Technical Tours
Click on the tour name to view details.
All tour buses will depart from the Orange County Convention Center.
OUC Energy Control Center top
Cost: $25.00
TOUR DATES / TIME: (Bus Departing Orange County Convention Center)
(TT01) May 7th, 8:30 AM -10:30 AM
(TT05) May 8th, 12:30 PM -2:30 PM
(TT10) May 9th, 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
(TT14) May 10th, 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 30 Minutes
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 1 Hour
SIZE LIMIT: 20 People per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of a working control room. Government Issued Photo ID and signing in and out of the facility will be required. Bags should be left on the Bus. Please check with tour guide before taking any photographs.
About the FacILITY:
Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) has over 200,000 customers, a peak summer load around 1400 MW, over 30 Substations and transmission facilities in the 230 kV, 115 kV and 69 kV classes. OUC also serves as the Balancing Authority for the Florida Municipal Power Pool managing around 3500 MWs of power for OUC and other Muncipal utilities around the state. At this facility is OUC Incident Command Center, Energy Control Center and Distribution (Water and Electric) Control Center.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The tour will start with a presentation about OUC and the Incident Command Center, Energy Control Center and Distribution Control Center, followed by a tour of each of those facilities.
Tour Cancellation: This is a functioning control room, depending on real time system conditions the tour may have to be modified or cancelled on short notice.
OUC Chilled Water Plant & SF6 Insulated Substation top
Cost:$ 25.00
TOUR DATES / TIME:
(TT15) May 10th, 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Chilled Water Tour Location: 515 West Anderson Street, Orlando, Fl. 32802
Substation Tour Location: 129 W. Robinson St. Orlando, FL 32801
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 20 Minutes to chilled water, 5 minutes from water to substation
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 45 Minutes Chilled Water, 30 Minutes Substation
SIZE LIMIT: 40 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of working utility facilities at the start of the Florida summer and it is recommended that you dress comfortably as it may be hot and humid during parts of the tour and you will be climbing stairs and walking on open grating. No open-toed shoes or heels are allowed. Avoid wearing attire that may snag on equipment. The site will provide hard hats and safety glasses if needed. Bags will not be permitted into the facilities but may be left on the bus. Government issued Photo Identification is required and may be checked.
ABOUT THE CHILLED WATER PLANT
OUC's newest chilled water plant opened in 2010 and provides air conditioning for the Amway Center, the new state-of-the-art events center and green home of the NBA's Orlando Magic. OUC's efficient chilled water service helped Amway Center to earn LEED Gold certification in 2011.
Today there are eight chilled water plants and over 17 miles of chilled water pipe, cooling buildings including downtown, in and around the International Drive tourism corridor, the Orange County Convention Center, the Mall at Millenia, Vistana, Lockheed Martin and Lake Nona. The five loops have a total capacity of nearly 50,000 tons. OUC serves 2,365 chilled water residential customers and 194 commercial customers, ranging in size from small condominiums to the massive convention centers. The newest chiller plant (6,000 sq ft) is in downtown Orlando, the West plant has a design capacity of 4,000 tons and presently has 3,000 tons installed pending future load increases. This plant efficiently (0.77kw per ton) supplies chilled water to the new Amway Center which opened in the fall of 2010.
ABOUT THE SUBSTATION
The SF6 Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) is an urban low profile substation that feeds the downtown Orlando load. The GIS operates at 115kV in a 5 position ring bus configuration. It is made up of three transmission lines and two transformer bays. The first two 115kV lines are high pressure fluid filled (HPFF), and the third is XLPE. Each transformer bay is made up of two 20MVA power transformers with the high voltage bushings fully enclosed in GIS bus duct.
The 115kV GIS includes circuit breakers, disconnecting switches, ground switches, current transformers, and voltage transformers which are mounted in sealed enclosures. These items plus the busbar system, compressed air system, local control cubicles are in this switchgear. The main busbar is a 3 phase common enclosure rated at 2,000Amps. The terminators are G&W paper perforated stress cones and comprise part of the HPFF system. Cathodic protection is used to protect the pipe that enclosed the underground HPFF cable, and has a Dairyland isolator to protect the system from surges.
