Substation Expansion

Salas O’Brien partnered with Vincennes University to design a new 10MVA substation. Having experienced prior electrical disruptions and reliability issues, the university needed to upgrade its electrical infrastructure system to continue serving the needs of campus facilities. The new substation required tie-ins to both new and existing underground medium voltage feeders and local utility lines, which led to the chosen build location requiring a compact design. Despite this challenge, our team created a versatile substation that allows for redundant redistribution of electrical loads between stations, ensures personnel safety, and encourages optimal equipment operation. The university currently runs on a 5kV distribution system with a long-term plan to grow to 15kV, so we ensured the new substation has dual equipment voltage ratings. This unique characteristic allows for an easy voltage upgrade that requires only minor modifications, thus minimizing future capital expenses.