Customer
AEP
Location
West Virginia
Highlights
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Bolt Pattern Conflict Identified During Foundation Work
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Field-Driven Proposal Avoided Costly Redesign
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Kept Substation Project on Schedule Despite Tight Outage Constraints
Field-Driven Bolt Pattern Fix Saves Time in Substation Construction
The Challenge
Root Cause Analysis
- Design Misalignment: The field prints specified a 12” bolt pattern, but the steel fabricated for the structure had a 14” spacing.
- Material Procurement Variance: Engineering substituted a different steel structure but didn’t update foundation specs accordingly.
- Outage Risk: Delays would jeopardize the outage window, requiring complex customer rerouting or rescheduling.
The Solution
Field-Initiated Revision
Rather than proceed with engineering’s initial fix, stacking angle steel under the structure, the onsite Think Power Solutions construction lead proposed a cleaner solution: punch new holes directly into the bottom flange of the existing steel.Engineering Approval
The proposed fix maintained structural integrity while eliminating the need for additional materials. Engineers reviewed and approved the field modification.Schedule Integrity Maintained
This approach allowed work to proceed without interrupting the tight outage plan, preserving downstream timelines.Key Benefits
- Faster Resolution: Prevented delays that would have affected the full substation schedule.
- Cost Efficiency: Avoided new steel purchases or redundant foundation work.
- Outage Window Protected: Maintained customer service continuity.
- Field-Engineering Alignment: Showcased the value of experienced oversight teams proposing technically sound alternatives.