ENWL

Electricity North West Limited has been a long standing client, for whom we have successfully under taken a vast variety of works; from minor works, such as new footpaths and ramps, to large scale civil engineering projects undertaken in live 132,000 Volt sub-station compounds. These projects have ranged in value from several thousand pounds to several hundred-thousand pounds and always require careful planning and co-ordination to ensure they run smoothly and without any disruption of the electricity supply to the end consumers.

The photograph shows the nearly completed transformer replacement scheme at Bolton Grid. The project incorporated all of the pre-enabling works, enabling works and the construction of all of the new bunds, transformer plinths and all of the associated networks and ducting required. The existing transformers at Bolton were ageing and as such, the efficiency of the transformers had become a problem and would only continue to worsen as they deteriorated further.

However, a transformer cannot be taken off-line before its replacement has been installed and is fully functioning, therefore a new transformer plinth and bund must be constructed next to the old transformer, along with the plinths for the new high-level gantries and structures, to a very strict schedule, it is imperative all work is completed on time as delivery of the new transformers cannot be delayed. This enables the specialist haulier to deliver the new transformers and remove the old, each transformer weighing up to 100 tonnes.

These projects are usually undertaken in live compounds and as such, great care and attention must be paid to all aspects of health and safety, all operatives wear arc-resistant clothing to prevent the electricity from arcing from the live equipment and through any site personnel, all machinery must be suitably sized, to be big enough to complete the works, but small enough to traverse the site between the hazardous apparatus.