Army buildings benefit from improved network resilience
Significant investment in electrical lifecycle works is enhancing defence infrastructure in Wiltshire.
A major lifecycle project delivered by Aspire Defence and funded by MUJV is delivering significant improvements to the electrical network of over forty Army buildings at Warminster Garrison in Wiltshire.
With many of the buildings at Waterloo Lines dating from the 1950s, a five-year project began in 2015 to address a historic lack of resilience in the Low Voltage (LV – 11kv) electrical ring.
The LV network is currently managed by KBR Aspire Defence Services Limited (ADSL). ADSL is contracted under the MOD’s Project Allenby/Connaught (PAC) to deliver a range of facilities management services on the defence estate, across Salisbury Plain and at Aldershot.
Working with their utilities sub-contractor MUJV, ADSL has completed upgrades to 12 priority buildings, alongside an additional eight assets requiring remedial works. This year, seven projects are either in progress or planned and a further 14 buildings will be completed after 2019. Ultimately, the LV network will pass to UKPNS operational responsibility, in line with the rest of the PAC estate.
Jonathan Gould, Asset Manager for ADSL, explained:
“Many of the Army’s buildings were interconnected, sharing supplies and isolation, and there was a need to harmonise the earthing requirements. Inherited interfaces between ADSL, MUJV and UKPNS also lacked clarity of responsibilities, with a potential risk to safe working practices.”
Improving the Garrison network is an ongoing and complex task that has required effective multi-agency communication and collaboration, as well as considerable forward planning to minimise disruption to the military customer. In many buildings, MUJV and UKPNS had to provide new independent supplies; in others, the location of the supplies had to change. This work was absorbed into planned and existing lifecycle works, to mitigate against additional costs. The successful delivery of works to date has resulted in improved network resilience and additional benefits.
Jonathan added:
“The Army buildings have new, upgraded electrical systems capable of being isolated independently and designed to suit current requirements. Security of power supplies should improve, with less buildings at risk of unavailability, and recent changes in electrical legislation will ensure additional safety protection is installed. The works have also created an opportunity for some communications systems to be upgraded.”
Mark Furnival, Assistant Head (Infra) PAC for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), said:
“The impressive progress of the network upgrade at Warminster Garrison is testament to the excellent working partnerships and collaboration between Aspire Defence, its contractors, the Army and the DIO. This investment will deliver significant, long-term benefits to the military and supports our ambition to create a better defence estate.”
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