DES Begins Operations
December 16, 2003
The new Metro Nashville District Energy System (DES) is officially open for business. DES, which replaced the old Thermal plant as the source of heating and cooling for 40 downtown buildings, began operating on December 16, 2003, seven months earlier than expected.
The DES, located just south of the soon-to-be-completed Gateway Bridge at the corner of Peabody Street and Hermitage Avenue, pumps steam and chilled water through a five-mile series of underground pipes to downtown buildings. Its nine chillers and four boilers allow for ample expansion to accommodate many new customers, far beyond the capabilities of the Thermal plant.
Greater efficiency, lower electricity demand, a cleaner environment and a projected financial savings of $67 million for the city in its first 10 years of operation are just some of the benefits that the DES facility will provide to the Nashville community as a whole.