Accomplishments
Client Background
Kendal Crosslands Communities, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania: two large retirement communities with villas, apartments, personal care facilities, and skilled nursing facilities.
Enerwise provided electrical maintenance services to both communities for over 15 years. After several extended, unexpected electrical outages, the customer became concerned about the safety of its residents and sought Enerwise's help in identifying methods of supplementing the local utility's power supply. Several options with varying generation features were offered for the customer's consideration.
Scope Of Work
The customer chose turnkey installation of two 1.5-megawatt generators with automatic paralleling switchgear and requested that Enerwise assist in presenting the project to the communities' Board of Directors. After receiving Board approval, Enerwise completed the turnkey service, which included engineering, design, procurement, project and construction management, startup, commissioning, and maintenance. The project team was able to complete the project on time and within budget. Enerwise continues to provide remote operation and diagnosis of the generators from its Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, office.
Approach
Enerwise recommended setting the new generators in parallel with the utility service to eliminate risks associated with brief electrical outages (switching takes only seconds). In addition, the parallel assembly enabled the customer to take advantage of economic dispatch opportunities available through the electricity supplier. As a result, the customer will sell electricity back to the supplier during peak periods each summer to offset some of the generator installation costs.
Client Benefits
- Turnkey approach
- Single point of accountability
- Assistance with permit negotiations
- Smooth transition from design to construction
- Elimination of change orders
- Reduction in overall costs
- Less owner involvement
- Enerwise
- Trusted resource
- Respected by local utility
- Familiar with site electrical system
- Stringent subcontractor qualification process
- Buying power
- Depth of resources