Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, Dover, is supplying natural gas to power a 3 megawatt combined heat and power (CHP) plant at Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) in Salisbury, MD.
Representatives from Chesapeake joined hospital and state officials that include Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in a commissioning event held last month.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, CHP plants currently account for 8 percent of U.S. electricity generating capacity and are a key tool in reducing carbon emissions and generate energy savings nationwide.
“We’re excited to provide Peninsula Regional Medical Center with the clean, safe and reliable energy option of natural gas which provides environmental and economic benefits to the Maryland Eastern Shore,” said Michael P. McMasters, CEO of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation. “This partnership is an example of our employees’ commitment to developing effective ways to grow the Company strategically while continuing to deliver value to our employees, customers, investors and the communities we serve.”
In addition to providing natural gas transportation service to several CHP projects on the Delmarva Peninsula and in Florida, Chesapeake Utilities Corporation recently constructed its first CHP plant on Amelia Island, FL in 2016. The Eight Flags Energy CHP Plant generates approximately 20 MW of base load power, producing enough electricity to meet 50 percent of Amelia Island’s average demand.
CHP plants use conventional electricity generators, but add an extra step to capture and utilize heat from the system, providing efficiency improvements.
Peninsula’s CHP system is designed to provide electricity for critical hospital functions and thermal energy for the medical center’s hot water system.
“This is the third CHP project Chesapeake Utilities has implemented throughout the Delmarva Peninsula in the past few years and we believe it’s a valuable energy option for municipalities, universities, schools and hospitals – all of whom rely on their energy source in order to perform their respective critical operations,” said Aleida Socarras, vice president of Chesapeake Utilities. “This clean, highly-efficient project is another excellent example of natural gas being an economic engine that allows our region to grow strategically while providing great opportunity to our customers.”
The use of natural gas to produce on-site electricity will reduce Peninsula’s carbon emissions by an estimated 50 percent and provide critical systems with power during electrical system disruptions. Because of the competitive pricing of natural gas versus higher-cost grid electricity, PRMC will also see a significant reduction in overall energy costs, a release stated.
“Stewardship is one of Peninsula Regional’s core values. By installing the CHP, we achieve both environmental and economic stewardship that is a benefit to our community,” said Dr. Peggy Naleppa, Peninsula CEO. “It also makes PRMC more resilient; in the event of a power grid failure or natural disaster, we have a built-in backup that will allow us to continue to care for our community.”
