Construction of the Cogeneration Plant at 251 Mercer St. is now in its third phase with high hopes of completion in spring 2010, said Alicia Hurley, NYU's associate vice president of government and community affairs.
According to a press release from August 2008, the project was expected to be completed by the summer of 2009.
Hurley said construction is moving along well.
According to the university's construction website, the construction team is currently installing the underground generator. On Jan. 8, the construction barriers were moved back to their original positions down Mercer Street.
Re-landscaping the plaza will begin this spring.
According to the construction website, the university plans to partner with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to create a new space for the local community during the final phase. Mature trees will be a part of the landscape.
"We do plan to wrap up in the coming months," Hurley said.
Construction of the plant began in August 2007, with hopes of expanding the combined heat and power plant for a more energy-efficient upgrade.
Major buildings such as Bobst Library and the Silver Center will draw energy from the plant, as well as freshmen dorms including Hayden, Goddard and Weinstein residence halls.
The plant will provide electrical power to at least 18 additional NYU buildings and hot water to 40 NYU buildings. In generating both electric and thermal energy, the plant will triple the university's energy production while reducing pollutants by 75 percent, according to congressman Jerrold Nadler in an August 2008 press release.
In addition to providing more efficient energy, the plant will run mainly on natural gas and periodically on low sulfur diesel fuels.
Not only does this project remove buildings from the heavily burdened local utility grid, it will also provide a 75 percent decrease of regulated pollutants.
But some students feel inconvenienced by the project.
"It's pretty annoying because it blocks off a part of my view when I'm walking," CAS sophomore Sidrah Syed said. "Sometimes cars could be coming from the other side and I never know if they are. So I always have to walk really cautiously."
