Carlsbad Desalination Plant

Performance Utility Supply is excited to be a part of a project that will benefit thousands of our friends to the south. The Carlsbad Desalination Project consists of a 50 million gallon per day (56,000 acre-feet per year (AFY)) seawater desalination plant and the associated 10-mile water delivery pipeline. The project is located at the Encina Power Station in the City of Carlsbad.

Desalination has evolved into a desirable water supply alternative by tapping the largest reservoir in the world - the Pacific Ocean. The technology, available for decades, is at work in many arid areas of the world including the Middle East, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. A 30-year Water Purchase Agreement is in place between the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) and Poseidon for the entire output of the plant. Construction on the plant and pipeline is under way and the Project will be delivering water to the businesses and residents in San Diego County by 2016.

WE NEED WATER
State, regional and local water plans all have confirmed that immediate and pressing water needs cannot be accomplished without some investment in seawater desalination.

• The project will provide 56,000 AFY of new water supply for the San Diego region.
• The CA Department of Water Resources’ 2009 Water Plan Update identifies the need for 275,000 AF of desalinated water by 2025.
• The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Integrated Water Resources Plan identifies a need for 150,000 AFY of seawater desalination (including 56,000 AFY from the Carlsbad project) by the year 2020.
• The San Diego County Water Authority’s (SDCWA) Urban Water Management Plan identifies a need for 56,000 AFY of seawater desalination from the Carlsbad project by 2016.

THE BENEFITS OF THE DESALINATION PLANT
The Carlsbad City Council found that “the desalination plant serves an extraordinary public purpose.”

• Provides high quality drinking water that will compare favorably with existing water supplies.
• Generates up to $5.3 million per year in increased property and business tax revenues.
• 2,300 construction jobs and 500 new permanent jobs.

The project will advance the goals of the Coastal Act to maintain, restore and enhance public access and recreation and maintain, restore and enhance the marine environment through the dedication of more than 15 acres of lagoon and ocean front land for public purposes.

THE CONSTRUCTION
Poseidon Water has contracted with a joint venture of Kiewit Infrastructure West and J.F. Shea Construction, Inc., to design and build the desalination plant and pipeline. IDE Technologies, Ltd., a world leader in desalination technology and operations, will engineer the desalination plant’s design and equipment and handle plant operations.

Construction on the plant began in late 2012 and pipeline construction began in spring of 2013. Pipeline installation is currently underway in Carlsbad and Vista. In San Marcos, construction is nearing completion as crews are working to restore and repave streets where pipeline installation occurred. To keep the public informed about the progress of construction, Poseidon Water will provide regular construction updates on this website related to timing and potential detours and closures. Poseidon Water will work to minimize impacts to nearby businesses, residents, and commuters during construction. We appreciate your patience during this vital water supply project. 

Performance Utility Supply started supplying materials to the Carslbad Desalination Project in April 2013 and is still delivering approximately once a week. Materials include:

• Various sizes of SCH40 conduit, fittings, bends, segments
• Various sizes of GRC coated conduit and bends
• Duct spacers, plugs, custom made reducers, junction box adapters

Performance Utility Supply delivered PVC Conduit, PVC Coated Conduit, Fiberglass Conduit, and Medium Voltage Copper Cable

Here is an introduction video to the Carlsbad Desalination Plant Project:

But let's get into what us dirt heads are really all about: Construction and Toys. Here is a drone flying over the project January 2014:

There is a wealth of information you can find on the Carlsbad Desalination Project Website. Besides that, they have Twitter and Facebook to keep everyone up-to-date. All construction photos are courtesy and copyright CarlsbadDesal on Flickr.

About Poseidon Water
Poseidon Water specializes in developing and financing water infrastructure projects, primarily seawater desalination and water treatment plants. Poseidon’s projects are implemented through innovative public-private partnerships that link private financing with the construction and operation of water supply and treatment projects.

Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement

To better meet today’s growing traffic volumes, the Port of Long Beach has begun a project to replace the Gerald Desmond Bridge. The project is a joint effort of Caltrans and the Port, with funding contributions from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

The new bridge will be built with a cable-stayed design. With 200 feet of clearance over the water, the new bridge will be high enough to accommodate the newest generation of the most efficient cargo ships. And with three lanes in each direction plus safety lanes, it will be wider and better able to serve the 68,000 vehicle trips a day and about 18 million trips a year. 

Courtesy of the Port of Long Beach

The route is an important one. The Gerald Desmond Bridge has been designated as a National Highway System Intermodal Connector Route and part of the Federal Strategic Highway Network. It is a critical structure serving the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the City of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Orange counties and the nation.

Courtesy of the Port of Long Beach

Construction of the new bridge and removal of the existing bridge is expected to take five years starting in early 2013. During construction, the current bridge will remain in use for drivers and will be taken down once the new bridge is completed and open. The bridge project will generate, on average, about 3,000 jobs for the five years of building the new bridge and taking down the existing structure. 

Courtesy of the Port of Long Beach

PROJECT BENEFITS: 

• Three lanes in each direction for improved traffic flow
• Emergency lanes on both sides to reduce traffic delays and safety hazards from accidents and vehicle breakdowns
• A 200-foot vertical clearance to accommodate the world’s largest, “greener” vessels
• A reduction in the bridge’s steep grades, for further improvements to traffic flow
• A planned bike/pedestrian path with scenic overlooks
• Additional improvements include reconstruction of the Terminal Island East Interchange and the I-710/Gerald Desmond Bridge Interchange 

Courtesy of the Port of Long Beach

PERFORMANCE UTILITY SUPPLY ON THE JOB

Performance Utility Supply started delivering materials to the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project in August 2013. Some of the materials include:

• Various sizes on SCH40 conduit, fittings, bends, segments
• Various sizes on SCH80 conduit
• EMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) conduit
• Fiberglass risers
• Yellow poly rope, purple primer, glue, ground rods & clamps,  copper wire, expandable plugs, duct spacers
• Custom made 20" Full Complement Bore Spacer with 4 ea. 5" & 1ea. 2" Sch40 PVC Conduits made of 3/4" HDPE

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT

WEBSITE: www.newgdbridge.com 

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/newgdbridge 

TWITTER: @newgdbridge 

YOUTUBE: LBBridgeProject 

All Photos courtesy of the Port of Long Beach
Information Provided by the Port of Long Beach Fact Sheet

Supplying Materials To HP Communications

Under the hot desert sun, HP Crew is using a Condux Fiber Optic Cable Blower to blow microfiber into Duraline's 10/8 microduct.

Performance Utility Supply recently supplied materials to our client, HP Communications, for their telecommunications project. HP Communications is full turnkey OSP/ISP contractor whose mission statement parallels Performance Utility Supply's: committing themselves to quality and the highest standards of workmanship. They have offices across the United States with over 300 in-house employees. 

This particular project has HP Communications laying the fiber optic cable and microduct for the Zayo Group, who is constructing and operating a telecommunications equipment shelter for a fiber optic regeneration facility. The purpose of the equipment shelter is to regenerate the fiber optic signal and be used for data transfer. The project includes cast in place concrete foundations, a pre-manufacture equipment shelter, and back up generator.

Left: HP is blowing microfiber into the "white" 10/8 microduct. Right: Condux Fiber Optic Blower

Performance Utility Supply worked with Chris Dotinga, San Diego Project Manager at HP Communications, to supply them with Duraline 8/10 Microduct & OFS Microfiber. Microduct is very small in size and the fiber is even smaller because it goes inside the microduct. Duraline MicroDuct allows you to expand your fiber network and increase bandwidth as your needs increase. To get the microfiber into the microduct, HP is using a CONDUX Fiber Optic Cable Blower; the Gulfstream 400 deluxe fiber-optic blower.

You can see a video of it in action by clicking here.

It will run from El Centro, CA to Yuma, AZ; around 60 miles of cable.

