Power on the mountain New generating station gives Snowbird ability to produce all of its own electricity

Snowbird, a ski resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon, has introduced its Snowbird Power Systems, a network of facilities that allow the popular resort to provide up to 100 percent of its own electrical power needs. The majority of this system is comprised of a new cogeneration facility that opened late last month. The new generating plant replaces an older generation system that was installed in 1987, making Snowbird the only ski resort in North America and the third in the world to have such a facility.

Snowbird worked with Caterpillar Inc. and Wheeler Power Systems, a division of Wheeler Machinery Co., to complete the project, using a new 5.3-megawatt cogeneration system anchored by three Caterpillar gas generator sets. The new Snowbird Power Systems facility will allow Snowbird to make its own power and then recycle the waste heat created from power production to warm its buildings and water rather than use new energy sources.

“The creation of Snowbird Power Systems means we have not only updated our stand-alone power grid, ensuring we can be self-reliant, but we have also reinforced Snowbird’s Play Forever corporate responsibility commitment to the environment by becoming more efficient,” said Dave Fields, Snowbird president and general manager. “Snowbird Power Systems allows us to save 62,000 dekatherms of natural gas a year — the equivalent of removing the carbon dioxide emissions from burning over 4 million pounds of coal.”

Located 29 miles from the Salt Lake City International Airport, Snowbird’s 2,500 acres of skiable terrain receives more than 500 inches of snowfall per year.