The GIS switchgear was manufactured in Japan and was a collaboration between G.E. and Hitachi. The substation has been in operation since 1987.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The tour bus will drop off Group A (20) at the Chilled water plant and proceed to the indoor substation (Group B). The bus will wait at the indoor substation and return that group to the Chilled water plant and rotate Group B through the chiller plant and Group A through the indoor substation.
CANCELLATION NOTE: These are in service utility facilities; the tour is subject to cancellation on short notice due to site conditions, power system conditions or weather.
PHOTO: Chilled Water Plant.
Progress Energy's Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Training Center top
Cost: $25.00
TOUR DATES / TIME:
(TT11) May 9th, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
(TT16) May 10th, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
TOUR LOCATION: Winter Garden, Florida
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 30 Minutes EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 2.5 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 50 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of a training facility for transmission and distribution work at an electrical utility. There will be several demonstrations that will take you outside. Please wear comfortable shoes, light clothing and sunscreen.
ABOUT THE FACILITY
This facility is a 30 acre training facility for electric utility employees that work in transmission and distribution for Progress Energy.
ABOUT THE TOUR: (Box Lunches will be provided)
The tour will begin with a brief presentation and be followed by a walking tour of several unique demonstrations at the training facility. The demonstrations included for this special tour are:
Tampa Electric Company (TEC) Polk Power Station, Tampa FL top
Cost: $35.00
TOUR DATE/TIME
(TT03) May 7th, 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM
TOUR LOCATION: Polk Power Station, 9995 SR 37 South, Mulberry FL 33860
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 2 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 50 people
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of a working power plant during the start of the Florida summer and it is recommended that you dress comfortably as it may be hot and humid inside parts of the plant and you will be climbing stairs and walking on open grating. No open-toed shoes or heels are allowed. Avoid wearing attire that may snag on equipment. The plant will provide hard hats and safety glasses. Bags will not be permitted into the power plant but may be left on the bus. Government issued Photo Identification is required and may be checked.
ABOUT THE FACILITY:
Polk Power Station is a state-of-the-art IGCC facility. It was among the first large-scale commercial demonstrations of this combination of “clean coal” technology and highly-efficient combined-cycle technology. Gasification is a chemical process that combines coal or other fuels, such as petroleum coke, with oxygen to create a clean-burning gas, which fuels the combustion turbine to generate electricity. Waste heat makes high-pressure steam for additional electricity from the steam turbine.
o Built with $140 million of support from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its Clean Coal Technology program.
o Includes Polk 1, the base-loaded 250-megawatt IGCC unit, Polk 2, Polk 3, Polk 4, and Polk 150-megawatt natural gas-fueled peaking units each, with capacity to expand substantially.
o Environmentally-friendly process results in over 98 percent sulfur removal. Zero process water is discharged.
o Located on 4,300 acres of reclaimed land original used for phosphate mines, sited by an independent community advisory committee.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
This tour will include a walking tour of the plant as well as a presentation about the plant itself and TEC.
CANCELLATION NOTE: This is a functioning power plant; the tour is subject to cancellation on short notice due to site conditions, power system conditions or weather.
Cane Island Power Park top
Cost: $25.00
TOUR DATES/TIME (tour not travel) :
(TT06) May 8th, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM
(TT12) May 9th, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM
TOUR LOCATION: Bobroff Blvd, Intercession City
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 45 Minutes EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 2 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 50 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS:
This is a tour of a working power plant during the start of the Florida Summer. It may be hot and humid inside parts of the plant and there will be a lot of stairs to climb up and down. Solid shoes and attire that will not snag on equipment are required. The plant will provide hard hats. Bags will not be permitted into the power plant but may be left on the bus.
