COMMERCIAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION CASE STUDY

Multiple Temporary Power Solutions Support a Construction Project As It Progresses

When it comes to new construction, temporary power is used for a variety of applications, from providing electricity for office trailers to powering construction tools to offering an alternative to utility power when that isn’t yet available.

In the case of this recent project, Trinity provided solutions to accomplish all of the above, and more.

The Client: One of BC’s Largest Electrical Contractors

In operation since 1973, this client offers electrical contracting services ranging from industrial to data and communication to high voltage substations. Their commitment to training and employee development has cemented their success and their reputation for integrity and reliability.

The Challenge: A New Construction Project With Multiple Power Requirements

Our client was contracted to support the construction of a large commercial facility in BC’s lower mainland. As the project progressed, so did the facility’s temporary power requirements. Because of our longstanding relationship with this client, they knew that the Trinity team would be able to deliver equipment that other vendors might struggle to find, thanks to our Power Broker Model.

Originally, our client reached out to us to provide construction power for a portion of the facility, and we delivered. But as the project evolved, there was a delay in connecting to utility power. Our team was again called upon to source a solution – this time, a 2MW generator that would allow the facility to operate as required until utility power could be accessed.

Finally, as our client prepared to install the facility’s new 1500kVA transformer, they came to Trinity to provide the distribution equipment.

Our Approach: The Power Broker Model in Action

Originally, Trinity delivered the following equipment to power construction activities on site:

• A 300kW generator running triple shift.
• 200 feet of cable.
• A 400A I-Line panel with breakers.
• A 150kW auto load bank for the generator to avoid wet stacking.

To source the original generator required for construction, as well as the 2MW generator, the Trinity team turned to our vendor partners across North America.

In today’s climate, 2MW generators are scarce, especially in Western Canada, but the Trinity team was able to source one from Montreal. There was one catch: the generator was mounted on a trailer designed only for use in Quebec.

In order to ship the generator across the country to BC, the team organized a crane to transfer it onto a new trailer that complied with BC’s commercial transport regulations.
Because our client anticipated that the generator would be running a double shift, the Trinity team recommended a 15,000L fuel tank, which we also sourced, to reduce the frequency of refueling.

Trinity also supplied:

• A 1MW 600V load bank to mitigate any underuse of the generator and avoid wet stacking.
• 200 feet of 4/0 camlok cable.
• A 3000A I-line panel with breakers.

After these solutions were delivered, the project evolved once again to include the installation of a new 1500kVA pad mount transformer and our client came to us to provide the required distribution equipment.

This time, Trinity delivered a 1600A breaker disconnect (which our client worked with us to customize), and a pull box plus hydro metering to work in conjunction with the hydro feeds from the transformer.

The Result: A Fully Supported Project Running On Schedule

In addition to providing the temporary power support that our client needed as their project changed and evolved, the Trinity team was able to deliver a difficult-to-find generator more quickly than anticipated. Our fast response and best-fit solutions allowed our client to exceed their timelines, and gave them peace of mind of knowing they would have the power they needed, when they needed it.