MINE CONSTRUCTION CASE STUDY

An 18 Month Mining Construction Project Requires Ongoing Support

Projects that require temporary power come in many shapes and sizes, from urban festivals to remote oil and gas shutdowns — and it would be a mistake to equate “temporary” with “short-term”. While Trinity does take on projects that are completed within a matter of days, many of our clients require equipment for durations of several weeks to several months.

An excellent example of one of our longer-term projects is the ongoing construction at a mine site in rural Ontario, where temporary power is required to run work camps throughout multiple phases of the project. From the initial design and equipment delivery to maintenance and ongoing support, Trinity has pivoted with every evolution of the project, delivering the required gear on tight timelines and remaining available 24/7 to troubleshoot issues that arise. This is how we’ve done it.

The Client: A Western Canada Based Contractor With a Wide Reach

Based in Alberta, this general contractor offers timely and high-quality completion of electrical and mechanical construction projects.

While their team isn’t large, it is mighty, and they run projects across Canada.

The Challenge: A Multi-Phase Mining Construction Project

Mining facilities aren’t built overnight. And they’re often built in locations that aren’t serviced by local utilities, employing workers who are housed in temporary work camps. So when our client was brought on to manage an 18 month long construction project at a gold mine in Northern Ontario, they needed a temporary power partner that they could depend on to deliver solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the work camps over the lengthy project duration.

They turned to Trinity power.

Our Approach: Reliable, Timely and Flexible

From the first order over a year ago to the most recent, the Trinity team has consistently delivered the best fit equipment for the job quickly and efficiently.

Our client first came to us with single line drawings outlining their requirements. Because the Trinity team is made up of Journeyman Electricians who are specialists in temporary power systems, we were able to digest this information quickly and match our equipment to what was being requested. We then created our own single line drawing to show how all of our equipment would work together to meet our client’s needs.

Within a timeline of just 2 weeks, our client needed equipment that was not only Nema 3R rated to handle the harsh climate of Northern Ontario, but that also had breakers with very specific and uncommon kAIC ratings.

Because of the unusual configuration requirement, the Trinity team located and purchased equipment specifically to accommodate this project.

Our initial equipment delivery included:

• 1500kVA 24940/14400V – 600Y347V medium voltage transformer
• A 1600A breaker disconnect
• 400A and 1200A automatic transfer switches connected to standby generators that were already on site
• Three 1200A I-line panels , each with specific breakers to feed multiple 600 – 120/208V transformers that were delivering power to each area of the site
• One 150kVA 600:120/208V transformers
• Eleven 75kVA 600:120/208V transformers
• Two 45kVA 600:120/208V transformers
• Three 30kVA 600:120/208V transformers

This equipment was used to power dorms, offices, a lunch room, a recreation facility and fire pump houses at the phase 1 camp before the permanent equipment arrived.

As the project progressed, Trinity continued to provide equipment on an as-needed basis within tight timelines, including a similar list of gear for a second work camp at a different area of the mine site.

Not only has Trinity delivered the equipment our client has required over the duration of the project, we have also provided support when that equipment has experienced issues; when one of the transformers failed, the Trinity team was able to work with our client over the phone and deliver a quick replacement sourced from our large inventory.

Most recently, our client discovered that some permanent equipment that they had ordered would be delayed, and they needed a temporary solution right away. Because of our familiarity with the project, the Trinity team was able to deliver a quick solution: a 500kVA and 450kVA 600:120/208V transformer.

The Result: An Ongoing Relationship Offers Many Benefits

Our client’s decision to partner with Trinity Power for the duration of their project has had a number of benefits for them:

Because of our expertise and our access to a wide array of temporary power equipment, they have been able to reliably get the equipment they need when they need it.

Working with Trinity has also eliminated the extra work our client would have had to do buying or renting gear from multiple vendors who aren’t familiar with their project.

And because Trinity has been there from the beginning of the project, we are intimately familiar with its unique requirements, and are able to provide troubleshooting, advice and equipment based on that knowledge.

As our client’s project moves from success to success, the Trinity team will continue to provide the flexible, reliable and expert service that we have brought to the table since day one, doing everything we can to ensure that they have what they need to finish strong.