CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of RFP 25-034, Testing and Commissioning Engineer, to Albrecht Engineering LLC for an amount not to exceed $365,000 and for a two-year term
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DEPARTMENT: Electric Utility
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Groth, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The Naperville Electric Utility (Utility) has a need for Relay Testing and Commissioning Engineering services. Relays detect power system faults or disturbances and send commands to open breakers or reconfigure electrical system equipment. Without properly functioning relays, the Utility's equipment would not safely and efficiently operate resulting in possible catastrophic damage to assets such as underground cable and transformers. NERC is the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. It is a not-for-profit regulatory authority that regulates the electric grid. PRC-005-6 is a specific Standard that they issued regarding relay testing and routine maintenance. Per NERC PRC-005-6, distribution utilities should do routine testing on relay protection systems. There are approximately 650 relays throughout 17 substations that need to be tested on a regular six-year maintenance cycle according to NERC PRC-005-6 and industry best practice.
The Utility has hired a new Relay Testing and Commissioning Engineer, who will require time and mentorship to become fully proficient. Partnering with an experienced engineering firm specializing in relay testing, commissioning, and fault analysis will enable the Utility to complete scheduled projects effectively, address current gaps, and support the development of the Utility's internal team for long-term success.
In January 2025, the Utility issued RFP 25-034, Testing and Commissioning Engineer, in order to establish a 2-year strategic partnership with a testing and commissioning engineering firm. The goal of the partnership is to support on-going capital and maintenance projects while simultaneously ...
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