ABOUT THE FACILITY:
Cane Island Power Park is home to four natural gas-fueled generating units that produce a total of 710 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 142,000 households. The plant serves 14 municipal electric utilities from the Florida Panhandle to Key West. The Power Park's newest generator, a 300 megawatt combined cycle unit, began serving customers in July 2011. The new unit, with its advanced environmental control technologies, is among the cleanest, most efficient plants of its kind.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The tour will consist of a guided walking tour of the power plant grounds and generating units. The buses will drop the participants off at the Wharehouse and can pick them up on the far side of Unit #4
CANCELLATION NOTE: This is a functioning power plant; the tour is subject to cancellation on short notice due to site conditions, power system conditions or weather.
The International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT) top
Cost: $40.00
TOUR DATE/TIME:
(TT13) May 10th, 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM
TOUR LOCATION: Camp Blanding, Florida
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 2 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 20 people
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: Camp Blanding is an outdoor active research site. Participants should dress for being outside in hot weather with sturdy shoes and appropriate attire. Conditions at the site vary from unmodified wilderness in some areas to active construction sites in others.
ABOUT THE FACILITY
In October 1994, the University of Florida and Camp Blanding Florida Army National Guard Base signed an agreement forming the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT) for the purpose of advancing the science and technology of lightning. The Center occupies over 100 acres at Camp Blanding, about 45 km north-east of Gainesville, Florida. Airspace is controlled at Camp Blanding so that lightning initiation from overhead thunderclouds using the rocket-and-wire technique can be routinely performed and the resulting triggered lightning studied, in addition to the study of nearby natural lightning (an average of 5 to 6 natural lightning strikes occur on the site each summer).
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The tour will begin with a bus ride from Orlando to Camp Blanding. On the way, a speaker will give a brief presentation about the site. The tour will consist of a guided walking tour of the site/facilities. Lunch will be provided after the tour.
Tour Cancellation: This tour is of an active research center that intentionally triggers lightning strikes on site. If there is unsafe conditions or if the site is preparing for incoming thunderstorms the tour may have to be curtailed, modified or cancelled on short notice.
Curtis H. Stanton Energy Center top
Cost: $25.00 per person
TOUR DATES/TIME:
(TT02) May 7th, 8:30 AM-1:00 PM
(TT09) May 9th, 8:30 AM-1:00 PM
TOUR LOCATION: 5100 S. Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 45 Minutes EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 3 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 50 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of a working power plant during the start of the Florida summer and it is recommended that you dress comfortably as it may be hot and humid inside parts of the plant and you will be climbing stairs and walking on open grating. No open-toed shoes or heels are allowed. Avoid wearing attire that may snag on equipment. The plant will provide hard hats and safety glasses. Bags will not be permitted into the power plant but may be left on the bus. Government issued Photo Identification is required and may be checked.
ABOUT THE FACILITY:
Stanton Energy Center is home to two 450-MW Coal Fired Generators, a 2x1 Combined Cycle Plant (633 MW) and a 1x1 Combined Cycle Plant (300 MW). The coal-fired generators also utilize landfill gas from the adjacent Orange County Landfill to offset thousands of tons of coal each year. In addition, a 6-MW solar farm is currently under construction on the site.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
A presentation will be followed by a walking tour of the coal-fired power plant and a bus tour of the combined cycle power plant, rail yard, coal field, natural draft cooling towers and solar farm.
CANCELLATION NOTE: This is a functioning power plant; the tour is subject to cancellation on short notice due to site conditions, power system conditions or weather.
Orange County Convention Center Solar PV Demonstration Facility and Climate-Change Education Center top
Cost: $10.00
TOUR DATES/TIME:
(TT07) May 8th, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
(TT08) May 8th, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
(TT17) May 10th, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Tour Location: Orange County Convention Center
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 0 Minutes
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 1 Hour
SIZE LIMIT: 25 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of working facilities at the convention center. It will require quite bit of walking some of it outside during the start of the Florida Summer. No open-toed shoes or heels are allowed and please avoid wearing attire that may snag on equipment.
ABOUT THE SOLAR PV DEMONSTRATION FACILITY AND CLIMATE - CHANGE EDUCATION CENTER.
The Solar PV Demonstration Facility and Climate-Change Education Center
Background
This “solar project” was conceived in the summer of 2006, while preparing an application for the Florida Renewable Energy Technologies (RET) Grant Program. Several Orange County departments, including the Convention Center and the Environmental Protection Division, partnered with the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), and others, and they were awarded a $2.5M state grant for this $8.8M project.
