Hand Hills Substation
Hand Hills Substation
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Hand Hills Substation
Owner | BluEarth
Client’s Name | BluEarth
Location | Delia, Alberta
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | April 2022 to April 2023
Market Sector | Wind
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
The BluEarth Hand Hills Wind Project, is a 145 MW wind project located near Delia, Alberta. This project was constructed to provide clean, renewable energy for approximately 68,000 homes annually.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
Project Deliverables:
- Detailed Substation Engineering
- Procurement of ALL major equipment including transformer
- Site Civil Works including remediation
- Construction
- Commissioning and Start-Up
Iconic’s detailed scope of work included:
- Substation design engineering and drawing packages for construction permitting, Owner design review, installation and “as-built” documentation
- The engineering, procurement, and construction of the substation for the Project, including all civil works, structural works, and electrical works
- Engineer, supply, install, commission, and test all systems that are part of the SOW
- Construct the Work, including all site civil & structural work, foundations, laydown yards, SCADA system, mechanical and monitoring/control systems, perimeter fence.
- The furnishing and installation of the local distribution interconnection for back-up power supply during operations.
- Provide construction power.
- At Substantial Completion, furnished ALTA-equivalent surveys including an overlay of the As-Built Drawings.
- Substation construction management, including quality assurance/quality control, site health and safety, site environmental compliance, site material control and management of all subcontractors.
- Commissioning and testing including all tasks necessary to allow commissioning of the substation.
- Project turnover, including substation completion documentation, Owner training, substation operations and maintenance documentation and manuals, and procurement of Owner requested spare parts.
RESULT / SOLUTION
Project is substantially complete.
Garden Plain Wind Project
Garden Plain Wind Project
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Garden Plain Wind Project
Owner | TransAlta
Client’s Name | TransAlta
Location | Hanna, Alberta
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | April 2022 to April 2023
Market Sector | Utilities
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
The Garden Plain Wind Project is located approximately 35 km north of Hanna, Alberta. The project consists of 26 Wind Turbine Generators (WTG) for a total capacity of 130 MW, an underground collector system, a substation, and a 240 kV interconnection T-tap to an existing 240 kV transmission line.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
- Mobilization
- Civil Works: Complete all earthwork necessary for installation of equipment, buried cables, grounding, conduits and structures; including install of foundation piles.
- Grounding Grid: Supply ground cables and all accessories for complete substation grounding grid including wires, rods, crimps and connectors, grounding mat and pigtail leads
- Main Power Transformer Foundation and Terminations: Construct the main transformer ready for final testing.
- Also construct the transformer concrete foundation and secondary containment including excavation, backfill, structural fill base, embedded steel, concrete accessories, and grounding with pigtails to grounding grid.
- Supply and install containment oil separation device including, drain, fire quenching stone and outlet drain pit.
- Structural Works: Supply and install all equipment supporting structures including associated conductor support structures whether supplied or not with equipment. Equipment includes: HV and MV breakers, HV & MV disconnects, HV surge arrestors, HV CVTs, neutral ground reactor and capacitor bank reactors.
- Electrical Works: Supply and Install Major Equipment as per project BOM.
- Control Building: Design, fabricate and shop-assemble the substation control building
- Testing and Commissioning: Complete all preliminary commissioning activities and operational tests on equipment supplied such that equipment is ready to be powered.
- Demobilization
RESULT / SOLUTION
Project completed ahead of schedule and on budget.
Anthony Henday Substation
Anthony Henday Substation
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Anthony Henday Substation
Owner | AltaLink
Client’s Name | AltaLink
Location | Edmonton, Alberta
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | May 2021 to April 2022, completed ahead of schedule and on budget.
