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Council approves $83,009 study to find beneficial uses for WPC biogas
Summary
Council approved an amended contract with Keller Associates Inc. for $83,009.30 to evaluate beneficial uses of biogas from the city's wastewater treatment digesters; WPC superintendent said prior power sales have diminished and the city currently flares excess gas.
The council approved an amended contract with Keller Associates Inc. for $83,009.30 to evaluate options for beneficial use of biogas produced at the City of Pocatello's Water Pollution Control (WPC) facility. Levi Adams, WPC superintendent, said the city historically captured biogas and ran it through generators to produce power sold back to Idaho Power, but recent contract terms and equipment costs have reduced or eliminated that revenue stream.
Adams described the current practice of flaring biogas (burning it off) and said the study will evaluate options such as upgraded generator systems, turbines, or conditioning gas for injection into the natural-gas system. "For the last 40 plus years, the city of Pocatello has, captured its biogas that is created off of its digesters and ran it through generators and created power," Adams said. Council approved the contract and authorized the mayor to sign documents subject to legal review.
The work is intended to inform whether to invest in upgraded equipment or alternative uses to reduce operational cost and better utilize the plant's renewable gas stream.