Project Summary
This project has five primary components: a one-megawatt photovoltaic (PV) system, four nominal 10-kilowatt PV systems, a Climate-Change Education Center (CCEC), a statewide marketing program, and an economic development program. The showcase one-megawatt PV system is the largest rooftop PV system in the southeast United States. The four smaller “experimental” PV systems were selected to demonstrate various promising PV technologies. The education center and its marketing program were established to promote the use of renewable energy while helping to educate the public on climate change issues. The economic development program helps create RET jobs, and it attracts capital investments by RET companies.
Energy Production, Environmental and Technical Information
The one-megawatt system will produce approximately 1,400 megawatt hours of electricity per year (this is equivalent to the power used by 100 typical homes). For additional information on the five PV systems mentioned above please click on the following links:
ABOUT THE TOUR:
This tour will include:
o Backstage areas of the Convention Center
o The Climate Change Education Center
o Inverter Room
o 1 MW solar system on the roof (SolarWorld SW-175)
o 6.12 kW Thin Film Laminate system
o 10.6 kW Solar system with micro-inverters
o 11.2 kW PV System with a thermal system that helps dehumidify air entering convention center
o The10.64 KW Bi-facial system will be talked about however the tour group will not walk out to it.
CANCELLATION NOTE: This tour may have to be modified if weather conditions make it unsafe to be on the roof.
For more information on the Orange County Convention Center Solar PV Demonstration Facility and Climate-Change Education Center (including live and historical monitoring of the PV System) go to http://www.occc.net/community/solar_project.asp
One MW PV System on roof.
Thin Film Laminate System
Micro-Inverter PV System
Thermal PV System
Bi-Facial PV System
Day-Trip to Florida Solar Center (Full Day) top
Cost: $40.00
TOUR DATES/TIME:
(TT04) May 7th, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
A special Day-Trip this year takes pre-registrants out of Orlando and headed to the Florida coast for a visit to the Florida Solar Energy Center . Following that, the group heads to the Space Coast Solar Energy Center (near NASA Kennedy Space Center) for a tour of Florida Power & Light's 10MW PhotoVoltaic facility which is one of the largest solar "PV" facilities in the United States.
The tour will include an insider's view of the wide range of research projects conducted at the Florida Solar Energy Center on hydrogen and fuel cells, buildings and energy efficiencies, the environment, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy and alternative transportation systems
This group day-trip departs and returns to the Conference Center via charter bus. Lunch will be provided during the tour and is included in the cost.
All tour buses will depart from the Orange County Convention Center.
| Reg Code | Date | Tour Name | Time | Capacity Per Tour |
Cost |
| TT01 | Mon, May 7 | OUC Energy Control Center #1 | 8:30am - 10:30am | 20 | $25.00 |
| TT02 | Mon, May 7 | Stanton Energy Center Tour #1 | 8:30 am - 1:00pm | 46 | $25.00 |
| TT03 | Mon, May 7 | Tampa Electric Coal Gasification | 8:30am - 1:30pm | 43 | $35.00 |
| TT04 | Mon, May 7 | Florida
Solar
Energy Center & Space Coast Solar Energy Center |
8:30am - 4:30pm | 43 | $40.00 |
| TT05 | Tues, May 8 | OUC Energy Control Center #2 | 12:30pm - 2:30pm | 20 | $25.00 |
| TT06 | Tues, May 8 | Cane Island Tour #1 | 12:30pm - 4:00pm | 46 | $25.00 |
| TT07 | Tues, May 8 | Convention Center Solar Farm #1 | 1:30pm - 2:30pm | 25 | $10.00 |
| TT08 | Tues, May 8 | Convention Center Solar Farm #2 | 2:30pm - 3:30pm | 25 | $10.00 |
| TT09 | Wed, May 9 | Stanton Energy Center Tour #2 | 8:30am - 1:00pm | 46 | $25.00 |
| TT10 | Wed, May 9 | OUC Energy Control Center #3 | 8:30am - 10:30am | 20 | $25.00 |
| TT11 |
Wed, May 9 |
Winter Garden Training Center | 8:30am - 12:30pm | 46 | $25.00 |
| TT12 | Wed, May 9 | Cane Island Tour #2 | 12:30pm - 4:00pm | 46 | $25.00 |
| TT13 | Thurs, May 10 | UF Rocket Triggered Lighting Center | 7:30am - 2:30pm | 20 | $40.00 |
