Capitol Heat and Power Plant

​​​​​​A front view of Capitol Heat and Power Plant with this name engraved at the top and ‘Wisconsin’ on both sides of the entrance
​624 East Main Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53703-2913

Facilities Management Group 4


The Capitol Heat & Power Plant was constructed between 1908 and 1911 to be a relatively small (48,116 GSF) power plant that served the Wisconsin State Capitol building. Today, the chilled water and steam is routed to serve the downtown State of Wisconsin, Dane County, and City of Madison buildings only. 

The Plant was converted from using coal to natural gas in 2011. The Plant's 4 boilers generate high pressure steam that is converted to low pressure steam by the use of back pressure steam turbine generators (BPSTG) or steam turbine driven chillers. The low pressure steam is routed to absorption chillers and to the steam distribution system. The power plant’s BPSTGs also generate electricity for the Capitol building with emergency power provided by a diesel powered generator. Steam turbine generators provide parallel operation with the electric utility and a secondary source of electric generation for the Capitol and CHPP.


Available Transportation/Parking

  Parking
​Along curb on East Main Street
​  Bus
​Yes; on Washington Avenue & Blair Street
​  Car Pools
​Yes
  State Van Pools​
​Yes
​  Bike Racks
​No

Handicapped Accessibility

  Parking​
​No
​  Ramps 
​No
​  Entrance
​Not accessible
  Restrooms​
Not accessible​
  ​Elevator Signage
​No
​  Telephones
​No
​  Water Fountains
​1 at entrance
  ​Directory Signage
No​