Wilson Creek RWWTP Electrical Improvements

Mbroh’s electrical design solutions updated aging and compromised electrical equipment at Wilson Creek RWWTP with modern equipment to extend the plant’s useful life. Mbroh’s improvements include a new power yard with a main medium voltage paralleling switchgear that parallels multiple medium voltage generators with two electrical utility power services. This project is one of NTMWD’s largest electrical generation systems at this time that parallels with a power company and provides plant-wide power reliability.

The project provides a fully redundant power source plant-wide via overhead distribution. Construction of these electrical improvements increased maintainability by allowing isolation of load centers and switchgears and included a new 5kV overhead loop consisting of 42 poles and 13 reclosers; nine new secondary unit stations; two new electrical buildings for the sludge pump station; and a new access road.

In recognition of the team’s design solutions, this project received the 2022 ACEC Texas Engineering Excellence Award and ACEC National Recognition Award.

The impact of this facility comes into sharp focus when Texans recall Winter (Ice) Storm Uri, also called “Snowmaggedon of 2021,” an unforgettable, state-wide snow/ice event in February 2021. Millions of Texans were impacted by extended power outages in sub-zero temperatures and loss of water/wastewater service, that left Texans sheltering in place and asking questions when the state thawed out.  

This project provides design improvements as a step in the right direction for maintaining critical service to customers. Now, if the plant fails to receive power from the power company, onsite generators will provide the necessary power to continue operations. The design also provides local utilities with the option to temporarily remove the plant from the power grid and continue plant-wide operations using onsite generators. This helps utility providers ease system load and better distribute the region’s energy supplies to all customers. 

Mbroh Engineering also provided on-site resident representation services such as preparation of daily construction reports, quality review and conformance with design standards, as well as engineering services during construction.