| TT14 | Thurs, May 10 | OUC Energy Control Center #4 | 8:30am - 10:30am | 20 | $25.00 |
| TT15 | Thurs, May 10 | OUC Chilled Water plant + Indoor substation | 8:30am - 11:30am | 40 | $25.00 |
| TT16 |
Thurs, May 10 |
Winter Garden Training Center | 8:30am - 12:30pm | 46 | $25.00 |
| TT17 | Thurs, May 10 | Convention Center Solar Farm #3 | 9:00am - 10:00am | 25 | $10.00 |
OUC Energy Control Center top
Cost: $25.00
TOUR DATES / TIME: (Bus Departing Orange County Convention Center)
(TT01) May 7th, 8:30 AM -10:30 AM
(TT05) May 8th, 12:30 PM -2:30 PM
(TT10) May 9th, 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
(TT14) May 10th, 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 30 Minutes
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 1 Hour
SIZE LIMIT: 20 People per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of a working control room. Government Issued Photo ID and signing in and out of the facility will be required. Bags should be left on the Bus. Please check with tour guide before taking any photographs.
About the FacILITY:
Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) has over 200,000 customers, a peak summer load around 1400 MW, over 30 Substations and transmission facilities in the 230 kV, 115 kV and 69 kV classes. OUC also serves as the Balancing Authority for the Florida Municipal Power Pool managing around 3500 MWs of power for OUC and other Muncipal utilities around the state. At this facility is OUC Incident Command Center, Energy Control Center and Distribution (Water and Electric) Control Center.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The tour will start with a presentation about OUC and the Incident Command Center, Energy Control Center and Distribution Control Center, followed by a tour of each of those facilities.
Tour Cancellation: This is a functioning control room, depending on real time system conditions the tour may have to be modified or cancelled on short notice.
OUC Chilled Water Plant & SF6 Insulated Substation top
Cost:$ 25.00
TOUR DATES / TIME:
(TT15) May 10th, 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Chilled Water Tour Location: 515 West Anderson Street, Orlando, Fl. 32802
Substation Tour Location: 129 W. Robinson St. Orlando, FL 32801
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 20 Minutes to chilled water, 5 minutes from water to substation
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 45 Minutes Chilled Water, 30 Minutes Substation
SIZE LIMIT: 40 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of working utility facilities at the start of the Florida summer and it is recommended that you dress comfortably as it may be hot and humid during parts of the tour and you will be climbing stairs and walking on open grating. No open-toed shoes or heels are allowed. Avoid wearing attire that may snag on equipment. The site will provide hard hats and safety glasses if needed. Bags will not be permitted into the facilities but may be left on the bus. Government issued Photo Identification is required and may be checked.
ABOUT THE CHILLED WATER PLANT
OUC's newest chilled water plant opened in 2010 and provides air conditioning for the Amway Center, the new state-of-the-art events center and green home of the NBA's Orlando Magic. OUC's efficient chilled water service helped Amway Center to earn LEED Gold certification in 2011.
Today there are eight chilled water plants and over 17 miles of chilled water pipe, cooling buildings including downtown, in and around the International Drive tourism corridor, the Orange County Convention Center, the Mall at Millenia, Vistana, Lockheed Martin and Lake Nona. The five loops have a total capacity of nearly 50,000 tons. OUC serves 2,365 chilled water residential customers and 194 commercial customers, ranging in size from small condominiums to the massive convention centers. The newest chiller plant (6,000 sq ft) is in downtown Orlando, the West plant has a design capacity of 4,000 tons and presently has 3,000 tons installed pending future load increases. This plant efficiently (0.77kw per ton) supplies chilled water to the new Amway Center which opened in the fall of 2010.
