Zion Energy Center
Owner: Calpine
Client: Kenny Construction Company
Value: $185 million dollars.
Oversaw all aspects of this project including accountability for P&L and schedule performance for Kenny Construction Company who served as the prime contractor for the engineering, design, procurement, construction (EPC) and commissioning of the Zion Energy Center Unit 1, 2 and 3, a 450 MW simple cycle power plant and associated electrical substations. Based on the project team’s performance on the first two units a contract for Unit 3 was negotiated. Calpine awarded the contract for Zion Units 1 & 2 in June of 2001 and declared the Units commercial in May of 2002. Calpine awarded the Unit 3 contract in April of 2002 and declared that Unit commercial in June of 2003. The construction site was a 12-acre greenfield location inside the city limits of Zion, Illinois (approximately 50 miles north of Chicago). Prior to the start of construction worked extensively with Calpine to resolve numerous permitting issues — completed initial synchronization to the power grid in 7 months and one week. The scope of services included design of the ultimate site development as well as EPC for six additional buildings onsite. Other EPC activities included the gas turbines, electrical generators, transformers, switchgear, the associated balance of plant piping and electrical equipment, three field erected tanks, the turbine generator digital control system (DCS), an electrical substation for the Units’ output and an electrical substation for interconnection to the transmission system. After completion of all construction tasks and component testing, system walk-downs were completed and systems turned over to the Owners plant operations group. Unit commissioning activities included synchronization to the electric grid, performance testing, emissions and noise testing. The completion of this project required strong project management expertise and a project controls program that could effectively manage over 50 separate contractors and prepare and execute the complex sequencing of crews, equipment and materials necessary to complete the project and generate power on schedule. The site resources peaked at 320 craft during Unit 1 and 2 and the Unit 3 construction sequence was completed while Unit 1 & 2 was in service.
