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COMMERCIAL (ELECTRICAL CONTRACTS
               BETWEEN $500,001 AND 1,500,000)


















            VA ELECTRIC INC.




            CONCHAS DAM ELECTRICAL UPGRADE PROJECT






            VA Electric was recognized for its work on the Conchas    removing the counterweights from the crane and trucking   IEC NATIONAL 2019 AWARDS  |  EXCELLENCE IN ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION
            Dam Electrical Upgrade Project.                 them and the generator across the dam first. Once the
                                                            generator and counterweights were trucked across the
            This project was an upgrade of the electrical services and   dam the stripped down crane was then driven across. The
            equipment at the Conchas Dam Administration Building   weather was quite variable. VAE worked in conditions that
            and other associated buildings. These buildings included   were constantly changing. From early spring snowstorms
            Administration, Shop, and five “casitas” called Adobe Belle   to temperatures in the 90s, for instance, one day the high
            Resort. All of these facilities, with the exception of the   temperature was 78 degrees and the next day the high
            Shop, were completed in 1939 and added to the National   was 28. Winds were a constant occurrence. One particular
            Register of Historical Places in 2005. Conchas Dam, the   day winds were at a top speed of 70 miles per hour. A
            Administration Building, and Adobe Belle Resort represent   train was derailed that day in nearby Logan, NM, by the
            the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) first   wind. Progress was slowed by the underlying sandstone
            project in New Mexico. The buildings and dam were an effort   in areas VAE had to trench through to install underground
            of the US government to provide relief and employment   conduits. Experimentation and determination allowed the
            during the Great Depression for the citizens of New Mexico.   equipment on-site to be used in a manner to dig through
            The resort buildings were originally built for the USACE   these difficult soil conditions. Lastly, the order to proceed
            employees charged with maintaining the dam and facilities.   was issued in October of 2018 with an end date of May 7,
            The Adobe Belle buildings consist of four duplexes and one   2019. The start date was pushed back to January 7, by the
            singular dwelling. Because of the historical registration there   owner but the same end date was maintained. With detailed
            was an added layer of concern on the project. All building   coordination and planning, VAE was able to schedule on-
            exteriors had to remain undisturbed. The project entailed   site tasks and order long-lead materials in time to meet
            demolition and removal of separate overhead 208 volt   the decreased timeline. Items like the generator, automatic
            and 480 volt electrical services. These were replaced with   transfer switches and main distribution panelboards which
            separate pad-mounted transformers, one for each voltage.   typically take four months to manufacture and deliver
            The 208 volt was used for the Administration and Shop   were procured and delivered just in time to install, inspect
            buildings, each receiving new Main Distribution Panels (MDP).   and energize. The complicated installation of two separate
            The 480 volt component was for the Adobe Belle buildings.   electrical services (480 volt and 208 volt) provided by
                                                            utility power and two backup electrical systems (generator
            The project had its share of issues. The job site is forty   and photovoltaic power) under a compressed timeline
            miles from the nearest interstate highway and 190 ninety   all while maintaining VAE’s high standards of quality
            miles from VAE’s shop in Albuquerque. The crane required   workmanship were recognized by the owner and prime
            to set the generator, as configured, was too heavy to cross   contractor as going above and beyond what was expected.
            the dam. A subsequent plan resulted in overcoming this by





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