ABOUT THE SUBSTATION
The SF6 Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) is an urban low profile substation that feeds the downtown Orlando load. The GIS operates at 115kV in a 5 position ring bus configuration. It is made up of three transmission lines and two transformer bays. The first two 115kV lines are high pressure fluid filled (HPFF), and the third is XLPE. Each transformer bay is made up of two 20MVA power transformers with the high voltage bushings fully enclosed in GIS bus duct.
The 115kV GIS includes circuit breakers, disconnecting switches, ground switches, current transformers, and voltage transformers which are mounted in sealed enclosures. These items plus the busbar system, compressed air system, local control cubicles are in this switchgear. The main busbar is a 3 phase common enclosure rated at 2,000Amps. The terminators are G&W paper perforated stress cones and comprise part of the HPFF system. Cathodic protection is used to protect the pipe that enclosed the underground HPFF cable, and has a Dairyland isolator to protect the system from surges.
The GIS switchgear was manufactured in Japan and was a collaboration between G.E. and Hitachi. The substation has been in operation since 1987.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The tour bus will drop off Group A (20) at the Chilled water plant and proceed to the indoor substation (Group B). The bus will wait at the indoor substation and return that group to the Chilled water plant and rotate Group B through the chiller plant and Group A through the indoor substation.
CANCELLATION NOTE: These are in service utility facilities; the tour is subject to cancellation on short notice due to site conditions, power system conditions or weather.
PHOTO: Chilled Water Plant.
Progress Energy's Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Training Center top
Cost: $25.00
TOUR DATES / TIME:
(TT11) May 9th, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
(TT16) May 10th, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
TOUR LOCATION: Winter Garden, Florida
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 30 Minutes EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 2.5 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 50 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of a training facility for transmission and distribution work at an electrical utility. There will be several demonstrations that will take you outside. Please wear comfortable shoes, light clothing and sunscreen.
ABOUT THE FACILITY
This facility is a 30 acre training facility for electric utility employees that work in transmission and distribution for Progress Energy.
ABOUT THE TOUR: (Box Lunches will be provided)
The tour will begin with a brief presentation and be followed by a walking tour of several unique demonstrations at the training facility. The demonstrations included for this special tour are:
- Vehicle versus pole - This demonstration will show what can happen when a vehicle strikes a power pole and causes a line to fall down onto it. We will review what a person should do that's inside the vehicle and what a first responder should do.
- Vehicle versus pad-mounted transformer - This demonstration will show what may happen when a vehicle strikes a pad-mounted transformer. It details the precautions taken by Progress Energy personnel to make the transformer safe and place it back in service.
- Cut underground cable - This demonstrates what takes place when there is a cut cable event. It includes obtaining proper locates, required safety behaviors around the exposed cable and responsibilities of the customer.
- Meter trailer - This demonstrates different types of meters that we use in our utility system. We will also cover electric theft and precautions that are taken to prevent theft.
- Live Line Truck - This is probably our most popular demonstration! This is an energized truck that simulates a distribution line. It demonstrates the operations of different utility distribution equipment and utility safety equipment, and how they are affected by events on our system like downed power lines, trees blowing into lines, animal activity on our system, and back feed situations.
Tampa Electric Company (TEC) Polk Power Station, Tampa FL top
Cost: $35.00
TOUR DATE/TIME
(TT03) May 7th, 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM
TOUR LOCATION: Polk Power Station, 9995 SR 37 South, Mulberry FL 33860
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 2 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 50 people
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of a working power plant during the start of the Florida summer and it is recommended that you dress comfortably as it may be hot and humid inside parts of the plant and you will be climbing stairs and walking on open grating. No open-toed shoes or heels are allowed. Avoid wearing attire that may snag on equipment. The plant will provide hard hats and safety glasses. Bags will not be permitted into the power plant but may be left on the bus. Government issued Photo Identification is required and may be checked.
