|
Chronological List of District Heating
Systems in the United States |
Jamestown's coal-fired power plant began supplying steam was supplied to a nearby Department of Public Works garage and BPU warehouse in 1945. The City's Board of Public Utilities apparently donated steam and/or steam distribution connections to other city departments in lieu of taxes.
The system was expanded in 1948 to serve other city departments, including the Jamestown General Hospital, which was the largest customer on the steam system. Hospital stopped receiving steam in December 1969.
| Miscellaneous Electric Revenues from
Jamestown BPU Annual Report |
||||||
| Year |
Value of Steam Supplied |
Buildings Served |
Year | Value of Steam Supplied | Buildings Served | |
| 1945 | $582.35 | Department of Public Works | 1968 | $18.888.25 | City Departments | |
| 1946 | $495.25 | " " | 1969 | $24,449.72 | " " | |
| 1947 | $961.29 | " " | 1970 | $1,742.54 | " " | |
| 1948 | $1,489.55 | City Departments | 1971 | $2,221.20 | " " | |
| 1949 | $10,913.33 | " " | 1972 | $2,250.23 | " " | |
| 1950 | $12,197.50 | " " | 1973 | $2,303.03 | " " | |
| 1951 | $14,344.66 | " " | 1974 | $3,185.44 | " " | |
| 1952 | $14,374.46 | " " | 1975 | $4,065.61 | " " | |
| 1953 | $11,777.24 | " " | 1976 | $4,434.97 | " " | |
| 1954 | $14,381.90 | " " | 1977 | $4,181.31 | Department of Public Works | |
| 1955 | $14,055.56 | " " | 1978 | $4,558.47 | " " | |
| 1956 | $13,717.74 | " " | 1979 | $10,318.71 | ||
| 1957 | $15,199.22 | " " | 1980 | $8,182.27 | " " | |
| 1958 | $16,130.97 | " " | 1981 | $9,384.76 | " " | |
| 1959 | $18,177.09 | " " | 1982 | $9,370.12 | " " | |
| 1960 | $18,195.28 | " " | 1983 | $8,333.43 | " " | |
| 1961 | $19,184.05 | " " | 1984 | $4,883.21 | " " | |
| 1962 | $18,308.31 | " " | 1985 | $32,199.26 | " " | |
| 1963 | $18,375.78 | " " | 1986 | $111,228.69 | Miscellaneous Electric Revenue - Steam | |
| 1964 | $18,376.63 | " " | 1987 | $139,140.52 | " " | |
| 1965 | $17,737.68 | " " | 1988 | $102,729.26 | " " | |
| 1966 | $18,651.53 | " " | 1989 | $124,608.95 | " " | |
| 1967 | $18,000.86 | " " | ||||
A feasibility study conducted in 1982 showed that a hot water district heating system could be installed at a reasonable cost. A pilot project serving four buildings (Jamestown General Hospital, Jamestown Plywood Company, BPU Warehouse and DPW garage) began service on November 2, 1984. The hot water system was expanded the following year to serve 12 additional customers in the downtown area. The system in 2023 had 67 customers.
The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities engaged Ramboll Engineers in 2022 to prepare a study of future district heating options. Interim reports are available below
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| 2023 System Map |
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References
1946 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of
Jamestown, New York.
Page 15: Contributions to the City (1891 to December 31,
1946): Donation of Steam to Storehouse of Department of Public Works
-- $11.646.99
1953 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
Page 9: Contributions to the City (1891 to December 31, 1952):
Donation of Steam to Other City Departments (Cost) -- $21,159.62
Contributions to the City -- Year of 1953: Donation of Steam to
Other City Departments (Cost) -- $1,472.86
1954 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
Page 9: Contributions to the City (1891 to December 31, 1953):
Donation of Steam to Other City Departments (Cost) -- $22,632.48
Contributions to the City -- Year of 1954: Donation of Steam to
Other City Departments (Cost) -- $1,537.39
1955 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
Page 9: Contributions to the City (1891 to December 31, 1954):
Donation of Steam to Other City Departments (Cost) -- $24,169.87
Contributions to the City -- Year of 1955: Donation of Steam to
Other City Departments (Cost) -- $1,592.87
1956 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
Page 9: Contributions to the City (1891 to December 31, 1955):
Donation of Steam to Other City Departments (Cost) -- $25,762.74
Contributions to the City -- Year of 1956: Donation of Steam to
Other City Departments (Cost) -- $1,480.31
1957 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
Page 9: Contributions to the City (1891 to December 31, 1956):
Donation of Steam to Other City Departments (Cost) -- $27,243.05
Contributions to the City -- Year of 1957: Donation of Steam to
Other City Departments (Cost) -- $1,578.47
1958 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
1959 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
1960 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
1961 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
1962 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York.
