Tue 10 Dec 2019

SERVICES Design Partnership has a well-earned reputation for tackling complex projects which allowing mission critical organisations to operate normally and thereby mitigation business continuity.

When a leading global research wanted to updated and future proof its energy system it commissioned SDP to design and manage the project.

Part of a massive investment in its infrastructure, the client wanted to updated its generators which have been difficult to maintain and repair due to lack of spares.  The client saw it as an opportunity to:

  • redesign a new generator system
  • add capacity to future proof the system
  • liaise with the client’s energy supplier to modify then high voltage network
  • ensure continued productivity.

Paul Handforth, SDP Director, explained: “This project is mission critical for the clients.  Downtime isn’t an option, so our priority was to establish a system of standby generators which would ensure continuity of power to the site while the work was ongoing.

“The site has an 11kV supply derived from the local electricity company, the site load typically is around 3,500 kW feeding the campus buildings via 14 distributed Sub-Stations.  The sub-stations are fed from a MV Switch board via two 11kV cables forming an open point ring system.

“The scheme is to provide fully automatic change-over generator capacity to both the site 11kV cables forming the open point ring and to the 14 sub-stations. This would add three new 1675 kVA containerised generator sets to the capacity raising the total to 5025 kW, with space for a further future unit.

“The original generators at each of the 14 sub-stations would be retained on completion of the project to avoid the risk of loss of supply from failures of the original underground 11kV cable and future site maintenance.    

“In connection with the new containerised generator set provision, the works include MV & LV switchgear modifications, two additional step up transformers, fuel farm  pipeline modifications, MV cable diversions, earthing arrangements, generator  synchronisation with the supply, BMS interfacing and the erection of a new substation.”