ABOUT THE FACILITY:
Polk Power Station is a state-of-the-art IGCC facility. It was among the first large-scale commercial demonstrations of this combination of “clean coal” technology and highly-efficient combined-cycle technology. Gasification is a chemical process that combines coal or other fuels, such as petroleum coke, with oxygen to create a clean-burning gas, which fuels the combustion turbine to generate electricity. Waste heat makes high-pressure steam for additional electricity from the steam turbine.
o Built with $140 million of support from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its Clean Coal Technology program.
o Includes Polk 1, the base-loaded 250-megawatt IGCC unit, Polk 2, Polk 3, Polk 4, and Polk 150-megawatt natural gas-fueled peaking units each, with capacity to expand substantially.
o Environmentally-friendly process results in over 98 percent sulfur removal. Zero process water is discharged.
o Located on 4,300 acres of reclaimed land original used for phosphate mines, sited by an independent community advisory committee.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
This tour will include a walking tour of the plant as well as a presentation about the plant itself and TEC.
CANCELLATION NOTE: This is a functioning power plant; the tour is subject to cancellation on short notice due to site conditions, power system conditions or weather.
Cane Island Power Park top
Cost: $25.00
TOUR DATES/TIME (tour not travel) :
(TT06) May 8th, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM
(TT12) May 9th, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM
TOUR LOCATION: Bobroff Blvd, Intercession City
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 45 Minutes EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 2 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 50 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS:
This is a tour of a working power plant during the start of the Florida Summer. It may be hot and humid inside parts of the plant and there will be a lot of stairs to climb up and down. Solid shoes and attire that will not snag on equipment are required. The plant will provide hard hats. Bags will not be permitted into the power plant but may be left on the bus.
ABOUT THE FACILITY:
Cane Island Power Park is home to four natural gas-fueled generating units that produce a total of 710 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 142,000 households. The plant serves 14 municipal electric utilities from the Florida Panhandle to Key West. The Power Park's newest generator, a 300 megawatt combined cycle unit, began serving customers in July 2011. The new unit, with its advanced environmental control technologies, is among the cleanest, most efficient plants of its kind.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The tour will consist of a guided walking tour of the power plant grounds and generating units. The buses will drop the participants off at the Wharehouse and can pick them up on the far side of Unit #4
CANCELLATION NOTE: This is a functioning power plant; the tour is subject to cancellation on short notice due to site conditions, power system conditions or weather.
The International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT) top
Cost: $40.00
TOUR DATE/TIME:
(TT13) May 10th, 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM
TOUR LOCATION: Camp Blanding, Florida
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 2 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 20 people
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: Camp Blanding is an outdoor active research site. Participants should dress for being outside in hot weather with sturdy shoes and appropriate attire. Conditions at the site vary from unmodified wilderness in some areas to active construction sites in others.
ABOUT THE FACILITY
In October 1994, the University of Florida and Camp Blanding Florida Army National Guard Base signed an agreement forming the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT) for the purpose of advancing the science and technology of lightning. The Center occupies over 100 acres at Camp Blanding, about 45 km north-east of Gainesville, Florida. Airspace is controlled at Camp Blanding so that lightning initiation from overhead thunderclouds using the rocket-and-wire technique can be routinely performed and the resulting triggered lightning studied, in addition to the study of nearby natural lightning (an average of 5 to 6 natural lightning strikes occur on the site each summer).
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The tour will begin with a bus ride from Orlando to Camp Blanding. On the way, a speaker will give a brief presentation about the site. The tour will consist of a guided walking tour of the site/facilities. Lunch will be provided after the tour.
Tour Cancellation: This tour is of an active research center that intentionally triggers lightning strikes on site. If there is unsafe conditions or if the site is preparing for incoming thunderstorms the tour may have to be curtailed, modified or cancelled on short notice.
Curtis H. Stanton Energy Center top
Cost: $25.00 per person
TOUR DATES/TIME:
(TT02) May 7th, 8:30 AM-1:00 PM
(TT09) May 9th, 8:30 AM-1:00 PM
TOUR LOCATION: 5100 S. Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 45 Minutes EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 3 Hours
SIZE LIMIT: 50 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of a working power plant during the start of the Florida summer and it is recommended that you dress comfortably as it may be hot and humid inside parts of the plant and you will be climbing stairs and walking on open grating. No open-toed shoes or heels are allowed. Avoid wearing attire that may snag on equipment. The plant will provide hard hats and safety glasses. Bags will not be permitted into the power plant but may be left on the bus. Government issued Photo Identification is required and may be checked.
