On schedule, on budget

• PDSWM

Lowell Anderson | Echo Press Pope Douglas Solid Waste Management's waste-to-energy facility along Jefferson Street in Alexandria is undergoing a $20 million expansion project.

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The incinerator project at Pope Douglas Solid Waste Management (PDSWM) is right on schedule – and on budget.

Pete Olmscheid, PDSWM executive director, provided an update to the Douglas County Board last month.

The major pieces of the puzzle for the $20 million expansion project are set, said Olmscheid, noting that the piping and electrical work is currently being worked on.

He believes testing on the third combustor will begin in either late January or early February.

And, Olmscheid is hopeful that the third combustor should be fully up and running by the end of May.

“Right now, we are about 70 percent complete with the unit three expansion,” Olmscheid told the commissioners.

Through the process of expanding the facility, Olmscheid said there have been a few challenges, but that everything worked out and the facility has been able to process waste as needed.

He noted that PDSWM is working on replacing the steam lines to 3M and the Douglas County Hospital and it is also working on connecting Alexandria Technical and Community College (ATCC).

Commissioner Dan Olson, who is on the PDSWM Board of Directors, commented on the project and added that there have been “no major hiccups,” which he said bodes well for Olmscheid.

“He [Olmscheid] has done an excellent, excellent job,” said Olson.

CHECK OUT THESE FACTS

The PDSWM combustors were constructed in 1986 and the facility began to accept solid waste in 1987. A recycling program was adopted in 1988 and the Household Hazardous Waste drop-off and reuse center opened in 1993.

The recycling drop center was opened in 1997.

In 2003, the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) was constructed to remove more recyclable material from the waste stream and reduce emissions by removing problem material.

Currently, the existing plant can handle up to 120 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) per day – two units each are capable of 60 tons of MSW per day.

The new combustor will be big enough to handle 120 tons of MSW per day by itself, which would double the facility’s current load.

The expansion will satisfy the needs of PDSWM for the next 20 to 25 years – until 2030 to 2035. The expansion will add approximately 10 employees.

Currently, steam produced at the facility is used at 3M and Douglas County Hospital. Excess steam is used to generate up to 500 kilowatts of electricity.

With the expansion, the additional steam will be purchased by existing customers, as well as new customers, including ATCC.

Air pollution control technologies in the current two combustors reduce air emissions to well below applicable regulations and the third combustor will have air pollution control technologies identical to the current combustors.

The expansion will reduce MSW sent to landfills, as well as help to fulfill Minnesota’s renewable energy objectives.

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