USC seeks refund on $20M biomass power plant

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A nearly $20 million project to generate power for the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus from scrap wood chips is disappointing its backers as the university pursues a refund from the supplier.

The State newspaper reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/p4tKRV) the biomass-power project was supposed to save energy as the school updated its inefficient energy system.

University documents the newspaper obtained through a public-records request describe planning, delays, and three accidents that could have been lethal to passersby.

The plant only provided steam on 98 out of 534 days in one two-year period.

The university closed the power plant in March and is demanding a refund from the builder, Wisconsin-based Johnson Controls Inc. The school’s contract should allow it to recoup the $20 million by 2020.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com