Yale's Central Power Plant

Yale’s Central Power Plant has provided the campus with electricity, steam heat, and chilled water for over 90 years. Despite its age and decidedly Gothic architectural appearance, the Central Power Plant is well-equipped for 21st Century energy production.  It utilizes cutting-edge technology to produce energy at maximum attainable efficiency.  Although it was originally built to burn coal, the plant now generates power with much cleaner natural gas and employs a technique called cogeneration— recapturing the lost heat released during electricity creation to be used as an additional source of energy.  Producing electricity through cogeneration is more than twice as energy efficient as traditional methods. 

The plant provides enough electricity to power fifty percent of Yale’s campus—equivalent to more than 11,000 Connecticut homes.  Currently, Yale is seeking to reduce energy consumption 4% below 2010 levels by 2013.  This will represent a 15% reduction from the 2005 level and continued progress toward the 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target.

The Medical Campus's Sterling Power Plant was recently converted to a cogeneration facility as well. This will reduce the energy intensity of the power plant while reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions. 

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