The University of Mississippi selected an enterprise energy management system from Power Measurement (Saanichton, British Columbia, Canada) to monitor its new on-campus diesel power plant. The 10-generator power plant, designed by Fisher & Arnold Inc. (Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.), is expected to save the university more than US$1 million annually in reduced energy costs, thanks to a curtailment agreement between the university and its energy provider.

The agreement enables the utility to respond to periods of peak demand by cutting loads to the university for up to 72 hours per year, during which the university's power plant takes over. A network of ION intelligent metering and control devices monitors the electrical grid for the entire campus, and ensures that anytime a curtailment period is initiated, the right number of generators start up to meet the demand.

Although electricity generated on-site is considerably more expensive than electricity received from the utility, the additional cost is more than covered by the price reduction offered by the curtailment program, so the end result is a significant cost savings, according to Chet Puckett, Fisher & Arnold Inc. project manager of energy services. The automated metering equipment also helps keep operating costs as low as possible. “The ION meters are a crucial element to the success of this system,” Puckett explains. “Without the usage information gathered by the meters, there is no way the system could be run cost effectively.”

This high-tech substation serves as a real-world teaching facility, where engineering students can receive hands-on training in facilities and energy management — a practical advantage that sets Ole Miss apart from traditional engineering schools.
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