At Commonwealth Associates, we take pride in partnering with industry leaders to deliver engineering excellence. One of our most impactful ventures is the Data Center Substation Design & Interconnection Projects, where our team worked to ensure uninterrupted power supply to a high-priority data center owned by a leading global technology firm.
Project Details
Project Date: 2020 - Present
Type of Client: Large Utility and Technology
Project Region: Midwest
Services: Engineering design, procurement assistance, construction support for six data center substation and interconnection projects.
Project Objectives: Powering Mission-Critical Data Centers with Reliable Energy
The primary objective of this project was to deliver stable, uninterrupted power to a mission-critical data center by designing, constructing, and upgrading six substations. This initiative focused on substation design, procurement assistance, and construction support to meet demanding reliability requirements.
Key Features & Solutions
We successfully upgraded six substations, each designed to meet stringent power reliability and capacity requirements —essential for ensuring smooth data center operations. Key solutions delivered include:
Substation Civil and Physical Design
- Substations 1 & 2
Designed a new 138/34.5 kV transformer yard equipped with four 165 MVA transformers, significantly enhancing power capacity and energy distribution efficiency.
- Substation 3
Provided detailed civil and physical designs for a 345/34.5 kV transformer yard with four 125 MVA transformers, ensuring scalability and increased power output.
Substation Civil, Physical, Protection & Control Design
- Substations 4, 5 & 6
Comprehensive upgrades included civil, physical, protection, and control design for an existing 138/34.5 kV transformer yard housing three 50 MVA transformers. These improvements boosted reliability and operational performance.
Advanced Design Features for Reliable Power Delivery
Our team implemented high-precision electrical and civil engineering designs, ensuring the substations met critical performance requirements. Key enhancements included:
- Installation of two additional 138 kV circuit breakers and 100 MVA transformers for greater capacity.
- Integration of two 34.5 kV 7.2 MVAR capacitor banks for optimized voltage control.
- Addition of six new distribution breakers and line exits to improve system reliability and scalability.
Advanced protection schemes were also deployed to safeguard the infrastructure:
- 138 kV circuit breaker control and breaker failure protection systems.
- Transformer differential and overcurrent protection for fault management.
- Bus differential and line overcurrent protection frameworks, ensuring fault handling with minimal disruption.
These enhancements guarantee fault tolerance while protecting critical assets and maintaining an uninterrupted energy supply.
Why Choose Commonwealth for Substation Design and Power Solutions?
Industry Expertise: With years of experience in substation design and energy infrastructure, Commonwealth delivers tailored solutions for complex power challenges.
Innovative Engineering: Our team uses the latest technologies to create designs that balance reliability, scalability, and sustainability.
Client-Centric Support: We work closely with our clients to align project goals and deliver results that exceed expectations.
At Commonwealth, we know how essential a reliable, continuous power supply is for data centers in today’s digital world. By combining innovative substation engineering with exceptional execution, we ensure your organization has the power it needs to succeed.
Explore our project portfolio and see how we can meet your power delivery needs. Contact us today!
