Utilities

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Last Updated: Apr 18, 2025, 09:41 AM

Aerial Shot of SIU Campus Faner Breezeway

The SIU Power Plant produces steam which is used to heat campus buildings, produce chilled water for cooling, and to generate electricity. Steam and chilled water are distributed through four miles of underground tunnels to over 50 buildings across campus. The plant consumes nearly 50,000 tons of coal per year.

A 3-megawatt generator produces about 14% of the annual electricity supply for central campus, which amounts to over 100 million kWh with a peak load of 18 megawatts.  The photovoltaic power system helps offset purchased electricity with clean, renewable energy and has peak output of 28 kilowatts.

In FY 2006, SIU purchased $6.5 million in electricity.  As part of a continuing effort in energy conservation, PSO has replaced over 6,500 incandescent light bulbs with efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, lamped nearly 1,000 exit signs with efficient and long-lasting LEDs, and converted all of the T12 fluorescent lighting in 82 buildings across campus to new high-efficiency T8 technology.

Provided Utlities

All campus building heating/cooling systems and related services are provided by Facilities & Energy Management, except for university housing, the Student Center, and the Student Recreation Center.

Facilities & Energy Management operates and maintains all university utilities, plant and distribution systems except telephone services and cable television.

  • Steam & Water

    Steam is produced at the Steam Plant and distributed through 4.9 miles of underground tunnel and 2.5 miles of direct buried piping to all major campus buildings.

    Chilled water is produced at two 3,500 ton plants. These plants are centrally located at the Communications Building and at Necker's Hall and distributed to 20 buildings through direct buried piping. Chilled water is also produced at Morris Library, the Wham Building, Pulliam Hall, Quigley Hall, Trueblood and Lentz Halls and is utilized for cooling in all of those buildings.

  • Utility Services

    Electric power is purchased from Ameren CIPS and distributed throughout the Campus through a university owned underground primary distribution system.

    Water and sewer services are purchased from the City of Carbondale and with the exception of outlying university owned houses and housing buildings which are directly connected to the city system, these services are distributed throughout the Campus through a university owned underground piping system.

  • Natural Gas Purchases

    The University operates a 3.14 mega-watt turbine electrical generator powered by steam generated by a circulating fluidized bed boiler that provides 10-15 percent of the Campus electrical power.

    Natural gas is purchased from Texas Utilities and Central Illinois Public Service and is distributed throughout campus through the utility company's underground piping system.

    Some off-campus buildings require L.P. gas or fuel oil for heating. These fuels are purchased by Facilities & Energy Management and delivered by an outside vendor.

  • Reporting Disruptions

    All utility services are managed by Facilities & Energy Management and all malfunctions, outages, and other disruptions should be reported to the Facilities Operations Center.

  • Costs

    Utility costs are billed to student housing, the Student Center, and the Student Recreation Center. Utility rates are established on an annual basis. These rates recover the entire cost of providing the utility services and include the costs to purchase or produce the utilities and to operate and maintain the utility systems.

Policies & Procedures

  • Operational Policies

    1. The Utilities Division has the primary responsibility for operation of the physical facilities of the University academic and administrative areas. This includes utilities and the operation of the Steam Plant.
    2. Illinois is a prevailing wage state and as such requires that all skilled craft work be performed by persons compensated at the prevailing rates established for this local area as certified by the Illinois Department of Labor.
    3. The Chief Plant Operating Engineer will function as the control officer for this division.

  • Operational Procedures & Services

    Facilities & Energy Management has a comprehensive maintenance and repair program but does not conduct detailed inspections to evaluate the condition of individual spaces. Building Maintenance relies on the user, occupant, custodians and Security to report visible problems. Any building maintenance deficiencies will be corrected at no expense to the department.