Technical Services

O’Connell was awarded a $2 million subcontract to perform testing and commissioning services at eleven active substations.  The facilities included a new 115kV switchyard and 115kV to 34.5kV substation as well as nine substations that were upgraded from 115kV to 345kV capacity.  To maintain power across the region throughout the commissioning process, O’Connell utilized Doble 3-phase power simulator, satellite, and GPS technology to synchronize and simultaneously test substations in different locations. The project was successfully completed over a period of 20 months without a power outage to the service area.  O’Connell also performed acceptance testing across 53 circuit miles of underground 34.5kV cable for the project.

O’Connell Electric subcontracted from Skanska USA to provide the primary components of the emergency power distribution system as well as all systems testing and commissioning services. The $750K project took six months to complete. The electrical construction work included installation of three 5KV / 2500KW standby generators, 5KV paralleling switchgear, two 34.5KV / 7.5MVA  transformers, interior double ended 34.5 KV transfer switches, and the control wiring connecting paralleling switchgear to transfer switches. O’Connell retrofitted the facility’s existing electrical mains to allow for switching from normal to emergency power, and back again, without interruption.

O’Connell’s Technical Services group provided systems component testing that included relays, switchgear, transformers, and breakers and carried out all systems testing and commissioning.

Under a $7.5 million contract with MSE Power Systems, O’Connell constructed the project’s two collection substations, overhead collection lines, ten miles of pole supported overhead 115kV transmission line, and the New York State grid point of interconnect 230kV switchyard. Construction began in winter involving site clearing, excavation, and pole setting on the steep, rugged slopes of the Bristol Hills. The combination of our experience and fleet of specialized all-terrain equipment and track vehicles enabled us to meet the challenges of the project and complete work within the construction window, even with numerous scheduling, weather, and site access setbacks.

The overhead transmission line O’Connell constructed connects Cohocton Wind’s two collection substations on opposing sides of New York Interstate 390. Our crossing of the interstate coincided with that of another large area construction project which we successfully managed simultaneously without interruption to either. Throughout the project, O’Connell was able to utilize the regional railroad system for delivery of poles as well as removal of logs from site clearing.

Project management on the ground and back at the office maintained strong working relationships with area government and regulatory officials as well as regular communications with resident land owners to facilitate successful construction activities. Our experience working within agricultural districts and our utilization of local forces helped breakdown barriers that could have further inhibited construction progress.

O’Connell’s Technical Services Division commissioned elements of the system to ensure they met with the interconnecting utility’s standards and specs. We remained engaged in the project past our contractual obligations to provide counsel and help ensure a seamless energization of the system.

O’Connell was selected as prime contractor for the 6 month $4.2 million NAVAIDS upgrade project to meet FAA civilian aviation standards. Our diverse specializations and broad experience enabled us to satisfy the full Scope of Work requirements. The project demanded extensive site preparation and construction work which involved excavation, paved access roads, concrete foundations for equipment, clearing heavily wooded areas around the runway, and site restoration. O’Connell provided primary electrical service to all systems along with installing, upgrading, and testing the following NAVAIDS:
Category One Instrument Landing System (ILS)
Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)
Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)
Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Sequenced Flashers (MALSR)
Runway End Identifier Lights (REILS)
Capture Effect Glide Slope Equipment (GS)
Construction challenges included management of high ground water at the site as well as swampy areas around the facility that required proper wetlands mitigation measures. Additionally, work crews had to cope with an unusually long rainy period. The schedule was tight and required close coordination with the FAA, airport management, and tenants to maintain continuous airport operational capability. The project was a success from all technical, construction, and management aspects and all work was completed on schedule.

Our working relationship with the University of Rochester Medical Center spans more than two decades. Throughout this time O’Connell has maintained a continuous active presence across URMC facilities. Having worked on a host of upgrade and modernization projects as well as major renovations and expansions, O’Connell has constructed electrical infrastructure ranging from high voltage power distribution and emergency backup systems to life safety and communications to systems testing and commissioning. We coordinate with the facilities group on day-to-day service and maintenance support and provide emergency response services as needed.

