OUR SERVICES

ECI works with every client to fully understand the needs and expectations for their substation or switchyard projects. ECI’s station design team has over 35 years’ experience on several hundred design projects throughout the U.S. We provide 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. ECI’s staff remains dedicated to maintaining a high level of technical knowledge, incorporating leading edge concepts and solutions for all facets of substation design while utilizing state-of-the-art technical tools and software.

ECI has acquired and developed a myriad of design programs for use in substation bus & foundation design, grounding, short circuit, lighting, lighting protection and structural loading. 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 transformers, 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.

ECI’s distribution line design philosophy is based upon experience spanning three decades in the industry utilizing Rural Utility Service standards for technical line design and utility design standards & requirements based on current National Electric Safety Codes (NESC) as well as applicable local codes. As a customer oriented company, ECI can tailor its design to conform to any client’s specific utility construction standards using preferred utility standard material items.

ECI is capable of handling large or small overhead distribution line design projects in rural environments as well as underground distribution cable installations in urban settings. ECI’s internal quality control methods and procedures provide our clients the highest level of efficiency in the performance of engineering services. ECI’s distribution design team project approach emphasizes innovation and cost savings that make ECI an ideal partner for any distribution design project.

Utilities require reliable engineering partners to plan, design, procure, and construct safe, economical, and environmentally friendly facilities. Our Transmission Design teams leverage their vast experience, creative thinking, and exceptional engineering judgment to develop innovative and efficient design solutions.

ECI is one of the largest U.S. firms specializing in Transmission & Distribution engineering services, having designed and analyzed thousands of miles of overhead transmission lines for various energy clients, including investor-owned utilities, public utilities, municipalities, and rural cooperatives.

ECI provides services for lines with voltages ranging from 12 kV to 765 kV, including new installations, upgrades, reconductoring, and line re-rating. We use the latest technical tools and software for conductor and line design, structure modeling, and detailed drawing development. ECI’s commitment to quality, efficiency, and the use of advanced engineering tools ensures we meet or exceed client expectations, making us a preferred engineering consultant.

ECI’s Power System Protection and System Integration subject matter experts oer clients the experience, knowledge and lessons learned from a broad portfolio of successful projects up to 765kV.

In addition to traditional coordination studies, setting calculations, logic diagrams and protective relay programming; ECI offers the talents of an engineering team experienced in many advanced topics including:

• Application of IEC-61850 standards and products including GOOSE, MMS, and SAMPLE VALUE protocols.
• Guidance for Remedial Action Schemes (RAS) protection and other complex schemes needed for special applications.

• System-wide coordination and wide area ground coordination studies.
• Real-Time Digital Simulation (RTDS) and Black Start studies.
• Specialized knowledge of ASPEN Oneliner with a vendor certified instructor on staff.
• Proficient on all common protection software applications such as AcSELerator, EnerVista, CAPE, SKM, ETAP & Oneliner.
• Specialized knowledge and skill with the SEL product line and the proper application of common and unique protection schemes.
• In-depth understanding of NERC PRC, MOD, & CIP standards.
• On call service plans for PRC-004 support to quickly respond to disturbance events.
• NERC compliance support from calculations and documentation to supporting PRC reporting requirements.

ECI has been providing engineering services to industrial clients since 1985. During this time period, ECI has won the confidence of many repeat industrial clients with our commitment to long-term client support and our ability to offer a broad range of industrial electrical engineering, civil and structural services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Many projects are unique to a particular facility, while others share similarities that are based on standards published by NEMA, ANSI, IEC, API, OSHA and NFPA.

Industrial projects that ECI has completed are as varied as the clients themselves, which include power generation, petrochemical, mining, milling and smelting, pipelines/terminals and water pumping/wastewater treatment facilities. ECI’s Industrial Systems staff has extensive experience in the design of a wide range of industrial power systems through 69 kV.

ECI utilizes the latest in software and technology for industrial power systems, control systems, instrumentation, plant automation and communications. ECI maintains strategic alliances with numerous engineering firms that may be required on certain projects that involve special requirements or knowledge outside ECI’s scope of industrial and utility systems design.

ECI’s strong relationship with our alliance partners allows us to supply complete, multi-disciplined design services that yield key benefits to our clients.

As a leading utility scale energy storage solution provider, ECI has completed project design on world class BESS installations with capacities up to 506 MW and energy ratings up to 2024 MWh. 

For over 10 years, ECI has designed over 1,350 MW worth of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Our work experience in the field includes nearly every conceivable scenario, such as complete system design, to substation interconnection, all the way to the battery itself.Our battery installation experience includes installation of racks and batteries in containers and buildings.

BESS projects require close coordination with the battery supplier to coordinate their often proprietary and unique battery management system, energy management system, power conversion system (inverter) and communications / SCADA requirements.

ECI has coordinated our designs with the industry’s top battery and inverter suppliers including Samsung, Tesla, BYD, XtremePower, CATL, Sumitomo, Powin Energy, Power Electronics, Energport, General Electric, Mitsubishi and Panasonic.