Left: The HP crew making it all happen! Right: Laying out figure-8 fiber.

Cascade Solar Power Plant

P.U.S. is all about the green...ENERGY, that is! Performance Utility Supply provided utility supplies to the newly completed Cascade Solar Power Plant, located in Joshua Tree, California. 

SunEdison, a leading solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services, announced last month that it had completed construction of a 24 megawatt direct current solar power plant located in the California Desert.  The Cascade solar power plant is supplying renewable electricity to San Diego Gas & Electric through a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).  Wells Fargo & Company provided tax equity financing following completion of the solar power plant. 

The 150-acre solar power plant is comprised of more than 75,000 SunEdison Silvantis™ Monocrystalline Solar PV Modules mounted to SunEdison AP90 Single Axis Trackers.  Silvantis Modules are built using SunEdison polysilicon and wafers to ensure maximum reliability and performance.  SunEdison AP90 single axis trackers help maximize energy harvest. The plant will be managed by the SunEdison Renewable Operation Center (ROC), which provides global 24/7 asset management, monitoring, field dispatch and reporting services.

The project's PPA was awarded under the California Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM). The RAM process is designed to ensure ratepayers get energy at a low cost by using a reverse auction and standard contracts, which simplifies contracting and streamlines regulatory reviews.  To date this is the largest solar project to come on-line under the RAM program and the first RAM project constructed for SDG&E.

"It's an honor to bring the largest solar power plant interconnected through the California RAM program online," said Bob Powell, president, North America, SunEdison.  "It supports our focus on growth and the growth of the solar industry in California.  We are fortunate to work with Wells Fargo, a committed finance partner, which shares our vision for increasing the availability of renewable energy.  Their support is vital to completing projects like this one."

Performance Utility Supply started on the Cascade renewable energy project in 2013. The materials P.U.S. delivered included –

• Various sizes on SCH40 conduit, fittings, bends, segments
• Various sizes on SCH80 conduit
• EMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) conduit
• Glue, tape, locknuts, yellow poly rope

SOURCE SunEdison, Inc. 
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140319/NY86855-a
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140319/NY86855-b
Photo - https://blogs.wellsfargo.com/environment/2014/04/financing-solar-power-sunedison-completes-24-mw-cascade-solar-power-plant/
Photo - http://www.sunedison.com/wps/wcm/connect/70c88279-4e61-4daf-bc4c-ac76b56a0803/1/Cascade+II_076.jpg?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=70c88279-4e61-4daf-bc4c-ac76b56a0803/1

RELATED LINKS
http://www.sunedison.com

The Source at Buena Park

In November 2013, Performance Utility Supply began delivering materials to The Source, a new retail destination in Southern California. The Source will be the premiere destination for the aspiring Buena Park community, also known as the “Center of the Southland,” and its surrounding areas. It is a welcomed addition to Buena Park, which lacks major retail centers.  The area is densely populated; 7.5 million residents live within a 20-mile radius. Positioned in Orange County, it will be an exciting haven for locals and out-of-town shoppers to indulge in a unique fusion of world-class shopping, dining and entertainment.

With its distinct, modern design, retail-lined streetscapes, dining patios, water features and well-manicured rooftop gardens, The Source will entice and captivate each guest as they journey through this exciting, aesthetically inspiring, dining and retail rich shopping mecca. To further enhance The Source as a highly desired and frequented destination, a health club, entertainment and nightlife concepts will be a part of the diverse experiential mix.

• Approximately 400,000-square-foot multi-experiential retail destination
• Dynamic and modern urban design
• A curated selection of shopping, dining, and entertainment choices, featuring international, national, and boutique brands
• Convenient, state-of-the-art above-grade parking structures with valet options
• Energetic streetscapes and lively patio seating areas
• Lush landscaping, garden walkways, water features, and more unique points of interest
• Full integration of the latest in digital media technology
• Special events, live entertainment, and ongoing event programming in the plazas
• Additional office, residential, and hotel components

Since November 2013, Performance Utility Supply has provided:

• Various sizes on SCH40 conduit, fittings, bends, segments
• EMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) conduit
• Ty-Wire, glue, ground rods, copper wire, plugs, marking paint

Performance Utility supply takes pride in providing quality materials to The Source, breaking new ground in Buena Park, and helping the growth of its economy.   

