The Client
I.U.S / Northumbrian Fine Foods, Team Valley
The Brief
To replace the existing electrical switchboard and incoming electrical supply to manage a larger power demand capacity, and increase the Power Factor Correction system to maximise power protection and financial savings for the business.
The Activity:
When an organisation is rapidly expanding, the electrical power infrastructure can often become obsolete requiring an upgrade or full overhaul to manage the demands on it.
In the case of I.U.S. / Northumbrian Fine Foods, works were required to update now obsolete equipment, already running at full capacity, with a larger replacement unit to allow for further planned expansion.
The job involved the removal of the existing switchboard, allowing the incoming electricity power supply to be increased, with the inclusion of a 2000A switch disconnector.
Challenges of this industrial power supply upgrade
Despite the increase in size of the new switchboard, this needed to be located and commissioned within the same footprint as the previous switchboard, another challenge for our installation team to consider, and caused some scratching of heads!
Alongside this, a previously integrated 125A small power distribution board was renewed and relocated adjacent the switchboard.
Finally, the Power Factor Correction facility (PFC), already in use within the business, also needed to ‘ramp up’ to accommodate the increase in power demands within the organisation. By completing an upgrade on the PFC, we ensured maximum efficiency in electric power usage and greater protection of power surges, thereby allowing additional financial cost savings for the business due to the usage and efficiencies created.
Despite the time frame for installation of the works being only one weekend to minimise production output disruption, a frequent challenge within the industrial and commercial sectors, the works were fully completed on time and within budget.
The Result:
The new switchboard resulted in the business remaining full compliant to the current electrical regulations, as well as expanding the power usage capacity in preparation for planned future growth.
Production savings will be visible within the business due to the site now running at 99% efficiency of power usage, due to the increase in PFC.
Northumbrian Fine Foods have now instructed Tomlinson Longstaff to carry out a full Electrical Installation Condition Report across the site, to identify any areas requiring electrical upgrade or improvements in line with the objectives of efficiency and electrical power management.
Read more about our industrial power supply installations
Tomlinson Longstaff Ltd is an electrical contractor based in Country Durham, north east England. We offer a wide range of electrical services including design, testing, installation and maintenance.