Market Sector | Utilities
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
Iconic Power Systems Inc. (IPS) was the Prime Contractor for this Project and responsible for the engineering, procurement, construction, installation work, and testing. The Project consisted of the construction of a new greenfield substation (309s Anthony Henday), ~50m of single circuit 138 kV transmission line, and ~70m of underground telecommunication fibre. The substation is located within the TransMountain Edmonton terminal. New major equipment included 25MVA transformers, 138 KV circuit breakers, neutral grounding resistor, control building, and 138 kV steel monopole for transmission line SOW.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
- Procurement
- Civil works, piling, earthworks, fencing
- Grounding grid & underground conduit
- Main transformers, foundations, terminations
- Structural work
- Electrical work
- Control building
- Transmission line work
RESULT / SOLUTION
Project completed ahead of schedule and on budget.
Enfinite - eReserve 3
Enfinite - eReserve 3
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Enfinite - eReserve 3
Owner | ENFINITE
Client’s Name | Teric Power (designed/managed on behalf of Enfinite)
Location | Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | May 2022 - September 2022
Market Sector | Battery Energy Storage
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
Iconic Power Systems Inc. (Iconic) built a Tesla MegaPack Storage Facility identical to E-Reserve 1 & 2, with the exception of layout.
The 20MW facility, located in the Grande Prairie area, features 14 Tesla Megapacks and was constructed by Iconic crews over four months.
Iconic successfully energized eReserve 3 with our partners at Enfinite and Teric Power. This marks the third successfully energized BESS by the Iconic, Enfinite and Teric Power team members
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
- Site Civil Pad Construction, including laydown and access
- Supplied all materials including structural steel skids, with the exception of major equipment
- Full Time security was engaged once civil activities were completed
- Foundations
- Installation of Fence
- Installation of Trenching and Underground Conduits
- Supplied and Installed all cables and termination kits
- Construction of Control building in Iconic yard. Iconic installed switchgear and supplied and installed all LV items.
- Shipped transformers, building and misc. equipment.
- Tesla MegaPacks were shipped to site and installed by Iconic.
- Placement of battery packs, transformers, and building
- Commissioning Support
- Fibre Work
RESULT / SOLUTION
This project was completed on time and on budget without any safety incidents.
Glenmore Line Relocation Project
Glenmore Line Relocation Project
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Glenmore Line Relocation Project
Owner | ENMAX
Client’s Name | ENMAX
Location | Calgary, AB
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | August 16, 2021 - October 17, 2021 - Scope completed
Market Sector | Utilities
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
Enmax required underground work to install new manholes and duct bank and remove old manholes as part of re-design work near the intersection of Glenmore and 100 St SE Calgary. Iconic and its contractors worked in coordination with Enmax and Enmax contractors.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
- Install 4 x manholes (T105) complete with grounding
- Trench approximately 430m and install duct bank
- Install secondary pedestal
RESULT/SOLUTION
Scope completed without incident to client specifications.
Meadowlark & Poundmaker Substations
Meadowlark & Poundmaker
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Meadowlark & Poundmaker
Owner | EPCOR
Client’s Name | EPCOR
Location | Edmonton, AB
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | March 1, 2021 - November 25, 2021 - All construction work executed as per EPCOR schedule.
Market Sector | Utilities
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
As part of the WETUP (West Edmonton Transmission Upgrade Project), the Poundmaker and Meadowlark substations are being upgraded. The transmission line between the two substations is also being upgraded.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
Meadowlark
- Excavate to develop expansion area of substation; supply and install geotextile, insulating gravel.
- Install screw pile concrete pad foundations.
- Construct 72kV gantry; install bus support steel. Install pre-cast fence and all permanent fencing.
Poundmaker
- Excavate to develop expansion area of substation; supply and install geotextile and ground grid, insulating gravel.
- Procure, delivery and install structural steel for 240kV disconnect switch, rigid bus support, and CVT support; 72kV bus support, disconnect switch, and CVT; A-frame.
- Install all permanent fencing.
RESULT / SOLUTION
All construction work executed as per EPCOR schedule.
WCSB - eReserve 2
WCSB - eReserve 2
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | WCSB - eReserve 2
Owner | WCSB
Client’s Name | Teric Power (designed/managed on behalf of WCSB)
Location | Alberta, Canada
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | May 2021 to October 2021 - ICONIC successfully met the October, 2021 COD target date.
