Pipe Leak Causes Major Electrical Room Contamination

Incident

During the construction of a four-story apartment building complex, a pipe leak from the upper floors at one end of the building caused water to cascade down, significantly impacting the structure.  One end of the building, still under construction, suffered top-to-bottom internal damage. The electrical room, located on the first floor, was exposed to contaminated water and construction dust.  The newly installed but not yet energized electrical equipment in the room, including power meter columns with fuse blocks, connecting busways, and primary and secondary switchgear, was contaminated by the water and construction dust, threatening the integrity of these critical systems.  Although the internal contamination was somewhat restricted due to the covers on the electrical equipment, they were not completely sealed, allowing a portion of the contamination to affect a portion of the internal conductive components.

Challenges

The primary concern was the contamination of sensitive electrical equipment. Water and dust infiltration onto and potentially inside the critical components posed risks of safety, degradation by corrosion, and possible malfunction. The situation was further complicated by the scope of the exposure to contaminants and potential physical damage, which expanded over time to include nearly the entire electrical room. Additional equipment was added to the restoration plan mid-project due to additional to found contaminants, requiring flexibility and precision from the restoration team. Furthermore, while AREPA restored the majority of the equipment, fire protection systems in the room were up and running and fully functional.  The equipment supplier handled anything required for the fire protection panels.

Outcome

AREPA responded promptly after receiving initial calls, with restoration efforts swiftly underway following the assignment of a project manager. Despite the evolving scope, AREPA successfully restored all affected electrical equipment in the room, working throughout the holidays and weekend, apart from the fire protection systems. By salvaging these critical components, AREPA helped avoid any additional and prolonged delays and disruption to the construction timeline.