Potelco has teamed up with Energy Services West to help bring more charging solutions to the Pacific Northwest. These EV charging stations will provide Level 2 AC Chargers and Level 3 DC Fast Charging options to consumers. Level 2 chargers typically charge a vehicle in 5-6 hours, while level 3 chargers take less than an hour.
Our crews have spent the last several months completing multiple charging stations across Washington and Oregon. What makes Potelco unique in this market is our relationship we have with the local utility providers. Not only is Potelco responsible for the civil and electrical scopes for these projects – but we were also responsible for constructing the primary and secondary routes for the utility provider. With this added ability – we can reduce construction timelines. Currently, Potelco is taking an average of 2.5 months to complete the construction of these projects with our dedicated civil and electrical crews.
Greenfield 115kV-13.8kV substation located in Hillsboro, Oregon built for PGE. The project included all civil, structural, electrical and landscaping activities.
Commissioned into operation in November of 2020, HRSST is the first utility scale solar and battery storage project in Washington State. Tucci Energy Services owns and operates HRSST with a City of Richland 25-year Power Purchase Agreement.
The HRSST facility includes the 4MW solar and 1MW-4MWh battery installation, training classrooms, as well as 30 plus acres of: multiple configurations of lattice type transmission towers, wood transmission and distribution poles, above and below grade transformers and vaults for training.
The initial collaboration of the HRSST continues after commissioning and during systems operation. Horn Rapids, is utilized as a training facility with classroom study and “in the field” practical training by:
Potelco and Tucci Energy Services
North West Line Joint Apprenticeship Committee,
Bonneville Power Administration
Energy Northwest, the City of Richland and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories
Energy Northwest, the City of Richland and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories continue to investigate and apply optimization of renewable energy battery storage for utilities. Washington State Department of Commerce provided a $3,000,000 grant through the Clean Energy Fund to be used for the Battery Storage and Balance of Plant components that are owned and operated by Energy Northwest at HRSST. The 4MWh battery (1MW discharge for four hours) at Horn Rapids supports the City of Richland load leveling during peak load periods (3PM – 7PM in the Summer) (5AM – 9AM in the Winter).
Horn Rapids Solar Storage & Training provides clean, carbon free renewable energy to the City of Richland every day of the year, and provides a training and research platform for future generations of renewable energy projects, designers and personnel.
Potelco’s Major Project Division has sub-contracted to provide the materials and labor for rebuilding the overhead system within and adjacent to this facility.
The contract includes 1.5 miles of new 4/0 grooved trolley wire, over 2 miles of 3/8″ steel strand, including, ancillary support fittings, 1/3 mile of 500 kcmil feeder cable and 15 1200 Amp, 1000 Volt DC Disconnect Switches, while keeping the facility in full operation.
Constructed new express underground 34.5kv feeder. Behind the substation, installed a single phase underground termination and 1/0 cable to intercept current cable and spliced in a new feed.
We abandoned the old feeder and removed the pole, wire and switch that fed it. We also installed a new underground feeder termination with 500 MCM copper cable, to be operated at 34.5kv.
Potelco performed the underground civil work necessary to replace underground electrical cable.
This work included the following: bored 1-4″ from a vault 520 feet to a new 660. Bored 1-4″ from the 660 100 feet to a to a pole. Bored 1-4″ from the 660 230 feet. Trenched 1-2″ 1548 feet off of 1 pole, 4 existing vaults and 1 new 504. Bored 1-4″ 175 feet. Bored 1-4″ from pole 142 feet to a vault. Bored 1-2″ from a vault 98 feet then turn and bored an additional 118 feet to a vault.
Our crews work to insure that each new street light is installed correctly and as efficiently as possible. Our street light crews install and test each individual light to ensure functionality and meet client needs.
In 2015, the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board arranged directly with utilities to convert to LED streetlights. Potelco has been working with local utilities to make these improvements. The Washington State Transportation Improvement Board’s ‘Relight Washington’ initiative aims to make converting to LED streetlights an opportunity for cities of every size. Potelco continues to upgrade streetlights in cities with 5,000 residents or less through this initiative. Cities with LED streetlights will pay a new lower LED streetlight rate, saving at least 25% of monthly operating costs.
Potelco was responsible for the installation of conduits, vaults and ground grid, arranged for delivery and placement of transformer, metal clad and switch gear and capacitor bank.
Our team also constructed DE towers, switch stands, bus supports, CVT stands and low side switch. We installed three 115kv gas breakers and wired the yard apparatus and control house.
The complete civil construction included drainage, foundations, rock work, street lights, roadway improvements, and containment of the area. Constructing this substation also included the electrical assembly, transformer installation, control house, metal clad switchgear, 115kv ring bus, SF-6 gas breakers, control cabling, capacitor bank, terminations and electrical testing. Our team was able to execute this project from the ground up with a level dedication to safety and professionalism.
Replaced approximately 1,615 circuit feet of 3-phase 336 ACSR conductor with 3-phase 336 ACSR tree wire conductor, replaced approximately 1,550 feet of 3 phase 336 ACSR conductor with #2 ACSR tree wire conductor. Replaced 7 distribution poles and installed avian protection.
