At Con J. Franke Electric, we pride ourselves on delivering innovative commercial electrical solutions for challenging projects, and our work at the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD) Solids Handling Facility in Martinez, California is no exception. This multi-year undertaking is one of our largest and most complex endeavors to date and endeavors to ensure the reliable operation of the plant’s sludge dewatering system, multiple hearth furnaces, air pollution controls, and seismic upgrades.
Project Value:
$25,067,377
Project Duration:
Started in September 2023 – estimated 4 to 5 years
Key Personnel:
- Project Manager: Garrett Carpenter
- Foremen: Sean Rode and Greg Mills
- Project Assistant: Destiny Flores
This comprehensive project tackles demolition, structural upgrades, architectural modifications, mechanical improvements, electrical overhauls, as well as instrumentation and controls enhancements. Our team is retrofitting two multi-hearth furnaces that have been in operation since 1973, installing new wet scrubbers, and upgrading major electrical systems such as motor control centers (MCCs). Overall, we are renovating the electrical components in this four-story facility to meet modern code requirements.
Extensive Investigation and Planning
From the outset, we recognized the importance of detailed planning for a renovation of this magnitude—especially in an operational industrial facility. During the first year, we conducted an in-depth investigation of the entire building, meticulously documenting the existing instrumentation, cable runs, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This level of pre-work due diligence is rare, but it has proven invaluable for developing accurate cutover and sequencing plans as it helped us identify hidden conduits, outdated wiring, and potential conflicts before commencing the primary construction and installation phases.
Major Scope Highlights
- Multiple Hearth Furnaces – Retrofits
Each furnace has 80 burners. We will shut down and upgrade the first furnace in March 2024 for approximately 18 months, then move on to the second furnace. Ensuring continued operations during these shutdowns requires precise sequencing and advanced planning.
- Motor Control Centers (MCCs)
We are procuring six MCCs (up to 2000 amps) to manage the facility’s extensive equipment. Two MCCs will be housed in a new fiberglass reinforced polyester (FRP) modular building, while the rest will be integrated within the plant. Delays in MCC procurement due to supply chain issues add extra complexity to our schedule.
- SCADA Upgrade
We’re integrating a new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to handle all facility operations. Many PLC drops for input/output (IO) signals and instrumentation will tie into this new system, substantially modernizing how the facility is monitored and controlled.
- Seismic Strengthening
Because of the plant’s age, significant seismic retrofits are in progress. We’ve had to track down old conduits and reroute or replace them to keep the plant’s essential systems operational while making these upgrades.
- Maintaining Operations
Given that the incineration process (sludge is burned and then the ash is handled elsewhere) is a 24/7 operation, we need to minimize downtime. We’ve partially pulled and staged wire in advance, so when the new equipment arrives or a furnace goes offline, we can rapidly switch or install without causing extended shutdowns.
Team and Collaboration
With 25+ Con J. Franke Electric team members involved—from bid and estimating through operations and management—this project embodies our commitment to collaboration and adaptability. While the general contractor has brought in an instrumentation subcontractor directly, we still coordinate closely to ensure all systems integrate seamlessly. We also partner with a testing firm and a fiber subcontractor, among others, to ensure every aspect of this complex renovation is addressed properly.
Challenges and Triumphs
Large design changes and shifting timelines are inevitable in a project of this scale. We face supply chain delays on crucial equipment like MCCs, and the facility’s ongoing operations demand careful sequencing of shutdowns.
Despite these obstacles, we view the project as “challenging and exciting,” with a strong team spirit that keeps everyone focused on solutions. More than a traditional bid-build job, this work often feels like design-build due to the ongoing discovery of issues in a nearly 50-year-old facility.
Positive Impacts
While incineration isn’t commonly used in new wastewater projects, the process at CCCSD is grandfathered in, and modernizing it keeps the facility functional and compliant with current regulatory standards. These improvements—spanning sludge dewatering, cake pumping, ash handling, and air emissions controls—ultimately benefit the entire community by ensuring a cleaner, more efficient facility.
Looking Ahead
As we complete the investigation phase and transition from “brain power to back power,” we anticipate continuing to tackle each retrofit milestone with the same rigor, skill, and positive attitude that’s defined our work thus far. With an expected completion timeline still a few years away, we remain steadfast in delivering high-quality, forward-thinking electrical solutions, helping our client meet operational demands while upgrading vital infrastructure.
At Con J. Franke Electric, we thrive on pushing boundaries in commercial electrical projects. Our involvement in the CCCSD Solids Handling Facility Improvements Phase 1A project is a testament to our dedication, problem-solving acumen, and commitment to the communities we serve. We look forward to seeing this project through to its successful conclusion and leaving a lasting positive impact on the facility and its operations for decades to come.
