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American Refining Group to receive more than 90% of its total electrical load from the new system which will prevent dangerous, costly disruptions
BRADFORD, Penn.– Unison Energy, an Energy-as-a-Service provider of on-site power generation for critical infrastructure facilities, and the American Refining Group (ARG), a leading specialty oil refiner, have begun construction on a microgrid at ARG’s refinery in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Once complete, the system will provide more than 90% of ARG’s total electrical load. Unison will build, own, maintain and operate the combined heat and power microgrid which will increase reliability and prevent power outages at the refinery.
ARG believes that the grid has not provided sufficient reliability to the company’s Bradford, Pennsylvania refinery for more than a decade. Even brief outages disrupt operations and introduce safety risks for the company’s 340 employees. The company estimates that these interruptions result in millions of dollars in losses each year.
“We are excited to partner with American Refining Group and thank them for trusting us to provide the electricity they need to safely and reliably operate,” said Mariko Meier, CEO of Unison Energy. “Grid power outages can threaten the safety of the company’s hardworking employees and cost the company financially, and Unison’s microgrids are designed to maximize reliability on-site. Our team is excited to get to work solving this problem for ARG by creating a microgrid that’s safer, more reliable, and more efficient.”
“We’re proud to partner with Unison on this microgrid system, which we believe will enhance reliability, protect our workforce, and strengthen our financial performance,” said Brian Zolkos, Chief Financial Officer of American Refining Group. “Even a momentary loss of power introduces operational risk and disrupts our ability to serve customers. This system will significantly reduce those risks, and we look forward to bringing it online.”
American Refining Group operates the oldest continuously running oil refinery in North America. The company processes light sweet paraffinic crude into high-quality base oils, solvents, waxes, fuels, and other specialty products, with most of its crude sourced from Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and West Virginia. The company also blends and packages lubricants at its Bradford location.
The new microgrid will be capable of islanding, which means that it can provide power independently from the grid when the grid is experiencing minor power disruptions.
Additionally, the heat generated by the microgrid will be captured and used to preheat water for the company’s steam boilers, leading to more efficient operations. As a result of these efficiencies and their associated positive effects on energy usage and emissions, the project qualifies for federal and state tax incentives including the federal Investment Tax Credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The system will receive a 30% base Investment Tax Credit and an additional 10% credit because Bradford is a qualifying energy community. The project also qualifies for credits from Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act.
About Unison Energy
Unison Energy provides turnkey energy solutions underpinned by long-term fixed price contracts with investment grade counterparties with no commodity exposure. The Company designs, builds, owns, and operates microgrids on-site for critical infrastructure facilities including hospitals, data centers, food & beverage and other industrial, supply chain logistics, and hospitality customers in North America. Unison Energy is headquartered in Greenwich, CT. For more information, please visit www.unisonenergy.com.
About American Refining Group:
Originally founded as the Bradford Oil Refinery in 1881, the Bradford, Pennsylvania refinery is the longest continuously operating specialty refinery in North America. Since its acquisition by ARG in 1997, the refinery has expanded its rated capacity to 11,000 barrels per day and currently employs more than 340 hardworking employees. ARG offers more than 120 products and serves the specialty refined products needs of numerous industries. ARG products are distributed throughout the US and internationally.
https://unisonenergy.com/resources/newsroom/unison-energy-begins-construction-of-microgrid-for-american-refining-group/
Our refinery services and skilled team members set us apart from the competition. Reach out to us today to learn more.