Market Sector | Battery Energy Storage
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
Iconic Power Systems Inc. (ICONIC) was the Prime Contractor for WCSB Power to construct their second large-scale battery storage project, located in Alberta, Canada. The project consists of a 20 MW BESS utilizing Tesla Megapack batteries, providing energy balancing and grid frequency regulation services that support Alberta’s ongoing growth toward sustainable energy. eReserve 2 became commercially operational as of October 2021. As of February 2022, ICONIC has been engaged for the construction planning and execution an additional 140MW capacity spread between several new BESS facilities.
The Tesla Megapack batteries will provide various operational strategies to support Alberta’s electrical grid. These applications will focus on the delivery of sustainable energy, renewable generation smoothing, system voltage and capacity support, as well as grid frequency regulation.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
- Site surveying and preparation;
- Access road and highway approach construction;
- Site earthworks and perimeter fencing;
- Clearing of temporary laydown areas including vehicle turn arounds and parking areas;
- Aggregate supply and hauling (site and access roads);
- Fabrication of the Megapack skids and auxiliary switching skid
- Foundation piling and Megapack skid installation;
- Trenching and cable laying (including ground grids);
- Ground preparation, setting, and installing of pre-cast transformer vaults;
- Shipment of equipment
- Placement and installation of an e-house / control building;
- Installation of 25 kV switchgear into an e-house / control building;
- Placement of all 25 kV and auxiliary transformer units;
- Placement and installation of 14 BESS units;
- Placement and installation of an auxiliary switching skid and cabinet
- Placement and installation of any site lighting and surveillance cameras (including standards or supports);
- Electrical and communication cable terminations for installed equipment (including the connection to the utility distribution feeder)
- Equipment testing;
- Pre-commissioning and commissioning support; and,
- Site clean-up and reclamation;
- Provision of materials.
As ICONIC successfully executed the eReserve 1 project in 2020, the planning and execution of eReserve 2 was further improved and streamlined.
ICONIC had to return to site to complete emergency repairs on the grounding transformer as well as cable replacement. This project was also built in central Alberta in winter conditions so ICONIC worked closely with the owner and the landowner to overcome the short construction window and challenging site conditions.
RESULT / SOLUTION
Despite a few challenges, ICONIC successfully met the October 2021 COD target date.
Blue Hill Wind Energy Project
Blue Hill Wind Energy Project
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Blue Hill Wind Energy Project
Owner | Algonquin Power Co.
Client’s Name | Borea
Location | Blue Hills, Near Herbert, SK
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | March 2021 to August 2021, completed on time, without incident.
Market Sector | Wind
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
Located south of Herbert, the Blue Hill Wind Energy Project will be developed and operated by Algonquin Power Co. (a subsidiary of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.) and is expected to include up to 56 wind turbines. The turbines will add 177 megawatts of wind energy for SaskPower customers – enough energy to power more than 70,000 average Saskatchewan homes.
ICONIC was awarded this project to construct a 245kV/34.5kV Windfarm Collector Station.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
- Trenching, install concrete trenches and conduits
- Supply and install all grounding
- Install structural steel
- Supply and install control cabling
- Supply and install signage, jb’s, yard lighting
- Offload control building and transformer
- Supply and Install Kirk Key System
- Supply and install bus and connectors
- Install miscellaneous supplied items on and in control building
RESULT / SOLUTION
Through ongoing communication and collaboration, Iconic was able to resolve challenges swiftly and focus on getting the job done safely. ICONIC delivered the collector station on time before the energization milestone date, without incident.
Crossfield Battery Energy Storage System
Crossfield Battery Energy Storage System
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Crossfield Battery Energy Storage System
Owner |
Client’s Name | Wellhead Electric (California, USA)
Location | Crossfield, AB
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | March 2020 to December 2020, completed on time and on budget.
Market Sector | Renewable Energy, Battery Energy Storage
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
ICONIC was selected to handle infrastructure construction and deployment of the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for Canada’s first hybrid electric gas turbine, located in Crossfield Alberta. The project feature GE’s proven BESS systems to provide ample operating reserves – while minimizing fuel usage and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.