1963 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1964 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1965 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1966 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1967 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1968 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1969 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1970 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1971 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1972 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1973 Annual report of the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
1982 District
heating/cooling feasibility study for Jamestown, New York,
December, 1982
Page 2-21: Jamestown General Hospital - Until December 1969, this facility
was heated by steam piped from the power plant.
1983 "Mayor's Annual
Message," City of Jamestown Annual Reports
Page 4: Substantial work has been completed during 1982 on a
feasibility study to determine whether or not it would be economical to
create a District Heating System to utilize the wasted thermal energy from
electrical power production at the city's generating station to provide
energy for space and process heating along our industrial corridor and
even into our central business district.
1984 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
Page 29: 1984 Pilot District Heating System in Service
1984 Annual Report of the Municipal District Heating Division
1985 "Construction of an Economic District Heating System in Jamestown, New York," by Mayor Steven B. Carson, James Gronquist, Douglas V. Champ of The City of Jamestown, NY; Dr. Fred V. Strisa of The New York Energy Research and Development Authority; Dr. Ishai Oliker, William R. Buffa, of Bums and Roe, Inc., District Heating, 70(3):4-15 (1st Quarter 1985)
1985 "System development and construction in Jamestown, New York," by Ishai Oliker, Energy Technology 12:928-939 (August 1, 1985)
1985 "Mayor's Annual
Message," City of Jamestown Annual Reports
Page 3: The creation of the District Heating Division with the
city's Board of Public Utilities and the construction of a "pilot"
District Heating System to utilize the, until now, wasted energy created
as part of the electrical power production process at the city's
generating plant. This $800,000 project began operating on November 2,
1984 as New York State's first and the nation's fifth hot water district
heating system. Jamestown's is only the second coal fired co-generation
hot water district heating system in the nation. Space heating is being
supplied to Jamestown General Hospital, Jamestown Plywood Corporation, and
two city-owned buildings at a cost savings of nearly 30%.
1985 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
Page 29: 1985 Twelve customers added as District Heating System is
extended into Downtown area
1985 Annual Report of the Municipal District Heating Division
1986 District
heating feasibility study for Jamestown, New York. Phase Two. Final
report, April 1, 1986
Page 2-8: Note 2: BPU warehouse heating system utilizes
steam delivered from power plant.
Page 10-11: Both municipal buildings are currently heated with steam
supplied from the Steele Street Plant.
1986 "Mayor's Annual
Message," City of Jamestown Annual Reports
Page 4: To expand the district heating system into our industrial
corridor.
1986 Annual Report of the Municipal District Heating Division
1987 "Mayor's Annual
Message," City of Jamestown Annual Reports
Page 3: The award of a $100,000 grant from the Development Authority
(NYSERDA) to study the industrial corridor for additional district heating
opportunities.
Page 7: Our expanded District Heating System completed its first
full year of operation, saving our customers thousands of dollars in
heating bills. Major new customers added during 1986 include the WCA
Hospital, the entire Jamestown High School complex including the new
gymnasium, Jamestown Little Theater, and the former Monitor Furniture
Building. Annual revenues now total $600,000.
We secured long term financing for the $4,522,000 million capital cost of
the District Heating System at a 7.5% interest rate.
1987 Annual Report of the Municipal District Heating Division
1988 District heating feasibility, Industrial Corridor, Jamestown, New York, June 1, 1988
1988 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
Page 4: 79th Annual Conference of the International District Heating
and Cooling Association was held in Jamestown area in June.
1988 Annual Report of the Municipal District Heating Division
1989 "Mayor's Annual
Message," City of Jamestown Annual Reports
Page 5: The City of Jamestown and the District Heating Division of
its Board of Public Utilities hosted, along with Chautauqua Institution,
the 79th Annual Conference of the International District Heating and
Cooling Association. Delegates attended from all parts of the United
States and 10 foreign countries.
1989 Annual report of
the Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown, New York
Page 4: MRC becomes a District Heating Customer
1989 Annual Report of the Municipal District Heating Division
2005 "Twenty
Years Later: Revisiting the growing Jamestown system," District
Energy 91(2):7-9 (2nd Quarter 2005)
Page 7: From 1948 to 1969 the BPU also operated a steam district
heating system in the central business district, but like many such
systems, it was ultimately abandoned as building owners operated to
install their own furnaces or boilers.
2023 DH Study - Ramboll Engineering - Technology Screening, April 14, 2023
2023 District Heat Study Results (Powerpoint) December 27, 2023
2023 Jamestown BPU - Retool District Heat (Powerpoint) March 25, 2023
2023 Jamestown District Heating Report November 2023 (draft)
2024 BPU Announces Plans to Retool District Heating System, April 24, 2024
2025 City
of Jamestown Case Study, NYSERDA, August 5, 2025
© 2026 Morris A. Pierce