b'52 DTW GROUND SUPPORTAirport Authority, recalls that many of DTWs airline tenants wereThe timing was right for transitioning to electric ground support interested in switching to electric ground support equipment, butequipment because ITW GSE was discontinuing its diesel-the airport did not have the infrastructure to do so quickly. powered PCA and GPU models the airport had operated for While researching funding sources, Tally and her team foundyears. In addition, the new, fully-electric 3500 series PCA units an FAA category for priority projects called Emissions and Energyinclude a feature that automatically detects what type of aircraft Improvements and the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE)is being serviced and delivers precise airflow tailored specifically program. They applied for and received $6.5 million in fiscal yearfor itrather than using average values based on aircraft 2023, and $6.2 million in fiscal year 2024 to purchase and installcategory. According to the company, this increases cooling new, all-electric ground support equipment for 61 gates at theefficiency by more than 50%, which improves passenger comfort McNamara Terminal, which is used exclusively by Delta Air Lineswhile minimizing energy waste.and its partners. These VALE grants covered 75% of the projectThe airports new PCA units and solid-state 400Hz GPUs are cost, with the 25% required local match coming from airportfully compatible with ITW GSEs EcoGate system, which allows bonds.the GPUs to share power with PCA units and other connected The federal funding provided money fairly quickly to updateequipment through Intelligent Power Management to optimize electrical infrastructure and purchase the new PCAs and GPUs,gate power usage without overloading existing infrastructure.and the grant criteria narrowed the scope of equipment providers.With deliveries of the new equipment in 2023 and 2024, DTW When we wrote the performance specs, we really wantedbecame first U.S. airport to receive ITW GSEs new 3500 series vendors to hit certain capacities because weve got 120-tonPCAs and 2400 series GPUs. All 122 units were earmarked for [PCA] units, which are very large, and there are only two or threeConcourse A in the McNamara Terminal, but thats apparently companies that make these larger-sized units for wide-bodyjust the beginning. bridges, says Tally, adding that ITW GSE, which ultimately wonRocha reports that DTW has a very aggressive plan to replace the business, is well-known and on the forefront of eGSE. all of its boarding bridges in both terminals, and the ITW GSE January | February 2026AirportImprovement.com'