Dynegy Cites “Continuous Dedication”

Dynegy, Inc. needed to improve the quality of the emissions from their coal-fired power plant at the Baldwin Energy Complex in Baldwin, IL.

The process of doing this is called dry flue gas desulfurization, which removes sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the exhaust flue gases. This is accomplished by installing specialized equipment called baghouses and scrubbers.

To maximize the sulfur dioxide reduction, all three units at the power plant needed this equipment. Total cost of the project, which is ongoing toward a completion date in 2011, is $500 million. Helmkamp’s portion of this is approximately   $45 million, most of which is self-performed work.

Dynegy, Inc. hired Helmkamp Construction Company to manage all of the civil work for this project, including the site work, utility excavations and support, as well as installing all of the foundations.

Work must be closely coordinated because of tight space and the need to maintain plant operations. Access to the site is restricted by the main plant on one side and Baldwin Lake on the other.

This project was both complex and unique in many ways. Working in a power plant that is fully operational is a challenge in itself. Add to it limited access and mobility due to the location of the project being in between the plant and Baldwin Lake, which is used to cool the plant; along with several other companies and crafts that were directly hired by Dynegy, Inc. This required detailed coordination among all personnel and crafts on this project and also with Dynegy, Inc. personnel working inside the plant on normal operations.

There were many underground obstructions that were not shown on the drawings that Helmkamp efficiently identified and addressed, which helped keep the project on schedule and within budget.

Helmkamp personnel utilized a “Robotic Total Station” along with an LM80 Desktop which allowed for precise, efficient, and successful layout of over four thousand anchor bolts and all of the foundations, with zero reworks/re-dos. It also allowed Helmkamp to incorporate drawing revisions efficiently, by entering them into the desktop model, which then transferred them to the field for immediate implementation.

Helmkamp placed approximately two thousand five hundred auger cast piles at an average depth of sixty feet. The Robotic Total Station/LM80 was used during this work also, which would allow Helmkamp to easily re-establish pile locations if needed at a later time in the project. In order to save time and money Helmkamp used five gallon buckets to cover the exposed rebar on the auger-cast piles, instead of the traditional rebar caps.

Helmkamp poured a total of approximately thirty thousand cubic yards of concrete, with the largest single pour for the lime storage and waste ash silo foundations which was approximately 2,200 cubic yards, and required the coordination of three concrete pump trucks simultaneously during the pour with limited access to the site. The second largest pour was approximately 1,300 cubic yards.

There were many special challenges to this project. The first challenge was completing the excavations in a tight space with limited access for equipment. During excavation it was necessary to identify, communicate, and efficiently resolve issues related to underground obstructions that were not previously known to exist. Helmkamp precisely coordinated all work, effectively communicated daily activities, and immediately notified all involved of any unknown obstructions.

The second challenge was pouring new foundations for the new equipment in a tight space with limited access during the winter months for two consecutive winters. Site conditions included sub-freezing temperatures, snow, and ice.

Helmkamp allowed employees ample time to warm up as necessary, by having enough employees to rotate duties and by getting hourly forecast updates and precisely planning all concrete pours – which included a pour of over 2,000 cubic yards.

The final challenge was ensuring that normal activities inside the plant near the construction area were not uninterrupted. To do this, project management communicated as frequently as hourly with Dynegy operations staff working around the project and with Helmkamp personnel.

Dynegy, Inc. required this project to be completed in the safest possible manner. Helmkamp Construction Company completed this project with 200,000 man hours, with one recordable incident – a twisted knee.

Helmkamp personnel participated in daily tool box talks, along with daily job site analysis (JSA’s) to ensure all possible hazards had been identified and addressed.

Helmkamp and Dynegy, Inc. performed weekly progress meetings, as well as safety updates and training.  Other activities include quarterly tool inspection and monthly safety lunches on site.

Helmkamp Construction Company management conducts monthly companywide safety meetings for all employees, as well as monthly, quarterly and yearly safety rewards for safe performance.

In 2008 Helmkamp received a zero injuries award from the National Maintenance Agreements Policy Committee for 57,321 injury-free, self-performed man hours at Baldwin.

Helmkamp’s dedication to employees working safely has resulted in a current experience modification ratio (EMR) of 0.67.

The owners expected the quality of construction to be nothing short of superb.

Dynegy’s manager on the baghouse/scrubber project wrote:

“Helmkamp Construction Company’s performance to date on a project of this magnitude speaks volumes to their dedication, integrity and professionalism. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the great work they have performed and praise them for the continuous dedication to improving our facilities.”