Team Continuity is Key to Substation Success

Power & Energy Market

When one of Cianbro’s Power & Energy substation teams was wrapping up a couple of jobs in Florida, Cianbro just happened to have picked up another substation project in North Carolina scheduled to begin in October 2021. Sure enough, when the jobs were finished, most of the Florida team decided to pack up, head north, and re-team on the 100 kV switching station.

“The timing was perfect because when we demobilized from those Florida jobs, the team was able to pick right up where they left off in North Carolina,” says Nate Lancaster, Project Manager. “Having that continuity among our team was key because we had a familiar rapport. We knew that each of us was committed to delivering quality work safely and on time, and we also knew our personalities and strengths.”

The client chose to build this new substation to support the decommissioning of a power plant just down the road from the new substation. Installing the new substation will

The project consisted of two major scopes, and the team knew that meeting deadline was critical. At its peak, there were 35 team members on the job site, and while one part of the team was constructing the substation itself, the others were working on a new high-security fence around the station’s parameter.

Though getting materials on time proved one of the most significant challenges, the team also had a few bouts with Mother Nature.

“We experienced a significant amount of rain in a short period of time,” says Lancaster. “That set us back and muddied up the facility and the sites pretty good. Ultimately, it was a minor challenge that the team overcame, and in true Cianbro fashion, we kept moving forward.”

The team finished the project in April 2022.

✔ 41,215 Project Safe Hours