District Energy Corporation 9th & K Thermal Plant - Executive Summary |
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DISTRICT ENERGY CORPORATION 9TH & K THERMAL PLANT Risk Management Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Accidental release prevention and emergency response policies. The policy of District Energy Corporation (DEC) is to comply with federal Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions (40 CFR Part 68) and the Risk Management Program defined in it. DEC is committed to the prevention of accidental releases. DEC has a thorough detailed Emergency Response Plan designated specifically for an ammonia release for the 9TH & K Thermal Plant facility. The plan has been reviewed with response organizations and others. The City of Lincoln Fire Department is located nearby and responds to 9TH & K Thermal Plant within 5 minutes under normal circumstances. DEC has provided training for the Fire Department at the facility including the order in which valves should be closed and on other possible responses. 2. The stationery source and regulated substances handled. The DEC stationery source is a building i n downtown Lincoln that provides heating and cooling for the County-City Building (Lancaster County and City of Lincoln) and for the adjacent Lancaster County Jail. District Energy Corporation was incorporated by the county and city in 1989 as a nonprofit entity. The objectives were to install and operate large commercial heat pumps as the most efficient heating-cooling alternative. The Lincoln Electric System (LES) provides technical management for the 9th & K Thermal Plant. LES is a municipally-owned and operated electric utility with sole service responsibility in and around Lincoln, Nebraska. As a publicly owned utility, LES operates and maintains all of the equipment in it's system in a manner representing prudent utility practices and in conformance with LES' customer/owner's expectations. LES strives for excellence in the operations of all facilities, and for full compliance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations. 9TH & K Thermal Plant has a thermal energy storage system so that the large heat pumps can be turned off during peak electricity usage periods during hot weather. This system utilizes ammonia refrigeration to make ice that is stored in large tanks next to the building. The 9th & K Thermal Plant is normally unmanned but can be remotely monitored. The ammonia refrigeration system contains a total of approximately 18,630 pounds of anhydrous ammonia and this is the maximum plant inventory. This ammonia quantity requires that DEC develop a Risk Management Program and Plan. 9TH & K Thermal Plant is covered by Program 2 requirements. 3. The worst-case release scenario and the alternative release scenario including administrative controls and mitigation measures to limit the distances for each reported scenario. The worst case scenario is the loss of 3,900 pounds of ammonia representing a failure of the refrigeration system High Pressure Receiver Tank. A water deluge response by the facility could reduce the release significan tly. Modeling shows that the worst-case and alternative release scenarios would have off-site impacts. 4. The general accidental release program and the specific prevention steps. DEC intends to comply fully with Risk Management Program requirements as outlined in Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions Specific prevention steps include following Risk Management Program elements in areas such as expanding training and documentation. Each area of the recently completed Risk Management Program includes recommendations. DEC will followup on recommendations in a timely manner. 5. Five-year accident history. 9TH & K Thermal Plant has had no releases nor accidents related to ammonia in the last 5 years. 6. The emergency response program. DEC has a thorough detailed Emergency Response Plan designated specifically for an ammonia release for 9TH & K Thermal Plant. The plan has been reviewed with response organizations and others. DEC is committed to being a good neighbor in the co mmunity and a responsible one. 7. Planned changes to improve safety. Each area of the recently completed Risk Management Program includes recommendations. There are a number of these recommendations so they will not be listed in this summary. DEC will followup on the recommendations in a timely manner. |