The Physical Plant Utilities Department, working with the Facilities & Campus Planning Division has begun preliminary planning to replace six 13,800 volt electrical feeders across the campus. These medium voltage feeders distribute electricity to most campus buildings. As most of you are aware, the University’s electrical needs have burgeoned with the advent of newer technologies and research requirements. The existing feeders are past their life expectancy and Physical Plant has been aware of problems related to their age. In order to avoid major disruptions to campus life, the contract work is scheduled to begin immediately. Preliminary preparations to minimize required building electric shutdowns are being undertaken first. Some required shut downs will be scheduled as soon as possible. The major shutdowns will be scheduled to begin following Commencement and will hopefully be completed by the start of the fall semester.
Campus Feeder Distribution Voltage Fluctuations are from Western Mass Electric. Normal utility voltages fluctuate + 5/-10% depending on load.
Example shows no outages and well within normal tolerance over the past year. To maintain this reliability aging feeders must be replaced now.
Electrical feeders take power from main Campus electrical services and “feed” specific areas and buildings. Replacement of the six medium voltage 15 kV feeders will require all power to selected areas of campus to be shut off during the changeover processes. Project manager John Ghidinelli, head of the Electrical Utilities Group for Physical Plant, will be working closely with the contractor to ensure these shut downs are as brief as possible. During each shut down we will do our best to minimize the magnitude and duration of disruption to building occupants.
The primary means of official notification will be by sending Service Interruption Notices to building occupants 10 days prior to each shut down. Plant personnel are also developing a comprehensive communication plan in an attempt to avoid complications with scheduled events. At this point in time, project planners are working with Auxiliary Services, Housing, and Academic Scheduling to determine how to accomplish the taunting task of keeping everyone in business without compromising life safety for workers or impacting the actual replacement work. There will be times when interruptions to normal business will occur. Also, material delivery dates are not yet available, complicating the planning process. Once materials are in hand, Plant personnel will be better able to develop a tentative schedule for the
work.
Physical Plant often runs into the same issues when trying to upgrade the campus’ infrastructure – how to put in place the latest building technologies while keeping the campus “on line”. During this project, Plant personnel will work hand-in-hand with both the contractors and the campus constituents to minimize disruptions. One key to this process is to help the campus understand the importance of the work and how it will improve the campus environment. In this case, the need for campus- wide, consistent, reliable electrical power for research, academics, student housing, and auxiliary services over the following years must take precedent. The age and consequential condition of the existing electrical distribution system has created an urgent need for this work.
The Physical Plant’s intention is to work as best as possible with the Campus Community to minimize these scheduled disruptions as a whole. The Physical Plant requests the same from the campus community to minimize future unscheduled power disruptions. If you have any comments or concerns about this project please contact Raymond Jackson, Assistant Director of Utilities at phone number 545-0605 or e-mail address rjackson@facil.umass.edu. Please accept our thanks for your cooperation and patience.
Schedule Below
Cashin |
8-22-05 |
8 Hours |
6 AM to 2 PM |
Brown Residence |
8-20-05 |
14 Hours |
6 AM to 8 PM |
Marks Meadow School, Furcolo and Montague House |
9-17-05 |
8 Hours |
7 AM to 3 PM |
Entire Fine Arts Center Complex |
10-10-05 |
5 Hours |
5 AM to 10AM |
Lederle Low Rise GRC |
11-11-05 |
5 Hours |
5 AM to 10AM |
Arnold House & Totman Gym |
11-25-05 |
5 Hours |
7 AM to 12PM |
Grad Research Low Rise |
11-25-05 |
4 Hours |
11 AM to 3PM |
Arnold House |
1-10-06 |
7 Hours |
7 AM to 2 PM |
Hamelin & Leach |
1-12-06 |
2 Hours |
7 AM to 9 AM |
Johnson & Dwight |
1-12-06 |
5 Hours |
7 AM to 12 PM |
Arnold House Emergency Feeder Upgrade |
1-13-06 |
1 Hours |
6 AM to 7 AM |
Marcus |
1-25-06 |
5 Hours |
7 AM to 12 PM |
Johnson, Dwight, Hamelin, & Leach |
1-26-06 |
1 Hours |
6 AM to 7 AM |
