Customer

AEP

Location

West Virginia

Highlights

  • Strain bus support fabrication error identified during reassembly
  • Field-proposed solution prevented rework and delay
  • Tight outage window maintained with collaborative engineering

Field-Driven Fix Keeps Substation Project on Track

The Challenge

As part of a major substation upgrade project, the Think Power Solutions construction oversight team began disassembling existing 46kV bus work and preparing for reassembly using upgraded 1272 AAC wire. During this process, they discovered a fabrication error in six strain bus supports, the mounting ears were incorrectly manufactured and did not align with the field print's 12-inch bolt pattern. The misalignment posed a serious risk to the construction timeline. With tight outage schedules and customers already placed on radial feeds, delays would have had operational and financial consequences for the utility.



Root Cause Analysis 

  • Manufacturing Defect: The strain bus supports had mounting ears fabricated at incorrect dimensions. 
  • Outage Constraints: Limited outage windows and radial feed dependencies meant that delays were not an option. 
  • Procurement Lag: Ongoing material delays and shifting delivery dates had already created pressure on the project schedule. 

The Solution

Field Escalation & Engineering Collaboration

The issue was escalated immediately to the engineering firm responsible for the substation’s structural and electrical design. The proposed solution from engineering, stacking angle steel beneath the misaligned structure, was not ideal due to stability and installation concerns. 

Proposed Field Fix

Think Power’s site inspector proposed a more practical solution: modify the existing strain bus supports by punching new holes in the C-channel to match the required bolt pattern, avoiding additional materials and maintaining structural integrity. 

Approval & Execution

The engineers agreed to the revised approach. The supports were successfully reworked in the field, reinstalled to spec, and the reassembly process continued without delay. 

Key Benefits

  • Schedule Preservation: Prevented extended outages and delays by resolving the issue on-site. 
  • Cost Efficiency: Avoided reordering or redesigning components. 
  • Engineer-Approved Adaptability: Reinforced trust in field recommendations. 
  • Improved Materials Communication: Flagged procurement and manufacturing issues for upstream correction. 

The Results

The substation upgrade was delivered on schedule and within the estimated budget. All project objectives were met, including structural integrity, schedule adherence, and client satisfaction. The project showcased the value of field-engineered solutions and real-time decision-making to avoid disruption in complex substation work.

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