New York Power Authority Implements Boiler Plant Upgrades at Bronx Community College Improving Energy Reliability on Campus

For Immediate Release: 08/30/23

Contact: NYPA Media Inquiries | media.inquiries@nypa.gov | (914) 681-6770

 

New York Power Authority Implements Boiler Plant Upgrades at Bronx Community College, Improving Energy Reliability on Campus

 

NYPA Energy-Efficient Upgrades at Bronx Community College

Total More Than $200 Million

 

WHITE PLAINS—The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has partnered with the City University of New York (CUNY) to implement a boiler plant upgrade at Bronx Community College that will improve the reliability of the campus’ heating system. The improvements directly support BuildSmart2025, a statewide energy efficiency program administered by NYPA, aimed at reducing energy usage in state facilities by 11 trillion British Thermal Units (BTU) by the end of 2025—the equivalent of removing nearly 500,000 cars from the road.

 

“The replacement of the Bronx Community College boiler plant is a significant upgrade to the campus’ energy reliability, improving safety and comfort for the school’s faculty and students,” said New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “The Power Authority remains committed to helping its partners make the best energy choices for their facilities that help advance New York’s ambitious climate and clean energy goals.”

 

“These upgrades represent the vital ongoing effort to reduce energy consumption as we maintain and modernize the infrastructure on our campuses,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “We are thankful to President Driscoll and NYPA for their substantial investment and sustained partnership as CUNY does its part to help New York State combat climate change.”

 

NYPA is replacing the campus’ 40-year old-boiler plant—along with its controls and fuel oil tanks—following reliability issues last winter. The Power Authority has installed a temporary boiler system as an interim measure until the new plant comes online in 2025.

 

The $45 million reliability project builds on previous campus-wide energy efficiency upgrades implemented by the Power Authority that total more than $100 million, including, heating, cooling, water, lighting and electrical. Since March 2011, those improvements have reduced annual carbon emissions by more than 3,400 metric tons—the equivalent of removing 757 gas-powered cars from the road. In total, the projects save the college nearly $5 million in annual energy and maintenance costs and have reduced energy consumption by more than 41 billion BTUs—the equivalent of removing 2,000 cars from the road.

 

The Power Authority is also partnering with Bronx Community College on a nearly $70 million project to significantly improve the campus’ electric utility system. The upgrade is expected to complete next year.

 

“While we work towards making necessary improvements to our infrastructure, we are pleased to be able to partner with the New York Power Authority to move towards a greener campus and community,” said Interim Bronx Community College President Milton Santiago, Ed.D.

 

NYPA provides a wide variety of energy technology and renewable energy services to its governmental customers under BuildSmart2025, including energy audits, project engineering, design, installation, and construction management. The energy efficiency projects carried out by NYPA include high efficiency lighting retrofits, occupancy and daylighting lighting sensors, building and energy management systems, boilers, chillers, air-handling systems, thermal storage, microgrids, solar photovoltaic systems, digester gas systems, and emerging energy technologies. NYPA provides financing with full cost recovery by its customers.

 

State entities have implemented or are actively developing more than 1,200 energy projects with calculated energy savings of more than 7.2 trillion BTUs.

 

BuildSmart2025 is part of the state’s overall goal to reduce on-site energy consumption in building by 185 trillion BTUs by 2025.

 

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New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State's nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35%, with a goal of 40%, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70% renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and over 3,000% growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and more than 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

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