University of Cincinnati Plant

The University of Cincinnati in Ohio has its own Central Utility Plant as well as an East Campus Utility Plant to provide, heat, steam, and electricity for about 120 campus buildings. The plants have boilers that use coal and natural gas. The plants handle about 30,000 tons of coal a year.

In 2001 the University began expanding its old central heating plant to accommodate the campus’ central chilling and cogeneration needs, leading to the current Central Utility Plant (CUP). The 47-megawatt CUP is designed to produce 90 percent of the university's electricity demands, at a projected cost of $70.6 million. One of the two coal boilers used to produce steam for heating was salvaged for continued use as part of the new CUP.

The university recycles fly ash from the boilers by having it trucked to a local cement kiln where it’s used as an ingredient in the making of Portland cement.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Campus coal plants
 * Existing U.S. Coal Plants
 * Opposition to existing coal plants
 * Coal
 * Coal and jobs
 * Coal-fired power plant capacity and generation
 * Coal phase-out
 * Coal plant conversion projects
 * Coal plants near residential areas

External resources

 * Anne C. Mulkern, "Colleges Are Battlegrounds for Coal Fight," Greenwire, October 14, 2009.
 * Campuses Beyond Coal Campaign, Sierra Club, September 2009.
 * "DOE Announces Winners of Annual University Coal Research Grants," July 7, 2005.
 * American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment