Project Overview
Columbia Engineering Group provided electrical engineering for the Pine Lodge Electrical Feeder Replacement project at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake, Washington. The project replaced medium-voltage cabling throughout the campus and brought the system up to current code. The existing cabling had exceeded its service life and had started to fail at termination points.
Because the campus remained operational during construction, the work required careful phasing and outage planning. Therefore, the design limited planned outages to a maximum of four hours. In addition, the project replaced two medium-voltage fused sectionalizing cabinets and the main medium-voltage service entrance equipment.
Engineering Scope of Work
The electrical scope focused on reliability, code compliance, and coordination across the campus distribution network. In particular, the design addressed medium-voltage replacement, phased construction, loop coordination, and utility-related studies.
Medium-Voltage Distribution
The design replaced medium-voltage cabling throughout the campus. As a result, the project addressed feeders that had exceeded their service life and had started to fail at termination points.
Construction Phasing & Outage Planning
The project included a detailed construction phasing sequence. Because campus operations had to continue, the design limited planned outages to no more than four hours.
Service Entrance & Sectionalizing Equipment
The scope replaced two medium-voltage fused sectionalizing cabinets. It also replaced the main medium-voltage service entrance equipment.
Campus Electrical Loop Coordination
The campus includes three medium-voltage loops that allow switching to isolate buildings. Accordingly, the design coordinated the replacement within that looped distribution system.
Power System Studies & Utility Coordination
The project coordinated with the power utility company’s contribution. This included fault current calculations, arc flash study, voltage drop calculations, protective relaying, time current curve coordination, and equipment labeling.
Project Outcome
The project replaced aging medium-voltage cabling and key service equipment at Eastern State Hospital. At the same time, it brought the system up to current code. Because the design used phased construction, planned outages remained limited during implementation.
In addition, the work accounted for the campus’s three medium-voltage loops. It also incorporated utility coordination and supporting power studies. Together, these efforts supported a more coordinated feeder replacement process for the campus electrical system.
What Made This Project Stand Out
The project addressed medium-voltage cabling that had exceeded its service life. In addition, it responded to failures that had started at termination points.
Because the campus remained in operation, outage planning was a key part of the design. Therefore, the phased sequence limited planned outages to a maximum of four hours.
The design worked within a campus system that includes three medium-voltage loops. As a result, the project had to account for switching, isolation, and service continuity.
In addition to equipment replacement, the project coordinated fault current, arc flash, voltage drop, relaying, time current curve, and labeling requirements. This supported a more complete electrical design approach.