Youngstown Thermal selected for energy project

By Kalea Hall | October 3, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Cutting-edge technology is Youngstown bound.

Youngstown Thermal, 205 North Ave., was selected as the site for the Department of Energy and Energy Industries of Ohio project for the design, procurement, construction and testing of a prototype Advanced Ultra-SuperCritical Component – or AUSC – steam turbine and related components.

Youngstown Thermal is a public utility company that supplies steam service to heat and cool 75 buildings in the Youngstown area. Its site and expertise in the steam business will be used for the project.

“It is a research project for future generation of electricity,” said Carl Avers, chief executive officer of Youngstown Thermal. “Our site was selected because of our unique ability to think outside of the box and work to do a research project alongside of operating a business.”

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Toledo, whose congressional district serves Cuyahoga, Erie, Lorain, Lucas and Ottawa counties, announced the more than $74 million award for the Energy Industries of Ohio earlier this week.

For the project, Energy Industries of Ohio also will test components that deliver steam to the turbine, including a boiler, superheater, boiler-tube membrane walls, steam desuperheater, steam headers, main steam piping and main steam line valves.

“We will be building additional infrastructure to accommodate the test, and we plan to install the first AUSC turbine on site,” Bob Purget, chief executive officer for Energy Industries of Ohio, said in a statement. “This is very positive news not only for moving the technology forward but for sub-tier opportunities for Ohio’s manufacturing industries.”

Youngstown Thermal has 20 employees and has been in operation for 120 years.

“This turbine will go to a museum because it will be that significant from a historical standpoint,” Avers said.

This project means more employees at Youngstown Thermal, where Avers said business is good.

“It has been going fine for about 120 years, and the fact that it has survived 120 years speaks to its technical and economical feasibility,” Avers said.