Power to the People

In our fast-paced world of standardized, assembly line production, Garver's Energy Group is bucking the trend and providing generation, transmission and distribution services designed to client standards.

Many clients have energy-related methods, processes, components and training already in place. When they need to update and expand their aging systems, Garver develops designs that meet today's standards while satisfying each client's unique requirements.

Garver used this customer approach when designing a new 161/69kV substation in Afton, Okla. Garver worked with the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) to replace the single transformer, radial bus arrangement with a new and larger substation that provides greater reliability, redundancy and capacity.

Garver's design allows GRDA to keep the existing substation in place until the new system is ready to go online. The substation modifications include a four-breaker ring bus for the 161kV switchyard and an 11-breaker nested ring bus on a breaker-and-a-half scheme for the 69kV feeder circuits. The project includes five 69kV feeders with room to add one more.

"The design included a phased approach to construction that is vital to expansion of an in-service facility, and Garver completed the design in the timeframe and format required," said GRDA Chief Engineer Jeff Tullis, PE.

Garver also designed a new 4.6-mile 69kV transmission line for Siloam Springs, Ark. that connects with GRDA's system. Garver's design incorporated several owner-requested enhancements, including galvanized steel poles — using National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) heavy design to protect against heavy icing conditions — and high temperature aluminum conductor steel supported (ACSS) transmission lines to provide standby capacity required for long-range planning.

"It's important to provide complete design services that meet our clients' needs," said Garver Energy Director Alan Miner, PE. "We aim to develop designs and plans that our clients are familiar with, and while we remain flexible to client preferences, we ensure complete compliance with governing standards."

In Bentonville, Ark., Garver designed a 4-mile 161kV transmission line that ties into a major American Electric Power transmission line and feeds the city's new Garver-designed southwest Substation "I".

"Our design utilized galvanized steel transmission poles and incorporated the city's existing double under-build distribution circuit design," Miner said. "The route design was based on the client's criteria to use as much city-owned utility right-of-way as possible, and the pole locations were spotted close to the existing overhead distribution system."

The transmission line involved 16 drilled poles, 40-foot-deep concrete piers that average 7 feet in diameter and more than 800 cubic yards of concrete.

In addition to Miner's 37 years of electrical and engineering experience, Garver's full-service generation, transmission and distribution services are anchored by veteran Project Manager Ron Steinberg, PE. Steinberg is a relay engineer with nearly 40 years of experience in the electric utility industry.

"We have the experience and capability to perform large-scale transmission and distribution jobs, including distance relaying," Miner said. "Our custom designs promote system understanding and knowledge, and our services encourage a smooth transition into a client's new energy infrastructure."