Fuel Cells Provide Reliable Power to U.S. Postal Service Facility in Anchorage, Alaska

ABSTRACT

Working together, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and Chugach Electric Association, partnering with the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), US Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (USA CERL), Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), developed and installed one of the largest fuel cell installations in the world.

The 1-Megawatt fuel cell combined heat and power plant sits behind the Anchorage U.S. Postal Service Mail Processing and Distribution Facility. Chugach Electric owns, operates, and maintains the fuel cell power plant, which provides clean, reliable power to the USPS facility. In addition, heat recovered from the fuel cells, in the form of hot water, is used to heat the USPS Mail Processing and Distribution Facility. By taking a leadership role, the USPS will save over $800,000 in electricity and natural gas costs over the 5 1/2-year contract term with Chugach Electric.

“Fuel cells solved a handful of problems.,” Cathe Grosshandler, Alaska District Environmental Coordinator, U.S. Postal Service