Kerite has completed the installation of 69kV underground transmission cable circuits at two newly constructed substations 30 miles north of Denver, Colorado.
The installation projects for rural electric cooperative United Power, Inc. took place at the DelCamino and Davis substations and were to help power a new oil refinery in Fort Lupton, Colorado, as part of the growing oil industry in the northern part of the state. The turnkey projects were managed by Kerite with national utility contractor Anderson & Wood assisting with engineering of the project and excavation work in the field.
Kerite and Anderson & Wood engineers opted for the underground circuit solution, due to an existing network of overhead distribution lines and 230 kV transmission lines at both substation locations. The exit circuits ran from terminations inside the substations, underground through Schedule 40 PVC conduit mated to five-inch high-density polyethylene pipe, to terminations up the riser poles located off-site. The combined projects required almost 14,000 feet of Kerite 69 kV underground high-voltage transmission cable.
Complexities of both projects included the challenging Colorado winter weather, complete with snowfall and chilling temperatures, as well as tight deadlines and congested substation environs.
“We’re very happy with the work that the Kerite team did for us on this project,” said Don McDaniel, general manager of transmission for United Power. “Their experience with complex underground installations like these facilitated the installations and allowed them to complete the projects on time and on budget, even when the weather didn’t cooperate.”
Both the DelCamino and Davis projects involved installation of single-conductor 69 kV solid dielectric power cable, 69 kV terminations, lightning arresters, ground continuity conductors, cable sheath bonding accessories, cable supports, clamps, and other cable accessories to make complete working underground 69 kV cable circuits. Kerite and Anderson & Wood worked together to complete all aspects of the installation, from the cable pull to final testing.
