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Community Solar EPC

Dundas, MN

Challenging, award-winning project done on time, on budget

Project Details

Owner

Altus Power

Construction Type

New Construction Including Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)

Utility

Xcel Energy

Labor

100% Self-Performed by KE

Project Duration

October 2017 - February 2018

Megawatts

7.06 MW DC

Total Modules

19,800

Summary of Work Performed

The Situation

This 5-Megawatt, open-field community solar garden was constructed between October 2017 and February 2018. Knobelsdorff performed the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) on the project entirely in-house.

The Solution

The project proved to be challenging, primarily because of the schedule, which required most construction over the winter months. Heavy rainfall impeded pile driving and digging thousands of feet of trenches for underground wiring. The process was further complicated by an unusually rocky site and bitter -20-degree temperatures. KE successfully laid down more than 138 miles of wire, made nearly 90,000 wiring terminations, and oversaw the installation of 19,800 solar panels.

The Result

Despite challenges, the project was completed on time, within budget, and with zero safety issues. Today, this site operates successfully with the capacity to power an estimated 5000 average American homes. It requires virtually no maintenance during its estimated 30 years of operation. KE was selected as the first-place winner of the prestigious “Excellence in Construction” award for this category with the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) trade association – Minnesota and North Dakota chapter.

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