Abbott Northwestern Central Utility Plant (CUP)

The new CUP houses cutting-edge technology that is cleaner, more efficient, and more reliable, providing essential utilities such as steam, chilled water, and electricity to 1.8 million square feet of critical hospital space. These utilities are distributed through over 1,000 linear feet of underground utility tunnels. Situated in an urban environment adjacent to sensitive areas like surgical suites, the project demanded precise coordination to avoid disruption to hospital operations and the surrounding community.

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Industry

Central Energy & Utilities

Square Footage

2,200,000

AWARDS

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) 2025 Engineering Excellence Grand Award

Services Provided

Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Utility Generation & Distribution

Challenge

The Allina Health Abbott Northwestern Campus near downtown Minneapolis, MN recognized the need for growth to better serve its patient population. The existing aging central utility plant and infrastructure weren’t capable of meeting the campus’s future growth needs, necessitating the construction of a new CUP.

Approach

The project involved intricate engineering challenges, including constructing temporary cooling towers to maintain campus services during construction and creating new utility tunnels to extend heating, cooling, and water services. The CUP also seamlessly interfaces with existing infrastructure.

Outcome

The CUP utilizes a combined heat and power system, simultaneously generating electricity and heat. The system includes a combustion turbine generator and a heat recovery steam generator, which harnesses exhaust heat from the turbine to produce steam, lowering operational costs.