-scale generating technologies have emerged and
existing technologies have improved, making distributed
generation more cost-competitive. Because these systems are
flexible and can be permitted and installed quickly, they are
attractive to utilities facing short-term capacity needs.
All these forces work in favor of distributed power.
NATURAL-GAS FUEL DELIVERS
Worldwide, natural gas is the fastest-growing fuel for power
production. In the next 20 years, global use of natural gas for
generation is projected to double. In the United States, the
natural gas share of the electricity market is expected to increase
from 15 percent in 1999 to 32 percent in 2020.
Distributed power applications favor gas technologies because
they deliver low air emissions. As concerns rise about air pollution
and global warming, governments are tightening standards that limit
nitrogen oxide (NOx) and other emissions from power generation.
Diesel-fueled systems still dominate in standby and short-run
installations; low-sulfur fuels and lower-emission technologies will
10  Electric Power News  Summer 2003
The Cat G3520C natural-gas generator
set operates at ratings up to 2.1 MW
with low NOx emission output.
ensure they have a role in the short-hour distributed power
market. For the moment, however, natural gas best combines the
virtues of availability, price and environmental compliance.
THUMBS UP FOR GENERATOR SETS
Generator sets are proven in a wide range of distributed
power applications: standby, prime power, cogeneration and
peaking. They perform well in intermittent service and operate
efficiently with variable, cyclic loads. The technology is simple and
well understood. Qualified service technicians and replacement
parts are readily available worldwide. The units can operate on a
variety of gaseous fuels: pipeline natural gas, propane, landfill
methane, digester gas, coal steam methane, and others.
Installation is fast and simple. Mobile, packaged generator sets
can be delivered and installed within hours, and permanent
systems can be online and producing power within a few months
from the date ordered, at attractive installed system costs.
Units are relatively straightforward to site and permit; multiple units
can meet power requirements of virtually any size. Finally, in today’s
distributed power applications — typically 500 or more annual
operating hours — generator sets deliver the lowest cost of electricity.
A PROMISING FUTURE FOR NATURAL GAS
Changes in markets, regulations and technology are
converging to promote an expansion in distributed power
generation. In the future, developers seeking clean, low-cost,
reliable, flexible solutions will turn to natural-gas-fueled
reciprocating generator sets for a growing range of distributed
power applications (see photo of Cat G3520C).
Manufacturers and suppliers have recognized this trend and
are investing in new, cleaner technologies that meet and exceed
the requirements of the distributed generation market. Through
research, cooperative agreements with laboratories and
universities, and collaborations through the Department of Energy,
natural gas reciprocating energy solutions for distributed power
are at work today and will continue to be a driving force to help
meet expanding energy needs worldwide.
For information on how Caterpillar natural gas engines can
help you make the most of the potential in the distributed
generation market, contact your Cat dealer. ■

Cat Automatic ®
Transfer
Switches
An expanded Cat ATS line includes
open-, bypass- and closed-transition models.
or every Caterpillar® standby
F generator set installed, at least
one Automatic Transfer Switch
(ATS) is required to tie utility power
and emergency power into the electric
power system.
As a power system grows in
complexity, the number of ATSs required
increases. Different types of ATS may also
be necessary (open-, bypass- or closed-
transition) to successfully integrate the
customer’s critical power needs.
The current Cat ATS product line offers
two series of switches: the CTG and the
CTS. Each includes a wide range of
configurations and attachments to suit any
application, from the simple to the complex.
Both the CTG and the CTS series
feature a mechanically held contactor,
ratings from from 40 to 4000 amps (600v
maximum), a 2-, 3-, or 4-pole configuration
and a standard NEMA 1 enclosure.
CAT CTG AND CTS SERIES
The CTG (preconfigured) and CTS
(fully programmable/ configurable) series
open-transition ATS combine a full-feature,
microprocessor-based controller with a
double-throw power switching section to
suit the needs of most general and
specified ATS applications.
 Viewpoint 
Delayed open-transition
models, (CTGD and CTSD)
afford a third, “center off”
(delayed-transition) position.
AN EXPANDED
CAT ATS LINE
Drawing on the proven
design of the Cat CTS series,
Cat is expanding the ATS
product line to include both
bypass-isolation and closed-
transition models.
Bypass. There are many
critical systems where interruption of
power is not permissible (hospitals,
communication systems, data
processing centers, airports, etc.). For
closed-transition switch minimizes these
these applications, the use of bypass-
experiences during transfer by
isolation ATS is essential and often
overlapping normal and alternate sources
required by code. To meet
when both sources are within preset
requirements, the Cat bypass-isolation
synchronous parameters.
ATS affords the ability to conduct
Similar to all Cat products, Cat dealers
inspections and maintenance without
offer service and warranty programs to
interruption of power.
support all Cat ATS products. Contact
Closed transition. Electronic
your Cat dealer for more information. ■
equipment, UPS, HID lighting, motor
starters, etc., are sensitive to even the
millisecond power outage typically
experienced during a transfer from normal
to standby and back to normal power. A
Summer 2003  Electric Power News  11
 PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Ft. Atkinson, WI
Permit No. 70

P152G

An idea whose kilowatt

hour has come. Gas for electrical
power generation.
For your next distributed power or

cogeneration project, remember two

words: natural gas. You know that gas-

fueled generation meets tough emission

standards in high-usage applications.

Now it also delivers the lowest cost per

kilowatt hour, the lowest total cost of

ownership, and the best return on invest-

ment when running more than 500 hours

annually. Power markets are changing.

And gas power technology is changing,

too – in ways you simply must see to

believe. Let us show you how proven,

reliable gas-fueled generation can bring

new profit opportunities in the exciting

world of distributed power. Call

1-800-321-7332 to learn more.

©2002 Caterpillar All Rights Reserved.

Gas.Believe it.