Eareckson Electrical Distribution Infrastructure Replacement

Coffman provided electrical, civil, and structural engineering services for the phased replacement of aging electrical distribution infrastructure at Eareckson Air Station on Shemya Island, Alaska. The $42.5 million project modernized the installation’s 13.8kV electrical distribution system to improve reliability and resiliency for secure, mission-critical facilities operating in a remote arctic environment. Work included replacement of approximately six miles of medium-voltage feeders, 36 transformers, 44 cable junction pedestals, and nine pad-mounted switches, as well as demolition of obsolete electrical infrastructure.

A key project challenge was identifying system components most susceptible to failure while maintaining uninterrupted power to critical operations. Coffman supported an installation-wide condition assessment of the electrical distribution system, including partial discharge testing of cables, transformers, terminations, and associated equipment. Assessment results were used to prioritize infrastructure replacement and support phased construction implementation.

Electrical design included replacement of degraded distribution infrastructure, redundant feeder cross-connect switching, protective relay coordination, and a new SCADA control and monitoring system designed to meet U.S. Air Force cybersecurity requirements. Civil and structural engineering services supported site improvements, utility coordination, grading, equipment foundations, and installation of new electrical infrastructure. Coffman also provided construction administration services, including submittal reviews, responses to RFIs, and construction inspections.