Energy Erectors Inc., a certified minority-controlled provider of substation construction services, has completed civil construction of two newly built substations for Denver, Colorado-based Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association to add capacity for the electric cooperative’s members. Tri-State, which is a member-owned cooperative operating in four states, called on Energy Erectors to undertake the substations’ site preparation, complete the foundation, install security measures, pull cable, handle bus work and wire breakers and transformers.
The first of the substations, completed in January 2020, is the Weld County, Colo., Gateway Substation, a new 230/115/12.47 kV substation that includes a 230-kV three-breaker ring bus, expandable to a future breaker-and-half configuration and one 230/115-kV, 150 MVA transformer.
The second project, which will add 60 MVA of capacity for Tri-State’s members in and around Boulder County, Colorado, is the Lazy Dog Substation, which is a new 115/13.2 kV facility.
“When our Gateway project ran into a delay related to getting two transformers, Energy Erectors showed its flexibility by working around those deliveries, putting in conduit across the yard, grading the site,” said Jeffrey Lines, Transmission Construction manager for Tri-State, “and making it possible to meet our commissioning deadline.”
According to Lines, the Lazy Dog project also encountered delays related to permitting, weather and the COVID-19 outbreak, but Energy Erectors was able to regroup and move crews into position to complete the site work, so Tri-State’s teams could complete the steel erection and commissioning.
“We were really impressed with how they would reallocate their work and quickly find available, skilled crew members when needed,” added Lines. “They do it safely, too. I don’t get a call because of a safety concern when Energy Erectors is on the job; We have completed more than 50 projects with Energy Erectors, all have met our requirements and were done safely.
To help utilities meet America’s growing need for power, Energy Erectors, a certified minority-controlled company, delivers all aspects of switchyard work and substation construction services up to 500 kV. Energy Erectors deploys fully equipped crews anywhere in the United States to safely build industrial power projects including isolated phase bus work, capacitor banks, gas-insulated substations (GIS), alternative energy projects and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations. To learn more, visit www.energyerectors.net.
