Temporary Power for Building Sites

Temporary power allows builders and tradespeople to work when there is no connection on the site. Power outages may be a result of having no permanent connection to the mains supply or might be a planned outage to allow for some work to be complete. Whether you’re seeking temporary power for an ongoing project or a short one-off timeframe, it is essential to establish a temporary power plan that adequately reflects your needs and provides a reliable supply of electricity.

Choosing the right temporary power supplier

The first step in gaining temporary power is to consult the experts and establish the potential power solutions on offer. Selecting a company that provides reliable and relevant insight is fundamental to the success of your backup power plan. To ensure you’re choosing the right company, be sure to vet their technicians and establish their experience before making your decision. The variable to consider in this selection process include:

1. How much power do you need in both volts and amps?
2. How long will you need temporary power?
3. How many different locations around the project do you want to “plugin”?
4. How quickly can you gain temporary power?
5. Can they guarantee a reliable and consistent supply of power?
6. Will they understand your unique temporary power needs?
7. How quickly will they respond to your loss of power?

Step-by-Step guide to getting temporary power

Gaining temporary power for a building site is an involved and unique process for every business. After thoroughly vetting and selecting the most appropriate power company, the temporary power poles must be installed, and this may require further permits and inspections. To help improve the efficiency of this process, we recommend preparing yourself for the following steps:

Initial Contact with Power Provider

After selecting the most appropriate power provider for your needs, you will need to provide the organisation with detailed insight into your business and your • specific power requirements. This information can include responses to the following questions:

• How much power do you need?
• When do you need power?
• Do you have an architectural drawing or an overview layout of the project?
• When can we schedule a site visit?

Site Visit and Design Layout

After this initial contact, the service provider will likely schedule a site visit. This inspection is typically conducted by an electrical technician as well as a sales representative from the company. This site visit is intended to establish the following factors, which may all influence the project moving forward:

• What you are building
• The size and location of any trailers
• Any special equipment requiring power, such as tower cranes, man-lifts and dewatering pumps
• The job duration
• Available utility sources
• Location of the source
• Where power is needed on the site

The sales representative uses this information to design a custom and suitable layout of the job. This customised plan will ensure the power supply can adequately cater to your needs, and is compliant with any local legislation or safety requirements.

Quote

After designing the job layout, the temporary power provider can supply a proposal and quote for the project. This outline typically includes:

– The approved layout and design map
– Required equipment
– Any exclusions
– The total cost

With the proposal and expected price provided, you can continue with installation of your temporary power system.

Verification of Site Layout

After approving the preliminary proposal, the power supplier may require a second site visit to confirm the layout and verify that no changes are required. This verification process should include:

– System planning and budgeting
– System design
– System coordination
– Inspections
– City permit processing
– Utility fees management
– Utility source verification
– Power Installation

The completion of this prep work allows for the power installation to commence. This process is conducted in line with the approved proposal and layout to ensure the final product is legally compliant and free of safety hazards.

Municipality Inspection and Utility Connections

Once your power installation is completed, local authorities will generally require a site inspection to assess the layout, equipment and generator connections. Once the system passes inspection, the utility company is notified, and the final connections between the transformer and the meter can be arranged.

Energised System Maintenance and Final Pick-Up

The nature of a construction site means these facilities can undergo significant changes in short periods. These fluctuations may sometimes require changes to the layout and equipment of a temporary power system. Most temporary power companies will make periodic visits to the job site to ensure everything is still running according to the existing parameters. When the project is nearing completion, the temporary power company can make arrangements to remove this system.

Reactive Generators

Reactive Generators provides temporary power solutions for the construction industry across Queensland. Our skilled technicians service clients in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Ipswich. We understand the complexities of a building site, which is why we work with our clients on an individual basis, to provide a solution that adequately reflects their needs. Contact the Reactive Generators team today for more information on our services.