Services

Transmission & Distribution

ECI ranks among the largest of U.S. firms specializing in Transmission & Distribution engineering services. ECI provides Transmission and Distribution services for lines with voltages ranging from 12 kV to 765 kV, including new installations, upgrading of existing facilities, reconductoring and line re-rating. From greenfield transmission lines over one hundred miles long to single pole replacements; ECI provides the same commitment to quality and efficiency on every project. Our wide breadth of experience extends from traditional design of monopole wood, steel or concrete construction, H-frame or lattice towers to innovative tri-pod or other specialty structure design required to economically address unique circumstances.

Substation & Switchyard

ECI’s station design team provides design services to a wide variety of electric utilities including municipal, cooperative and investor-owned, as well as independent power producers. Projects range from small facility additions to major 500 kV switchyards and generation interconnect stations. Our engineers are experienced in almost every conceivable bus arrangement scheme utilized, including radial, ring, modified ring, paired element, main & transfer, breaker and one-half and double-bus/double breaker. ECI is experienced in the application of phase-shifting trans-formers, EHV series capacitor banks, multi-stage back-to-back shunt capacitors and energy storage systems in addition to possessing extensive knowledge and experience in the field of system protection philosophy.

Communications & SCADA

ECI provides a complete solution for SCADA integration from indication, control and network diagrams through protocol conversion and custom automation logic. ECI works with all parties involved with SCADA and communications related planning, infrastructure, devices, protocols, ISO requirements, networking and overall integration. ECI has a wide background in all common types of communication system applications such as tone, power line carrier, microwave, satellite, radio and fiber optics utilizing technologies such as Automatic Meter Reading (AMR), Trouble Call Analysis (TCA) and Distribution Automation (DA). ECI’s staff can provide the design of communication sites such as regeneration, cellular, microwave or satellite.

System Planning & Protection

ECI provides a comprehensive range of services for system planning and protection. ECI’s experience covers all aspects of system protection from 500 kV transmission to 4 kV distribution and all types of generation. Substation protection has included various static and dynamic Var devices, transformers, breakers, and busses for straight, double breaker, break and a half, and ring bus configurations. Transmission lines have included series compensation, line end reactors, double circuit, cables, under-build, short and long line, and multi-terminal. Distribution has included overcurrent and distance relay protection for looped and radial systems with all forms of bus configurations. Generation protection experience has included hydro, solar, inverter, induction and doubly fed wind, nuclear, coal, combined cycle, BESS, and natural gas.

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy markets are projected to grow steadily in the coming decades. Wind and Solar energy are emerging as some of the best alternatives to meet the growing demand for renewable power with its competitive costs and environmental advantages. ECI’s engineering staff has the expertise to address major items related to renewable projects including Project Siting & Environmental Permitting, Transmission Routing & Design, Collection System Design, Cable Ampacity, Losses, Power Factor, Dynamic Response, Fault Currents, Grounding Bank & Arrester Evaluation and Steady State Transmission Load Flows, Facility Optimization Studies, Feasibility Reports, Load Flow and Short Circuit Studies, Interconnection Studies and Application Support, Distribution and Communications.

Right of Way

The focus of ECI’s Land Services Group is to provide electric utility and energy clients with a complete range of Land Services with the added advantage of ECI’s complete design, engineering, construction and commissioning services for construction projects. We provide temporary site access, site access, or easement acquisition for electrical transmission and distribution easement acquisition, gas pipeline easement acquisition and substation site acquisition, as well as pipeline easement and compression station site acquisition. Additional services include initial ownership investigation, title research and appraisal work in addition to the deployment of on-site negotiation representatives.

Environmental & Permitting

Our Environmental team seeks to provide a seamless transition from the environmental planning to the design phase of a project and on to permitting, right-of-way acquisition and construction. This approach provides our clients with the highest degree of efficiency and value possible. ECI’s experienced environmental planning staff provides a comprehensive scope of environmental services including siting and feasibility studies, all facets of facility permitting, environmental compliance and monitoring. Our Environmental Services Group also understands the intricacies of providing environmental services for a project with sensitive or controversial issues. ECI’s Environmental Services Group coordinates with our Lands Group and engineering design staff to provide the utmost of design compatibility to address any issues of public concern.

Power Generation

From conception to commissioning, ECI specializes in the protection, monitoring and automation of power generation plants of all types.

Our engineering team specializes in the design, programming, and commissioning of automated control & protection systems. We offer domain experience in the areas of hydroelectric and fossil fuel power generation, substation automation & integration, utility interconnect, renewable energy facilities, wind farms and distributed energy resources. From communication data concentrators, RTUs, protective relays, PLC & HMI, to complete SCADA solutions. We optimize your assets and maximize production, while focusing on safety and reliability. Our project experience includes greenfield plant protection & controls; brownfield plant automation upgrades; protective relay upgrades; governor replacements; water management systems; fish passage; excited upgrades; flow & level control equipment automation; remote monitoring and alarm notification; and dam failure and monitoring systems.