ECI’s experience in other technical areas often associated with BESS projects includes power system studies, system protection, arc ash studies, CAISO’s New Resource Integration (NRI) process and microgrids.

ECI provides a comprehensive range of services, from limited assistance to highly complex and specialized system studies ranging from conceptual development to design and operating studies to support project implementation. While there is a wide diversity in the type and amount of expertise provided on projects, ECI’s focus remains singular on providing the highest value solutions for our clients.

Operating Studies

• System Operating Limits, Constraints, Guidelines & Means of Upgrading to Raise Technical Limits
• Performance Studies: Identification of System Weak Conditions & Preparedness for Worst Conditions
• Transmission System Adequacy for Higher Order Contingencies System Restoration Plans

Power Systems Planning

• Long/Short Range System Plans
• Reliability Enhancement by Inter-Regional Transmission Interconnections
• Reactive Power Planning & Voltage Control
• Conceptual Planning-Interconnection Proposals & Need Documents
• Facilities Condition Assessment & Improvement
• Appraisal of System Adequacy & Configuration
• Development of Planning Database
• Standardization of Facilities
• Standard Equipment Ratings: Transformers, Switchgear etc.
• System Database Cases Development & Updates
• Techno-Economic Analysis, Data Requirements & Guidelines
• Project Life Cycle Costing
• Nerc Compliance
• Load/Capacity Analysis
• System Impact Assessment
• Evaluation of System Configurations
• System Performance Requirements for HVDC Integration
• Short Circuit Studies

ECI/EPCS provides complete Construction Management services for the power delivery industry. Our experienced staff is available for on-site management of QA/QC and surveillance of all transmission and substation construction projects. ECI/EPCS can provide a complete construction management team for a project or individual personnel for staffing arrangements.

Material Management

In combination with the development of specifications for transmission and substation material and equipment, ECI/EPCS can perform a complete range of procurement services. We can serve as owners’ agent in soliciting and evaluating bids. We also perform supplier monitoring and expediting, including factory inspections, quality control reviews and test witnessing.

Safety Management

ECI/EPCS’s safety staff are knowledgeable in Contractual Safety Requirements, ECI Company Health, Safety and Environmental Safety Policies, OSHA Regulations, ANSI, NIOSH Regulations, NFPA Codes, EPA Regulations, Federal, State and Local Laws. A safety professional will conduct ”Site-Specific Safety Orientation” with all hands to qualify them for work on the job site. An ECI safety professional has full authority to Stop Work if imminent danger exists and discuss corrective action with all workers via a tailboard meeting. Our ultimate goal is zero incident for every project.

ECI’s Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Team was established to meet the growing need for GIS services and to aid clients with project scoping analysis, site identification, permitting and environmental assessment. The team successfully provides visual representations of data and its spatial relationship to development sites, places of interest and project areas.

Our GIS/Mapping Services Team is comprised of experienced professionals with the knowledge to implement GIS solutions for electric transmission network assets, right-of-way management, site planning, land/vegetation management and legacy data updates.

Our team is adept in combining spatial data from a variety of sources including aerial imagery, CADD, GPS Survey field data and existing legacy maps to assist in reaching efficient decision-making procedures through GIS analysis.

ECI utilizes an extensive database of existing transmission, distribution and substation facilities across the U.S. from which to create intricate mapping resources for use in the siting, planning and permitting of major utility facilities. Mobile GIS solutions are used to support optimized routing, facilities location, field data collection and field design.

ECI’s Survey Department consists of professionally-licensed surveyors with extensive field experience in various types of surveying. We use advanced 3D imagery equipment, including a 360-degree terrestrial laser scanner and a survey-grade ground-penetrating radar antenna, along with robotic surveying and GPS systems to deliver highly accurate and dense survey data.

Our expertise covers above and below ground scanning and imagery for transmission lines, substations, regulator stations, and gas lines. We have worked on thousands of miles of telecommunication lines, gas or electric T&D facilities, and numerous telecommunication sites across the U.S.

We offer comprehensive land services for design, right-of-way acquisition, engineering support, construction staking, and as-built surveying for power and gas facilities. Our processes ensure precise and accurate survey data for engineering and construction-related imagery.

The focus of ECI’s Land Services Group is to provide electric utility and energy clients with a complete range of Land Services (ROW, Surveying & Environmental) with the added advantage of ECI’s complete design, engineering, construction and commissioning services for construction projects.

We provide wireless communication facility site acquisition through building permit processing, 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.

ECI’s Land Agents have worked in combined development and construction engineering capacities on a wide range of projects, including gas pipeline, long haul fiber optics and electric transmission. We have experienced permitting specialists, project managers, telecommunication facility site specialists and acquisition agents needed for any size project.

Our internal services include substation design, transmission and distribution siting and design, electric system planning, and environmental services. EPC Services Company, our construction subsidiary, together with our Land Services Department, provides our clients an integrated project approach that oers optimal value in power delivery consulting services.

