Watson Generating Station

Mass. Electric Construction Co. (MEC) and a team of six contractors are working the construction of the new 116MW Thomas A. Watson Generating Station.

Construction began on the project in April 2008. The project consists of the installation of two new 50MW, gas turbine Rolls Royce Generators, connected to two new, 70MVA transformers (GSU’s), which will eventually feed the grid at 115KV. The new station is being built on two acres of land adjacent to an existing plant, Potter II Power Plant, in Braintree, MA. The turbines and GSU’s were supplied by the owner, Braintree Electric Light Department, and were delivered to the job site in July 2008.

MEC’s portion of the contract includes the installation of:

• 15KV Switches
• Service Station Transformers
• MV Starters for gas compressors
• (4) 480V switchgear, Motor Control Centers
• EEE structure to house the Electrical Equipment
• All conduit and wiring (extensively in ductbanks)
• Ancillary electrical equipment

In addition to the generating station, a building to house the new gas compressors was built, and the housing for the control center for the new equipment was added.

The “first fire”, or initial testing, too place at the end of March 2009, and went off without any issues.

MEC was the prime electrical subcontractor working to complete this Engineer, Procure, Construct (EPC) contract by May 2009 - as originally scheduled.