All images COPYRIGHT 2011 - 2014 © THE SOURCE. Information gathered from The Source Press Package: http://sourceatbeach.com/press.temp.shtml

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Performance Utility Supply is currently supplying material to “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” theme park that will be located at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. Besides a boost in tourism to the park, it will also generate jobs. Lots and lots of jobs. In the official news release from NBC Universal, their "Evolution Plan" for the 391-acre lot should stimulate $2 billion of economic activity in the region and create upwards of 30,000 jobs.

NBCUniversal Evolution Plan No Residential Alternative is a blueprint for the 391-acre Universal City property. Image Copyright 2013 - NBCUniversal

"After nearly a decade of work on the Evolution Plan, today’s vote sets the stage for our next 100 years in Los Angeles,” said Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios. “We are thankful for the support and leadership we have received from both the County and City of Los Angeles and are ready to get started investing in these important tourism and production projects in the next few months."

Concurrently, Orlando's “Wizarding World of Harry Potter” will get an expansion. Since the Harry Potter attraction opened in, company executives have said attendance has jumped by about 50 percent, but did not give raw figures.

"It was a game changer for us and frankly for Orlando," said Meyer. "The expansion in Orlando will make it that much more of a must-see, and we'll have the same experience here."

At Universal Orlando, one of Diagon Alley’s shops is Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes - a vibrant shop featuring novelty items, magical jokes, and toys inspired by the books and films that will amaze the mischievous child in everyone. © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

Executives did not immediately detail their plans for the Hollywood park, but Meyer said there was enough room to expand. Unfortunately, that meant saying bye-bye to music and hello to Hogwarts. The Gibson Amphitheatre (Universal Amphitheater to us old-timers) closed last September to make room for the new park.  

The similar attraction in Orlando took four and a half years to complete, and the Universal Studios project will probably take the same amount of time, suggesting a late 2016 opening.

So far, Performance Utility Supply has supplied the Universal Studios project with the following materials:

• Various sizes of GRC conduit, sweeps, segments, fitting and custom made nipples
• Various sizes of PVC conduit, sweeps, segments, and fitting
• Glue
• Tape
• Copper wire

HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. 

Sources: https://media.universalorlando.com/multimedia/hpdetail.aspx?id=44093&ct=27761&Src=tcm:70-38229-64
http://nbcuniversalevolution.com/plan
https://media.universalorlando.com/HarryPotterNews/Default.aspx
http://insideuniversal.net/2014/04/universal-announces-ambitious-transformation-plan/

Air Treatment Facility at Mission Road and Jesse Street

In January, Performance Utility Supply began delivering materials to a Los Angeles based project for construction of a new sewer air treatment facility at Mission Road and Jesse Street.

Some fast facts about the project:

Location: 
Los Angeles, CA

Owner:
City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Sanitation

Construction Cost:
$16,500,000

General Contractor Contract Price:
$14,892,000.00

The above photo shows some of the current work being done on the facility. Image courtesy Jacobs Associates.

The project involves the construction and operation of a sewer air treatment facility (ATF) near the intersection of Mission Road and Jesse Street, at 651 South Mission Road, as well as the vacation of two street segments immediately adjacent to the project site. Near the intersection of Mission Road and Jesse Street, wastewater drops approximately 23 feet from the shallower North Outfall Sewer (NOS) to the deeper ECIS.

The turbulence created by this drop releases foul air. The ATF is intended to treat this foul air resulting from the turbulent flow. The ATF would treat foul air emitted from the ECIS and would include two-stage treatment, with biotrickling filtration (BTF) vessels as the first stage and activated carbon absorption as the second stage. The BTF vessels would remove hydrogen sulfide and some odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), while the carbon units would remove the majority of the remaining VOCs and odors.