ECI believes that an honest and open personal relationship with each landowner is essential for success in negotiations. ECI continues to be at the forefront in the preparation of right-of-way cost analysis for linear projects, identification of pertinent permitting requirements and handling of sensitive landowner issues. We have personnel with the tenured experience to identify route recommendations having fewer anticipated landowner issues or political conflicts.

ECI’s Land Services Group can manage intricate and complex projects providing due diligence services, review of existing ownership records and curative work as required to serve our clients needs. We will prepare all documentation necessary to review land ownership issues, present offers, and execute the agreements necessary to assure a timely and successful project.

All ECI projects are managed with the goal of exceeding our client’s expectations. Our 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.

ECI can provide guidance and engineering for the development of new communication systems, as well as migration of existing systems to new technology. ECI provides a complete services solution for communication projects including planning, infrastructure, devices, protocols, ISO requirements, networking and overall system integration & setup. ECI has an extensive background in communication technologies such as tone, power line carrier, microwave, satellite, radio, and fiber optics supporting system applications such as Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA), Automatic Meter Reading (AMR), Trouble Call Analysis (TCA) and Distribution Automation (DA).

ECI’s experienced staff can design communication sites such as regeneration, cellular, microwave or satellite. We have completed numerous regeneration and amplifier site development projects nationwide. ECI’s experience in outside plant design includes a variety of underground cable projects as well as ADSS and OPGW overhead systems. ECI has installed fiber optic cable systems with responsibilities ranging from routing to construction management.

• Telecommunication Teleprotection
  • SCADA & Communications Systems
  • Routing & Signal Strength Assessment
  • Central Office Systems/Electronics
  • Wireless Communications
  • Overhead & Underground Outside Plant

The ECI team has significant experience in many areas of hydroelectric power generation, from the design of plant wide control system upgrades to complete electrical design packages. Our team can provide the complete engineering scope of services from Water to Wire!

Our staff have helped many clients monitor & control hydroelectric plants for optimal operation. Our services include unit automation, excitation systems, governor controls, generator & transformer protection, rubber dam automation, water level management and utility interconnection.

ECI is also well-versed in fish passage automation and control, water level/flow management and designing systems to meet regulatory requirements. We have completed multiple fully automatic, unattended fish elevator, bypass, and attraction systems. Our scope of services includes facility power distribution design, elevator & valve automation, and attraction flow control.

As hydroelectric industry veterans, ECI strives to help our clients optimize their hydroelectric facilities to provide the greatest return on investment while meeting regulatory & contractual requirements.

Development & Studies

ECI and our subsidiary, EPC Services Company, have an extensive resume of providing engineering, procurement and construction management services for a variety of utilities and renewable developers and projects throughout the U.S.

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 System Design as well as Detailed Substation Design.

Maintenance Services

EPC Services Company’s experienced Testing and Engineering staff can assist renewable energy developers in providing ongoing maintenance, inspection and testing for all types of electrical equipment.

From commissioning equipment to setting and testing of protective relays, EPC Services Company can handle all your facility startup and preventative maintenance needs. Services are available on a project or annual testing basis. Service plans oer the advantage of immediate dispatch of personnel & equipment for critical problems.

Electric Feasibility Support

ECI supports utilities and renewable developers through the development of conceptual one-line diagrams and general layouts for projects as a basis for economic evaluation and financing. Additional support is provided through budgetary cost estimates for our subsidiary, EPC Services Company, to function as the prime electrical contractor for generation projects.

Interconnection Studies

ECI’s extensive resume of past utility studies have been accepted by IOU utilities, Western Area Power, Bonneville Power and electric cooperatives, ensuring that ECI is a trusted interconnection partner for utilities and renewable developers.

Queue Applications & Interconnection Agreements

ECI can assist utilities and renewable developers with evaluation of the best strategy to achieve needed system transmission service in our present “constrained U.S. market”. ECI provides astute technical support needed for transmission and generation queue applications. We regularly provide guidance in the negotiation of large and small Generation Interconnection Agreements.

Our superior experience and expertise avoids unnecessary costs to our clients through defensible utility grade studies and negotiation of reasonable requirements for flicker, low voltage ride through, and dynamic VAR support.

Alliance Approach

ECI’s success is built upon strategic alliance relationships with energy companies and world-wide electric T&D manufacturers. ECI is also interested in opportunities to participate as an alliance partner with firms seeking outside investment and ownership.

Unexpected and costly outages and downtime impact the ability to achieve safe and reliable levels of operation. Preventative maintenance to identify and eliminate potential trouble areas in systems ensures optimum system availability and service levels. ECI’s subsidiary, EPC Services Company, provides testing and commissioning services to a wide variety of electric utilities, (municipal, cooperative, investor-owned, and independent power producers) and industrial clients.

EPCS Electrical Testing Services is staed by engineers and technicians having the experience with electrical apparatus needed to meet expected levels of quality assurance. Our technicians utilize the most modern testing equipment available to ensure accurate and repeatable operation. Services include troubleshooting of equipment and resolving operational problems, infra-red thermography, and testing and maintenance functions that adhere to NETA, IEC, ANSI, IEEE and NEMA standards.