McNary Substation
Umatilla, Ore.
Award of Merit
Owner: Bonneville Power Administration
Lead Design Firm/General Contractor/Civil/Structural/MEP Engineer: Burns & McDonnell
Subcontractors: Henkels & McCoy Inc.; Cougar Construction
Burns & McDonnell used an engineering-procure-construct (EPC) delivery model to help schedule phases for minimal outage times during the McNary Substation upgrade to the brownfield substation and the installation of new transmission lines.
The ability to procure materials helped to ensure the construction schedule didn’t change with outages that had to be planned months—and in some cases, more than a year—in advance.
The safety plan was rigidly followed, leading to zero incidents during 31,000 hours on the job despite crews working in over 100°F heat as well as subfreezing temperatures. A daily observation program ensured at-risk behavior was addressed promptly. Other challenges faced by the team included periods of heavy snowfall and times when wildfires were raging nearby.
Throughout the project, the contracting team continually analyzed the site and technology. The monitoring led to upgrading for inadequacies in the oil containment system and realizing performance benefits from a new relay system
Post a comment to this article
Report Abusive Comment