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Beginning this month, contractors from I.B. Abel Inc. will begin an electrical utilities upgrade on the Millersville University campus, resulting in numerous planned power outages of varying durations.
Approximately 50 miles of underground cable on campus will be replaced due to the old age of the electrical infrastructure. Replacement of the underground cables and the main electrical switchgear (the series of disconnect switches and/or circuit breakers used to protect and isolate equipment) is estimated to take approximately two years.
All major buildings on campus, including residence halls, will be affected by the power outages at some point during the construction.
“Some buildings will be shut down several times before the project is completed,” said Greg Petruno, the University’s construction project manager “Some shutdowns will be short, 1-2 hours, while others may take 8-10 hours. The duration of each shutdown is being studied now.”
To ensure maximum efficiency and safety, most residence hall shutdowns will occur during the afternoon, while academic building shutdowns will typically occur at night, when there is less of a chance of classroom interruption.
While extensive planning is underway to prevent conflict with major campus events, variables such as weather conditions can affect the timeline for the power outages.
“This is a major project which will affect every person on campus at various intervals over an extended period of time,” said Petruno. “Utmost patience and flexibility will be needed to get through this successfully.”
Alerts will be issued campuswide to inform staff and students of the impending shutdowns, allowing for the possibility of relocating classes/personnel if necessary.
Schedules and more information on the project are available at: https://blogs.millersville.edu/electricalinfrastructure/