The project is to be constructed on approximately one-third of an acre and include three BTFs, four carbon units, one 25-foot tall exhaust stack, a fan building, a standby generator, a transformer, and a recirculation pit. These facilities would be located south of the existing Mission & Jesse drop structure located in the most northern area of the site.

Materials that Performance Utility Supply has begun delivering include ¾”, 1”, 1 ½”, 2”, 3”, 4” and 5” SCH40 & SCH80 conduit and fittings, various sizes of custom built sweeps, and low emission glue.

Jacobs Associates, an engineering company, is providing an on-site resident engineer to interface with the contractor and ensure that the project is completed on time and according to the specifications. The construction cost for this project is $16.5 million. This project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2014.

For further project information, see the project descriptions for the city of Los Angeles’ wastewater improvement program, located at: http://lacitysan.org/fmd/WCIP/WCIPBook06-07.pdf

Scattergood Generating Station

In August, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) began rebuilding the Scattergood Generating Station to reduce—and take steps towards eliminating—ocean water cooling, emissions from the plant, and improve power reliability. This project marks an effort to continue progress towards clean energy in Los Angeles. Performance Utility Supply, also located in Southern California, was contracted to provide the complete sub-structure package for the Scattergood Generating Station, consisting of all PVC Conduit, Galvanized Rigid Conduit (GRC), and the Fiberglass Conduit.

The following photos show some of the work currently being done on the Scattergood project with the materials provided by Performance Utility Supply:

Performance Utility Supply started delivering to the Scattergood Project in November 2013. Deliveries are scheduled every other day at 0700 with a tractor and trailer full of material. Types of materials sent to the Scattergood Project include:

·Various sizes SCH40 Conduit and couplings

·4” Fiberglass 90 x 48 Risers with 2x Swedge

·12” SDR35 Pipe Gasketed 20’

·Various sizes GRC couplings and conduit

·NOALOX anti-Oxidant

·Various sized of PVC fittings

·Various size sweeps and segments with various degrees of bends, all custom made

·Various sizes lifting eyes

·GRC Threaded Insert Plugs

·Carlon Base & Intermediate Spacers

·JM Base & Intermediate Spacers

·CalAm Base & Intermediate Spacers

·8” Sch40 Irrigation Conduit

·Custom made GRC Nipples

·Aervoe Galvanizing Paint Coating

·Glue

Scattergood Generating Station is a 55-acre facility adjacent to the Pacific Ocean in west Los Angeles. It consists of three units that are currently conventional steam turbine generators that burn natural gas in boiler units to create steam. Unit 3 has the largest output, of 460 megawatts. The new generating units that Performance Utility Supply is providing materials for will be 33% more fuel efficient than the existing Unit 3, and feature advanced pollution control systems.

For more information on the project, see the following video from NewswireLA:

Performance Utility Supply In Glamis

If you're a Glamis fan, chances are you've crossed paths with the Performance Utility Sand Rail. You've probably even been dusted once or twice by the Sand Devil behind the wheel, our very own "Double Clutch." It's always in good fun. I mean if you can't handle a little sand in your beer then you probably shouldn't be at Glamis in the first place. Performance Utility Supply employees love to open it up and cut loose in Glamis. Here are a couple of shots from our last trip and some video of what your missing if you've never been.

Performance Utility Supply Unveils New Website

Welcome to the new Performance Utility Supply Inc website. It's taken a little bit of time and a whole lot of hard work, but it's finally ready for the world. Our new site was designed with our clients in mind. We've filled it with what they've been asking for, more information about PUS, the products we offer, the services we provide and our trusted manufacturers. We've made it easier than ever to connect with PUS by integrating social media. So take a second to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and connect with us on LinkedIn. We are committed to providing our customers with exactly what they need to get the job done right and we think our new website will only help us keep our commitment. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.