This project was completed in late 2019, and comprised of £1.2 million electrical works and £1.6 million for the generators.
As the project was completed in mid-winter, Barton Knight’s contractors had to work flexibly in live environments around the hospital at times deemed less critical.
The upgrade was required under the government’s Health Technical Memorandum 06-01 (HTM 06) for electrical services supply and distribution. The guidance specifies that hospitals should have three hours of continuous power available in the event of a power failure. The work completed by Barton Knight has ensured the maternity, psychiatric and critical care wards have full generator support.
In one switch room the existing switch panel was in the centre of the room, with peripheral panels around the walls – an inefficient arrangement. To complete the upgrade without compromising the electrical supply, Barton Knight had to clear one area first to fit the initial part of the new main panel, and then migrate it across over 3 months. The new feeder pillar was installed outside with a transformer to support it, in turn backed-up by a new 1,000 kVA generator in an adjacent room.
The new maternity switch room panel was too large for the room, so it was split in two and joined across the top of the doorway by a busbar.
Wexham Park also required extra electrical capacity – when the generators are running the hospital wanted the facility to transfer excess power and sell it back into the grid under the Energy Networks Association’s (ENA) G99 regulation. Barton Knight fitted the infrastructure for the UK Power Network to adopt the unit, ensuring the hospital is paid for feeding power back at peak times, offsetting the installation costs of the panels and generators.
“This arrangement is less common since National Grid lowered what it pays for electricity, but we anticipate further projects as general electricity prices rise,” comments Mel Horton, Senior Contracts Manager for Barton Knight Contracting.
Barton Knight has since been employed by Wexham Park Hospital to work on several other schemes.
