Helmkamp is completing $45 million in civil work including site preparation and installation of foundations for baghouses and dry scrubber equipment, the specialized equipment that removes sulfur dioxide from the coal plant’s exhaust flue gases. In addition, Helmkamp installed foundations for duct supports, support buildings, utility racks and silo foundations. Helmkamp also is performing all excavations for the required mechanical and electrical underground installations.
“Helmkamp’s performance on a project of this magnitude speaks volumes to their dedication, integrity and professionalism,” said Dynegy Baldwin Vice President Kenneth Pollmann. Helmkamp has had a presence on the Dynegy Baldwin site for 13 years.
The 36-month project was complex and challenging, demanding precise coordination and communications to work within the fully operational power plant on a tight site between the Dynegy Baldwin plant and Baldwin Lake.
Helmkamp placed more than 4,000 anchor bolts and 2,500 auger cast piles at 60-ft depths with no reworks. They achieved that accuracy using a Robotic Total Station and desktop software to perform layout tasks, which allowed the team to easily re-establish pile locations as needed later in the project.
“Performing layout with conventional equipment would be too error prone for a project this complex,” said Rob Johnes, vice president, Helmkamp. “We use the Robotic Total Station for rough excavation, foundations, locating piers and reference points for anchor bolts and underground piping, and for offset work.”
The project required approximately 30,000 cubic yards of concrete, much of it poured during two cold, snowy and icy winters. The largest single concrete pour was for the lime storage and waste ash silo foundation, in which three concrete pump trucks simultaneously poured a total 2,200 cubic yards of concrete in a limited access area. The second largest pour was approximately 1,300 cubic yards.
Numerous underground obstructions not shown on the drawings were located and identified during many of the projects excavations. These and other related issues were quickly resolved to keep the project on schedule and within budget.
Helmkamp performed 280,000 man-hours on the project with only one recordable incident. In 2008, Helmkamp received a zero injuries award from the National Maintenance Agreements Policy Committee for 57,321 injury-free self-performed man-hours on the Dynegy Baldwin job. Helmkamp received this same award from the National Maintenance Agreements Policy Committee for 102,800 injury free work hours for the 2009 calendar year.
