Austin Energy District Cooling Plant #3

The downtown District Cooling Plant #3 (DCP3) will provide an additional 10,000 tons of cooling capacity utilizing 4-2,500 ton water-cooled centrifugal chillers and nine cooling tower cells. This third downtown plant will allow Austin Energy to expand chilled water services to Austin’s burgeoning downtown development and increase the efficiency, redundancy, and reliability of the overall system.

DCP3 is powered by two medium voltage 15kv feeds from Seaholm Substation providing redundant power capability across an A-side and B-side arrangement.  Power is distributed through the plant via arc flash-resistant Eaton switchgear consisting of an MV A-side/B-side service entrance, MV A-Side/B-side switchgear feeding four 4160kv variable speed drives, and an A-Side/B-side unit substation with transformers.  Minus the service entrance all switchgear consists of a tie-breaker allowing DCP3 to be powered fully from one side of the service entrance if required though it is designed to run on both A-side & B-side simultaneously with tie-breakers open.

The MV and LV gear and equipment installation at DCP3 required extensive factory and NETA 3rd party testing and inspection including relay/breaker programming & testing, megger and hi-pot of all MV conductors, megger of all LV feeders, and torque verification of all terminations over 60 amps. Self-perform concrete package associated with District Cooling Plant #3 includes drilled piers, extensive heavy grade-beams & footings, vertical structural concrete, and elevated decks.