Renovation of a power facility in Ames, Iowa. Conceptual plans call for the renovation of a power facility.

After the derecho event that occurred in August 2020, two limitations were uncovered concerning the operation of the City's electrical generating units during prolonged outages. Although battery systems are in place at the Power Plant, a more robust backup system supporting critical systems in the power plant is required. This project will involve installing a diesel generator that, under blackout conditions, will continually support the DCS control system, SCADA system, and the emergency oil pumps on both steam turbine generators at the power plant. At the combustion turbine site, the "black start" system restoration plan requires that at least one combustion turbine be capable of starting without any power from the surrounding grid. This portion of the project will involve installing a diesel generator large enough to start Combustion Turbine #2 in a blackout condition. This will reduce the length of long-duration, city-wide electrical outages. This project is included in the city's 2022-2027 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). As of January 3, 2023, further details regarding design and construction have not been identified. *Project information has been obtained through a public capital improvement plan (CIP). A CIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the CIP often evolves based on funding availability and the project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available. As of August 31, 2023, no rebid information available