FROM: James D. Herberg, General Manager
Originator: Rob Thompson, Assistant General Manager
SUBJECT:
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PLANT NO. 1 EMERGENCY GENERATOR BREAKER PURCHASE, PROJECT NO. MP-641
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GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
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RECOMMENDATION:
A. Approve a purchase order contract to Romac Supply Co., Inc. for the purchase of ten critical circuit breakers for Plant No.1 Project No. MP-641 per Specification No. E-2019-1091BD-R (Rebid), for a total amount not to exceed $102,326, plus applicable sales tax; and
B. Approve a contingency of $5,117 (5%).
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BACKGROUND
Circuit breakers are a critical part of the power distribution infrastructure and serve as protective devices to quickly isolate faults in an electrical power system. Emergency generators are protected by a single circuit breaker between the generator and the distribution system. This design creates a single point of failure on this critical back-up system. If the circuit breaker fails, the result is an emergency system that cannot function, placing plant operations at risk.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
* Protect Orange County Sanitation District assets
* 24/7/365 treatment plant reliability
* Maintain a proactive asset management program
PROBLEM
Several of the Plant No. 1 emergency generator circuit breakers have been in service for many years. Many of these large circuit breakers are no longer manufactured and not readily available. If spare units are not available at the time of failure, service outages of up to eight weeks are possible while faulty units are repaired.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Purchase dedicated spare breakers to mitigate the impact of single points of failure between generators and generator bus.
TIMING CONCERNS
Proceeding in a timely fashion is desired to prevent operational delays and to sustain a safe working environment during an emergency.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
Not taking action will potentially cause disruption or prolonged outage. ...
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