Enhancing Critical Power for FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, a 402-bed, acute care, not-for-profit hospital that serves as the referral center for a 15-county region in the Carolinas, faced the critical need to upgrade its power infrastructure to support a significant expansion, including a full hospital backup and new women's center. The existing system, while functional, relied on a mix of aging generators and lacked the capacity and redundancy required to ensure uninterrupted patient care and support the growing energy demands of the hospital.
Curtis Power Solutions partnered with Adams Electric and Heapy Engineering to design and implement a robust, centralized energy plant. The project scope encompassed:
- Generator Replacement: Removed three existing generators and replaced new high-performance mtu RRPS 3,000 kW 4,160 V diesel generators.
- Generator Relocation: Relocated one existing 2,500 kW generator to accommodate future expansion plans.
- New Switchgear: Installed a new 11.5 MW 2,000A 4,160V paralleling switchgear with utility tie-in, ensuring seamless power transitions.
- Enhanced Reliability: Integrated redundant starting systems, best battery selectors, and factory witness testing to maximize system uptime and reliability.
- Load Bank Integration: Included an integrated LV docking station with a downstream step-up transformer to facilitate load bank testing and ensure optimal generator performance.
- Existing Generator Integration: Reprogrammed and modified the existing generator to enable seamless paralleling with the new system.
Why Curtis Power Solutions?
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital recognized the importance of expert guidance throughout the project lifecycle and appreciated the comprehensive engineering support provided by Curtis Power Solutions, from the initial conceptual design and detailed engineering to the final commissioning phase. The hospital had a strong preference for mtu generators, renowned for their exceptional uptime and reliability which aligns with FirstHealth's commitment to patient safety and operational excellence. Curtis Power Solutions demonstrated the ability to effectively align its lead times with the demanding project schedule, ensuring timely delivery, and minimizing potential project delays.
Results
The project culminated in a successful commissioning with a 6 MW load bank test that validated the system's performance and reliability and is now fully operational. This enhanced power infrastructure significantly improves patient safety by ensuring the continuous operation of critical services. The system is designed with future growth and expansion in mind, ensuring the hospital's long-term power needs are always met.