Burns & McDonnell has completed EPC services for three Alliant Energy solar projects in Wisconsin. The projects are part of Alliant Energy’s Clean Energy Blueprint. These projects are now energized: Bear Creek (50 MW), North Rock (50 MW), Wood County (150 MW).
Wooden County
Regardless of tariffs on Asian-manufactured photo voltaic panels that induced many builders to pause their initiatives between late 2021 and the primary half of 2022, Alliant Vitality selected to maintain these preliminary three initiatives shifting ahead. Alliant Vitality maintained progress in its program because of a sequence of proactive steps that included procurement of 1.5 million bifacial photo voltaic modules upfront of the tariff-related uncertainty that emerged. As a result of shut collaboration between Alliant Vitality and the built-in EPC group, essential paths for long-lead objects had been recognized together with progressive engineering that enabled development scheduling efficiencies.
“Large ideas go nowhere with out daring actions,” says Doug Riedel, senior vp of renewables at Burns & McDonnell. “Alliant Vitality took the daring actions wanted to maintain these initiatives shifting ahead and fulfilling commitments to make its Clean Energy Blueprint a actuality.”
The initiatives additionally had been accomplished with an exemplary security document regardless of troublesome winter climate situations. Not solely did the initiatives obtain zero OSHA recordables, however established security procedures additionally had been credited for life-saving measures for a construction team member who skilled a cardiac arrest on the Wooden County job web site.
“Protecting everybody who units foot on our jobsites protected is our expectation, on each certainly one of our initiatives, and attaining that consequence requires an excessive deal with security by all together with an important proprietor companion, executives, mission administration, entrance line supervision and tradespeople,” says Matt Ralston, senior vp of the Development Group at Burns & McDonnell.
The photo voltaic initiatives additionally created a number of alternatives to offer again to varied communities the place they’re situated. A 2022 charity golf event in Cottage Grove raised greater than $30,000 for the Boys & Women Golf equipment of Wisconsin with further items and funds donated to varied native meals pantries, faculties and different community-based organizations.
As a part of a dedication to assist the native employment base, an apprenticeship program was instituted by means of AZCO, the union development subsidiary of Burns & McDonnell. This system supplied field-based coaching and hands-on expertise to 78 apprentices throughout this system. AZCO has sponsored apprenticeships to 12 Apprentice Working Engineers and 13 Apprentice NCSRCC Carpenters. Of AZCO’s complete workforce for this system up to now, 87% are Wisconsin residents, thus supporting native communities the place these initiatives are constructed. Moreover, a number of excursions had been held for native highschool and secondary commerce college college students, emphasizing the pathways for getting into the trades.
Burns & McDonnell has now mobilized on six further photo voltaic websites included in Alliant Vitality’s Clear Vitality Blueprint. These initiatives are advancing as scheduled because of an integrated EPC contract framework that creates efficiencies for environmental research and allowing, ongoing electrical engineering, civil and structural design, substation development and interconnection tie-in assist.
When full, the 9 photo voltaic amenities will span practically 5,000 acres and add 664 MWAC in complete photo voltaic capability to the regional grid. Over the period of this system, greater than 600 Burns & McDonnell employee-owners and roughly 870 crafts and trades are anticipated to be deployed to the mission websites. These initiatives make the most of Array Technologies, Nucor, Trina Solar, Power Electronics, and Vertec merchandise.
Information merchandise from Burns & McDonnell