The battery technology needed to be integrated into existing LM 6000 generation facilities that were already in place. During the commissioning phase, it was established that a grounding transformer was required to mitigate HV surges. This extended the schedule by two months but was vital to the safety of the people and project assets.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
ICONIC was responsible for all installation, connection, pre-commissioning, commissioning, testing, inspection, post energization checks of the battery energy storage system. We followed GE’s detailed commissioning guidelines to ensure cells were balanced and in a safe operating state.
The BESS area pad was developed and built up to ensure proper slope and drainage. High water tables and pooling were a concern. Helical piling was determined to be the ideal solution to anchor the equipment in the existing soil conditions and to mitigate frost heave. Steel grillages were utilized to simplify the equipment connections to piling and to equipment.
Battery Energy Storage System installation scope:
- Ground grid and testing
- Underground & above ground conduit
- Setting grillage onto piles
- Cable trays installation
- LV (<600V) power cable installation and termination
- Instrumentation, controls, communication cables
- MV (13.8 KV) power cables
- Battery enclosure (HPSU’s) setting and wiring
- Install and commission isolation and aux transformers
- Install and commission switchgear
- Strut supports installation
- Cable, termination kits, load break elbows, terminals, conduit, cable tray, surge arresters
Earthworks scope:
- Pad expansion
- Screw pile installation
- Trenching and backfill
- Conduit installation
- Fencing
- Insulating gravel install
- Asphalt paving
RESULT / SOLUTION
Lonnie Enns, Senior Vice President of ENMAX energy said this project reflects the transformation taking place in Canada’s energy sector, and the adoption of new and innovative solutions.
“Battery storage, combined with on-site natural gas generation provides a reliable, cost effective and sustainable method of ensuring on-demand energy. Not only will this project enable significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions, it will also provide a blueprint for further adoption in cold weather environments globally.”
ICONIC is honoured to be at forefront of BESS technology, and ensuring the required infrastructure is built to the highest safety and quality control standards.
Chestermere Substation Construction
Chestermere Substation Construction
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project Name | Chestermere Substation Construction
Owner | AltaLink
Client’s Name | AltaLink
Location | Chestermere Lake, AB
Date / Project Timeline / Delivery | October 2017 to September 2018, completed on time and on budget. The project took a total of 10 months to complete, as there was a project lull over the winter months.
Market Sector | Utilities
BACKGROUND (Pre-Project Commencement)
This was a full EPC greenfield substation project located on the south side of Chestermere Lake. The goal was to bolster the reliability of the Fortis 25 KV distribution system in the greater Chestermere area. It was ICONIC’s first EPC turnkey project.
Because our work was going on at the same time as adjacent land and road development projects, coordinating site boundaries with the town of Chestermere was a challenge. The area adjacent to the project site was deemed a wetland. Extensive premobilization documentation and permitting was required to ensure the project started on schedule.
ACTION (ICONIC’s Scope & Delivery)
This scope of work included all the engineering, the civil pad development and installation of three 138 kV breakers and two 138/25 kV transformers along with a couple ABB Modular substation on skids.
- Engineering drawings and submissions
- Procurement of materials
- Pad construction
- 138 KV transmission line tie-in
- Installation of telecom tower
- RAS system for the 138 KV interconnection
- Alterations to remoted ends for the 138 KV power line
- Installation of the AMI for Fortis
RESULT / SOLUTION
As ICONIC’s first foray into EPC, this project opened our eyes to the need for disciplined processes and strategies to manage essential project details. It led us to create a dedicated internal procurement team, and to devise step-by-step processes for reviewing and vetting engineering submittals prior to client submission. While standard procedure today, this was new to us at the time.
We are pleased to report our first EPC project was a success. Our team demonstrated the advantage of being able to draw on our extensive crew to meet ISD dates, and the importance of strong contractor relationships. Today, EPC work is second-nature to us.