# Water pumping stations generators



## benbo (Apr 29, 2009)

Okay, this is a pretty general question so hopefully I can get a range. What size of emergency generators are usually needed at water pumping stations for small semi-rural water companies? 'm thinking 500 to 2000 hp, maybe 300 kw to 1.5 MW, but these are just guesses. Does that sound reasonable? How much would something like this generally cost? I realize this may require more specifications, but unfortuneately I don't have any so I'm looking to see if I can get a ballpark, or an idea of where to look (other than Google) - these are to ensure water is available for firefighting in the case of power outages. Thanks.


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## Chucktown PE (Apr 29, 2009)

benbo said:


> Okay, this is a pretty general question so hopefully I can get a range. What size of emergency generators are usually needed at water pumping stations for small semi-rural water companies? 'm thinking 500 to 2000 hp, maybe 300 kw to 1.5 MW, but these are just guesses. Does that sound reasonable? How much would something like this generally cost? I realize this may require more specifications, but unfortuneately I don't have any so I'm looking to see if I can get a ballpark, or an idea of where to look (other than Google) - these are to ensure water is available for firefighting in the case of power outages. Thanks.



I recently specified 2-1440 kW, 4160 volt generators for backup power for a wastewater treatment plant. The price included 5kV class metal-clad switchgear. The client wanted Caterpillar so we did a bid allowance and the price came in at $2,800.000. This was in Athens, GA.


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## benbo (Apr 29, 2009)

Chucktown PE said:


> I recently specified 2-1440 kW, 4160 volt generators for backup power for a wastewater treatment plant. The price included 5kV class metal-clad switchgear. The client wanted Caterpillar so we did a bid allowance and the price came in at $2,800.000. This was in Athens, GA.


Thanks.

I didn't realize they were so expensive.


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## Chucktown PE (Apr 29, 2009)

benbo said:


> Thanks.I didn't realize they were so expensive.


A lot of it depends on the options you specify. We specify insulated enclosures that are very quiet, emissions criteria, fuel storage, exhaust silencers, lots of instrumentation on the control panels, etc. If you're in a rural area you may not need to bother with a lot of that. But still, the big $$$ is in the engine and switchgear.


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## benbo (Apr 29, 2009)

Chucktown PE said:


> We specify insulated enclosures that are very quiet, emissions criteria, fuel storage, exhaust silencers, lots of instrumentation on the control panels, etc. If you're in a rural area you may not need to bother with a lot of that.


I don't know about that.

Let's just say I'm in California and leave it at that.


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## wilheldp_PE (Apr 29, 2009)

Chucktown PE said:


> The client wanted Caterpillar so we did a bid allowance and the price came in at $2,800.000. This was in Athens, GA.


Is that $2800 down to the tenth of a cent, or $2.8 Million?


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## jfusilloPE (Apr 29, 2009)

The size of the gen set is a function of the horsepower required by the pumps plus any ancillary power requirements (i.e. - motorized valves, emergecny lighting, flow meters).

I am currently designing a wastewater booster station with three (3) 100 hp pumps (2 duty and 1 standaby), and we are specifying a 300 kW diesel generator.


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## Chucktown PE (Apr 29, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> Is that $2800 down to the tenth of a cent, or $2.8 Million?



$2.8 million smart ass.


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## Wolverine (Apr 30, 2009)

Chucktown PE said:


> $2.8 million smart ass.


 I was thinking to ask the same question since 2.8M seems exorbitantly high and 2.8K seems ridiculously low. I couldn't decide if you were specifying generators made of gold or bought off Ebay from Al's Gens and Taco Stand. Thanks for clarifying. I will assume this is a larger facility than what I imagined at first.


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## Chucktown PE (Apr 30, 2009)

Wolverine said:


> I was thinking to ask the same question since 2.8M seems exorbitantly high and 2.8K seems ridiculously low. I couldn't decide if you were specifying generators made of gold or bought off Ebay from Al's Gens and Taco Stand. Thanks for clarifying. I will assume this is a larger facility than what I imagined at first.



I didn't realize $2.8 was so high. Do you have a comparison? We did specify some pricey adders.


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