ORLANDO, Florida — To meet the current and future needs of Beaches Energy Services’ more than 35,000 customers, the utility has selected Burns & McDonnell to implement a substation upgrade project in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The upgrade is one of the first progressive engineer-procure-construct (EPC) projects in Florida for a municipal electric utility.

“Beaches Energy Services has proudly served Florida residents and businesses for more than 100 years,” says Allen Putnam, director for Beaches Energy Services. “This project will give us the adaptability and flexibility we need to expand so we can continue providing reliable, resilient and environmentally responsible power and high-quality service to our customers. When it came to selecting a partner to design and build the project, we turned to Burns & McDonnell because of the firm’s long history of supporting critical infrastructure projects in Florida, extensive experience with transmission and substation systems, and strong track record of delivering EPC projects on time and on budget.”

Under the contract, Burns & McDonnell will provide services for the installation and energization of Autotransformer No. 2 at Beaches Energy Sampson Substation. The project scope includes removal and replacement of the existing Autotransformer No. 2, the addition of a 138k Power Voltage Transformer, the replacement of five motor-operated disconnect switches, and necessary relay panel modifications and upgrades. Construction began in May and is expected to conclude in August.

“We are proud to help Beaches Energy Services deliver one of the first municipal progressive EPC projects in the state,” says Matt Kapusta, regional Transmission & Distribution Group manager in Orlando for Burns & McDonnell. “As a fully integrated firm, we’re able to provide complete design and construction services from start to finish, helping improve agility, eliminate waste and yield higher returns on investment. The partnership between project owners and the professionals supporting the project establishes a foundation for the successful, quick, high-quality and safe execution of the project.”

Burns & McDonnell ranks among the top 10 design firms in the U.S. and as the No. 1 firm in Power, according to Engineering News-Record (ENR). Additionally, the firm has been recognized by ENR among the top 10 design-build firms. Burns & McDonnell has more than 55 offices around the world, including three within Florida. Within the past year, Burns & McDonnell was recognized as one of the top five largest engineering and environmental firms in Central Florida, an Outstanding Diverse Organization and a Best Place to Work by the Orlando Business Journal, as well as a Top Workplace by Orlando Sentinel.

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a family of companies bringing together an unmatched team of 7,600 engineers, construction professionals, architects, planners, technologists and scientists to design and build our critical infrastructure. With an integrated construction and design mindset, we offer full-service capabilities with more than 55 offices, globally. Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is a 100% employee-owned company and proud to be on Fortune’s 2020 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. Learn how we are on call through it all.