ABOUT THE FACILITY:
Stanton Energy Center is home to two 450-MW Coal Fired Generators, a 2x1 Combined Cycle Plant (633 MW) and a 1x1 Combined Cycle Plant (300 MW). The coal-fired generators also utilize landfill gas from the adjacent Orange County Landfill to offset thousands of tons of coal each year. In addition, a 6-MW solar farm is currently under construction on the site.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
A presentation will be followed by a walking tour of the coal-fired power plant and a bus tour of the combined cycle power plant, rail yard, coal field, natural draft cooling towers and solar farm.
CANCELLATION NOTE: This is a functioning power plant; the tour is subject to cancellation on short notice due to site conditions, power system conditions or weather.
Orange County Convention Center Solar PV Demonstration Facility and Climate-Change Education Center top
Cost: $10.00
TOUR DATES/TIME:
(TT07) May 8th, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
(TT08) May 8th, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
(TT17) May 10th, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Tour Location: Orange County Convention Center
TOUR TRAVEL TIME: 0 Minutes
EXPECTED DURATION (not counting travel): 1 Hour
SIZE LIMIT: 25 people per tour
ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS / COMMENTS: This is a tour of working facilities at the convention center. It will require quite bit of walking some of it outside during the start of the Florida Summer. No open-toed shoes or heels are allowed and please avoid wearing attire that may snag on equipment.
ABOUT THE SOLAR PV DEMONSTRATION FACILITY AND CLIMATE - CHANGE EDUCATION CENTER.
The Solar PV Demonstration Facility and Climate-Change Education Center
Background
This “solar project” was conceived in the summer of 2006, while preparing an application for the Florida Renewable Energy Technologies (RET) Grant Program. Several Orange County departments, including the Convention Center and the Environmental Protection Division, partnered with the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), and others, and they were awarded a $2.5M state grant for this $8.8M project.
Project Summary
This project has five primary components: a one-megawatt photovoltaic (PV) system, four nominal 10-kilowatt PV systems, a Climate-Change Education Center (CCEC), a statewide marketing program, and an economic development program. The showcase one-megawatt PV system is the largest rooftop PV system in the southeast United States. The four smaller “experimental” PV systems were selected to demonstrate various promising PV technologies. The education center and its marketing program were established to promote the use of renewable energy while helping to educate the public on climate change issues. The economic development program helps create RET jobs, and it attracts capital investments by RET companies.
Energy Production, Environmental and Technical Information
The one-megawatt system will produce approximately 1,400 megawatt hours of electricity per year (this is equivalent to the power used by 100 typical homes). For additional information on the five PV systems mentioned above please click on the following links:
ABOUT THE TOUR:
This tour will include:
o Backstage areas of the Convention Center
o The Climate Change Education Center
o Inverter Room
o 1 MW solar system on the roof (SolarWorld SW-175)
o 6.12 kW Thin Film Laminate system
o 10.6 kW Solar system with micro-inverters
o 11.2 kW PV System with a thermal system that helps dehumidify air entering convention center
o The10.64 KW Bi-facial system will be talked about however the tour group will not walk out to it.
CANCELLATION NOTE: This tour may have to be modified if weather conditions make it unsafe to be on the roof.
For more information on the Orange County Convention Center Solar PV Demonstration Facility and Climate-Change Education Center (including live and historical monitoring of the PV System) go to http://www.occc.net/community/solar_project.asp
One MW PV System on roof.
Thin Film Laminate System
Micro-Inverter PV System
Thermal PV System
Bi-Facial PV System
Day-Trip to Florida Solar Center (Full Day) top
Cost: $40.00
TOUR DATES/TIME:
(TT04) May 7th, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
A special Day-Trip this year takes pre-registrants out of Orlando and headed to the Florida coast for a visit to the Florida Solar Energy Center