LEE + RO to Design a New 12-kV Electrical Service Entrance Switchgear for Sonoma County Water Agency

The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) owns, operates, and manages the electrical system at Sonoma Water's Airport/Larkfield/Wikiup Sanitation Zone's Treatment Plant. The treatment plant was constructed in the early 1980s and a photovoltaic system was installed in 2007 to offset utility costs. Currently SCWA staff must schedule a PG&E utility shutdown to safely isolate the treatment plant electrical system from the utility service when conducting routine maintenance and repairs. SCWA wants the connection to the photovoltaic system reconfigured to facilitate isolation of the treatment plant electrical system.

LEE + RO has been contracted to provide the engineering design and construction support services for the installation of a new outdoor service entrance switchboard designed per PG&E Greenbook standards. LEE + RO will design a new 12-kV service entrance switchgear that facilitates electrical isolation of the existing 12-kV distribution switchgear from PG&E. This will allow maintenance of the 12-kV distribution switchgear without requiring a PG&E shut down. The 12-kV feeder to the existing photovoltaic system shall be reconfigured to comply with current PG&E requirements.

The design of the site improvements at both the new and existing switchgear will protect the equipment and improve staff working conditions. Improvements include canopies with lighting over equipment and concrete pad modifications to provide required working clearances and prevent standing water around the equipment.