Starting at 8 a.m. Monday (Sept. 22), Penn State students and employees and campus visitors can expect to see (and possibly hear) a white plume of steam coming from an 8-foot-diameter pipe in the parking lot next to the outdoor tennis courts near the Sarni Tennis Facility. This “steam blow” is the final step in cleaning out water and tiny debris from 4,000 feet of steam pipe before putting it into service.
The process should take no more than three days, with plans for three, 12-hour ventings and 12 hours of downtime in between.
The line will eventually be 5,000 feet long, run from the East Campus Steam Plant and provide service to the campus steam distribution system by way of the Millennium Science Complex. Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant currently maintains 17 miles of underground piping to distribute steam for heating and process use to more than 200 buildings across campus.
The work will mean changes in parking through Wednesday (Sept. 24). The section of Lot Orange F next to the Sarni Tennis Center will be closed to all vehicles.
During this closure, space is expected to be available in the remaining section of Lot Orange F. However, the Parking Office is authorizing Tennis Center parking permit holders to also use Lot Yellow H at the Shields Building and Pegula Ice Arena.
In the event that Lot Orange F reaches capacity, Orange permit holders will need to use Lot Orange C or Orange G, located off of Bigler and McKean roads.
Parking-related questions should be directed to the University Parking Office at 865-1436.