Gloucester County Utilities Authority Digester CHP

Ardurra delivered engineering design and construction management services for a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) System at the Gloucester County Utilities Authority (GCUA) 27 MGD Wastewater Treatment Plant in West Deptford, NJ. The project was executed across four contracts covering biogas treatment (sulfide and siloxane removal), biogas storage, replacement of WWTP switchgear, and the CHP engine power system with all supporting site work, process piping, mechanical, electrical, controls, and structural elements.

Key Highlights:

• Two 600-kW dual-fuel (natural gas and biogas) Caterpillar CHP engines — the first such dual-fuel configuration in the United States — now supply 80% of the facility's power needs

• Blackstart capability allows the plant to operate independently during extended power outages or natural disasters, strengthening community resilience

• Electrical switchgear upgrades enable seamless blending of CHP and utility power, improving reliability across supply variations

• Funded through the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank and supported by a $2.3M clean energy savings grant

• Replaced energy-intensive incineration with anaerobic digestion and biogas recovery, significantly reducing pollution and advancing sustainability goals

This project positions GCUA as a model for sustainable wastewater operations, converting biogas that would otherwise be flared into clean, cost-effective energy while enhancing plant resilience.