O’Connell has had extensive experience working on projects for the Radiology Department at URMC, as well as at other hospitals. We have acquired a wealth of knowledge and skills addressing the unique electrical challenges and requirements involved with X-ray equipment, CAT and CT scanner, and MRI (Standard, Functional, and Open) installations. Based on O’Connell’s experience in these areas we have been hired by the engineering firms working on various URMC Radiology projects to assist in developing the power system designs and layouts.

Many projects at URMC require our electricians to work in Occupied Patient Areas. When upgrading the Nurse Call System at Strong Memorial Hospital O’Connell technicians needed access to nearly every room including OR. O’Connell has worked on numerous projects where we upgraded patient rooms in fully functioning patient wings. Several Catheterization laboratory (Cath Lab) renovation projects along with our work at a new Electrophysiology (EP) laboratory also required special consideration and action. In such cases, strict adherence to an ICRA (Infection Control Risk Assessment), a multidisciplinary process focused on reducing risk from infection, is mandatory to ensure both patient and worker safety.

O’Connell Electric’s longstanding partnership with the University of Rochester Medical Center stems from a mutual trust and respect that has been fostered between two leaders in their fields along with and unwavering commitment to providing exceptional customer service.

What started as a small condition assessment job on a retired substation by O’Connell’s Technical Services Group led to our getting the complete electrical construction package at Steel Winds, subcontracted from the Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group. We repaired and modified the existing substation to accept power generated by the wind turbines, installed the underground collection systems and overhead transmission lines, tower wiring and grounding, and ran fiber optics for all data communications.  We wrapped up the project where it all began—at the substation—by providing final systems acceptance testing and commissioning.  Today, we provide preventative maintenance services to the new site owners.

O’Connell subcontracted from Wellivere McGuire, Inc. to provide $1.7 million of electrical construction and communications work for the state-of-the-art CAST building.  Included were 15 kV service, primary and secondary power, a structured cabling system with fiber optic backbone for all building communications (voice, data, and video), TEGG certified reliability testing of all systems, and roof mounted photo voltaic solar modules for educational purposes.  All work was successfully performed under a tight schedule to meet faculty and student occupancy requirements.

Retrofitting the existing structure with electrical upgrades and additions  posed unique challenges.  Time Warner awarded O’Connell a $2.5 million contract for electrical work to provide standby emergency power generation and an uninterruptible power supply system (UPS).

Equipment installations included: three 750 kw generators (with provision for additional generators), five generator control cabinets, a 400kVA UPS system with control cabinet (with provision for three additional systems), additional distribution panels, a thousand lineal feet of 225 amp busway, power logic switching and metering and a paralleling switchgear package.

Additionally, O’Connell contracted to render start-up and commissioning services on the new and upgraded systems. The new work was integrated into Time Warner operations without interruption to customer service and backed by a 3 year warranty.

O’Connell’s contribution spanned three diverse aspects of the Noble Bliss project—testing, power line construction, and data communications.

Prior to breaking ground, Nobel contracted with our Technical Services Division to provide acceptance testing for the project’s underground cable while it was still on spools at their warehouse. After construction, we performed all acceptance testing for the site’s overhead collection and tower grounding systems and on each of the 67 turbine tower transformers. We also provided site energization and start-up support.

O’Connell’s Power Line Division sealed a deal with Noble for $3.6 million to do their part. Line work involved running 115kV overhead transmission line between the site’s 34.5/115kV substation and grid interconnection substation, 14 miles away, and 25 miles of overhead collection system, single, double, and triple 34.5kV circuit Hendrix Cable construction. All line work was completed within 10 months.

Our Communications Division was awarded the fiber optics portion of the project. Fiber cable carries crucial operation and performance data from instrumentation on each turbine to a single collection point at the site. From there it is transmitted to a commercial processing center where it is monitored and analyzed. O’Connell reel tested and installed 90,000 feet of fiber optic cable, performing 1600 terminations, 110 aerial and pedestal splice points, and all final post-termination fiber testing