Supporting JEA’s Downtown Jacksonville Chilled Water System
Critical infrastructure requires proven performance.
Generator Source recently completed a four-hour staged load bank test on a 4MW Caterpillar generator. This centralized chilled water system is operated by Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) in downtown Jacksonville.
JEA is the largest municipally owned electric utility in Florida, and the eighth largest in the United States. Its chilled water system is a foundational component of downtown Jacksonville’s growth and sustainability strategy.
This was megawatt scale validation for infrastructure serving the urban core.
The Role of JEA’s Chilled Water System
JEA provides centralized chilled water service to major commercial, government, and sports facilities in downtown Jacksonville.
Instead of each building operating its own rooftop or mechanical AC systems, JEA distributes chilled water through underground piping from three specialized plants:
- Downtown Plant near JEA Headquarters
- Springfield Plant near UF Health
- Hogans Creek Plant near the Sports Complex
Facilities served include major venues such as the Duval County Courthouse and VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The three plants of JEA’s Water system are engineered to provide 14,900 tons of firm cooling capacity to the urban core.
Why Backup Power Is Essential for District Cooling
District cooling is efficient and sustainable. It reduces maintenance costs for customers and improves energy performance across the city. However, centralized infrastructure increases the importance of reliability.
If a plant experiences power disruption:
- Government operations are affected
- Healthcare facilities risk temperature instability
- Event venues lose environmental control
- Commercial buildings lose cooling continuity
At this scale, performance must be verified under real electrical demand.
The Generator Platform
The 4MW generator tested was powered by a Caterpillar C175-16 engine:
Engine Model: C175-16-3045
Configuration: Inline 16-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel
Displacement: 84.67L
Rated Power: 2239 HP at 1800 RPM
Aspiration: Turbocharged Aftercooled
Emissions Standard: UN ECE R96 Stage IIIA
Net Dry Weight: 28,750 lbs
This is utility-class equipment designed to carry significant electrical demand during grid interruption events.
The Four-Hour Staged Load Bank Test
Generator Source conducted a controlled four-hour resistive load bank test.
Load progression included:
- 25 percent initial load
- Incremental increases
- Sustained performance at 80 percent capacity
During each stage, technicians monitored:
- Voltage stability
- Frequency regulation
- Cooling system response
- Exhaust temperature
- Fuel delivery performance
- Overall engine behavior
The unit demonstrated clean performance across all load stages, maintaining stable voltage and frequency without deviation. At megawatt scale, stability confirms system integrity across engine, alternator, fuel, and cooling subsystems.
Why 80 Percent Load Validation Matters
Large diesel engines must operate under meaningful load to confirm combustion efficiency and prevent long term degradation.
Without adequate loading:
- Carbon buildup can accumulate
- Wet stacking can develop
- Engine efficiency declines
- Reliability during emergencies is compromised
Testing up to 80 percent of load ensures the engine reaches appropriate operating conditions and confirms that the alternator can sustain real world demand.
JEA provides backup generation to support critical healthcare infrastructure, and redundancy for other facilities is provided by other means, such as providing dual feeds. For a district cooling system supporting downtown Jacksonville, this validation protects:
- Government facilities
- Healthcare infrastructure
- Sports and event venues
- Commercial development
- Ongoing expansion projects including the shipyards and Four Seasons development
Megawatt-Level Service Capability in Florida
Supporting a 4MW generator for one of Florida’s largest municipally owned electric utility demonstrates Generator Source’s capability in:
- Utility-scale generator service
- Extended-duration load bank testing
- Critical infrastructure environments
- Jacksonville-based service operations
With municipal facilities like healthcare campuses and industrial plants, our Florida team performs load testing for systems where downtime is not acceptable.
Schedule Load Bank Testing In Florida
If your facility relies on standby power, performance must be proven under load.
Whether supporting chilled water systems, healthcare operations, or industrial infrastructure, Generator Source provides professional load bank testing across Florida.
Call 877-866-6895 or request service at generatorsource.com