University of Michigan Central Power Plant Expansion

The team faced:

• No margin for downtime, with zero tolerance for disruption to live plant operations
• A constrained, congested footprint with heavy trade stacking
• Ongoing design changes requiring real-time coordination and execution
• COVID-era safety protocols layered onto an already complex jobsite

HVE delivered the full electrical and controls scope, integrating new systems into the existing plant without interruption.

Scope included:

• Medium-voltage distribution (4,800V and 13,200V)
• 120V–480V power systems
• Process instrumentation and controls
• Temperature controls and fire alarm systems
• Emergency responder radio coverage
• Hazardous gas detection and emissions monitoring systems (including continuous emissions monitoring)
• Leak detection systems

Over a nine-month execution window, the team installed:

• 550,000+ feet of power and control cable (100+ miles)
• 10,000+ critical wire terminations, each verified point-to-point
• Full system safety validation across all equipment

With budget and schedule at risk, HVE didn’t wait for direction; they reshaped the solution.

Key innovations included:

• Replacing extensive conduit runs with cable tray systems to reduce cost and labor
• Rerouting systems to address structural limitations while maintaining schedule
• Implementing temporary supports to keep winter work moving, then coordinating permanent installs without disrupting installed systems
• Redesigning the building temperature control system for efficiency and cost savings

Engineering and field teams operated in lockstep, delivering just-in-time design solutions to keep construction moving without delay.

HVE helped turn a strained project into a successful delivery.

• Delivered on schedule and on budget, despite a delayed start and evolving scope
• Zero unplanned outages to the active Central Power Plant
• Enabled a projected 400,000+ metric ton reduction in carbon emissions over 10 years, driven in part by reduced reliance on coal-based utility power
• Successfully integrated new generation capacity into live infrastructure without disruption

Their performance was instrumental in delivering a project that the University of Michigan called “dependent on HVE’s outstanding execution.”

What began as a delayed, over-budget project became a fully commissioned, high-performance energy system, delivered without compromise.

Huron Valley Electric didn’t just execute the work; they stabilized the project, reengineered the path forward, and delivered when failure wasn’t an option.