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Agency shifts course on lab heat plant; will coordinate with college to stabilize steam for Randolph Center lab
Summary
State officials said they will pause construction of a separate heat plant and instead coordinate with the college in Randolph Center to replace boilers and convert to number‑2 fuel oil so the Vermont Agricultural and Environmental Laboratory receives stable, high‑pressure steam needed for testing.
State and agency officials told the Senate Committee on Institutions and Information Technology on March 20 that they are pausing a previously planned, standalone heat‑plant project for the Vermont Agricultural and Environmental Lab in Randolph Center in order to coordinate a near‑term solution with the college that serves the campus.
The lab requires steady, high‑pressure steam for some instruments and lab processes. Officials described recurrent problems over recent years with the campus steam supply — short cycling and boiler failures — that have impaired the lab’s operations and led the agency to consider funding a separate boiler facility. Joe Ridget of Building & General Services said the college has returned with plans to replace or upgrade its boilers and to install a summer boiler to stabilize steam delivery; the agency will work with the college to convert fuel systems from number‑4 fuel oil toward number‑2 fuel oil and to replace fuel tanks as needed.
Why it matters: lab analysts and the agency said reliable steam pressure is essential to keep analytical equipment operating and to avoid interruptions in testing. Cheryl Achilles, director of the Vermont Environmental and Agricultural Laboratory, attended the hearing and supported the approach of stabilizing the campus heat plant rather than building a separate state‑owned heat plant at the facility.
Background and technical issues: committee testimony described a history of unstable pressure from the university’s steam system and repeated short cycling of older boilers. The campus has used temporary boilers at times; one such boiler recently failed, increasing oil consumption and causing pressure drops that disrupted lab operations. Ridget said proposals previously considered for the lab included a standalone plant using multiple boilers (propane or wood chips were considered earlier), but the college’s new plan to upgrade its own boilers and switch fuels makes using the campus system again a viable alternative.
Officials discussed fuel‑tank condition and code considerations. Ridget said existing large oil tanks would likely need cleaning or replacement; cleaning older tanks can reveal leaks that require tank replacement. The committee also heard that switching fuel types and burners is labor‑intensive and requires coordination so that the lab has uninterrupted steam service; the college indicated it expects to maintain temporary measures this coming summer while upgrades are scheduled.
No formal vote was taken. Committee members asked clarifying questions about timing and cost; Ridget said the near‑term strategy is intended to stabilize steam pressure quickly and avoid the expense and footprint of a separate state heat plant, but the college may pursue longer‑term alternatives later. Agency staff and the college will continue design and planning coordination and report back to the committee as details and any capital requests are finalized.
