02-11: Collapse of Tuttle No. 2 Cooling Tower and Resulting Replacement/Repair

Since the collapse of the W.B. Tuttle plant No. 2, 10-cell, Marley cooling tower in 1998, City Public Service has re-evaluated the condition of its six other old wooden towers and developed a plan for insuring against further failures. Two towers were replaced with new fiberglass towers, and another replacement planned. Three 40-45 year-old creosote treated redwood Marley towers are being repaired and reinforced. This paper describes the failure, replacements, repairs, reinforcement, and reasoning used in making difficult decisions on major expenditures for aging towers on old peaking units with uncertain futures.