ISU Generated Power

The total generated electricity represents the total amount of electricity being produced each hour by the operating generators in the power plant.

Iowa State has four turbine generators that are used to produce electricity. Typically 2 or 3 generators are operating continuously. The generators provide power to substations on campus at either 13,800 volts or 4,160 volts. The power is then distributed from the substations to the campus buildings.

All of the generators at Iowa State's power plant are used as part of the Combined Heat and Power process. High pressure steam enters the steam turbine which drives the generator to produce electricity. As electricity is produced, energy is removed from the steam which lowers its pressure to 90 psi and its temperature to 500 deg F.

A portion of the steam is then removed or extracted from the turbine and is used for heating campus buildings used to produce chilled water. The remaining portion of steam that is not extracted continues through the steam turbine to produce more electricity. As more steam is extracted, efficiency of the power plant increases.