USACE Alaska Load Bank Installation, Eareckson AS, Alaska

Brice purchased and installed a 5 MW load bank to be used in the proof loading of the power plant’s engine/generators at Eareckson Air Station (EAS) after a major repair or engine overhaul. We connected the load bank to the active power plant located in Building 3049.

Brice purchased a load bank from ASCO that met the specification of the US Air Force 611th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES), and transported it to EAS. We worked with the factory to permanently attach the load bank to a shipping flat to reduce potential handling damage and point loading under the support stanchions at the final installed location. The load bank is typically designed for the outdoors. Brice modified the design for installation indoors at Building 3051 to protect the load bank from the extreme wind, temperatures, and precipitation on Shemya Island. We performed minor modifications to the building to enable proper installation. Specifically, we replaced 48” x 6’ of the building paneling and insulation, to allow the proper airflow needed for the load bank. We also added higher capacity fans to overcome the additional air resistance found indoors. We successfully completed the load bank installation exceeding customer’s expectations.

Upon request of the 611^th CES, we installed a SCADA unit, which allowed the power plant operators to control the load bank from the control panel in Building 3049.