Long Island Solar Farm at Brookhaven

In November of 2011, LIPA commissioned the new 32 Megawatt Long Island Solar Farm at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The completion of currently the largest SolarFarm on the east coast will generate enough energy topower 4,500 homes annually. Completion of the project marks a milestone in Local 25’s history of “providing for the electrical needs of Long Islanders.”

The facility, situated on roughly 200 acres is now owned by MetLife. It is comprised of 164,312 fixed position ground mounted solar modules. These arrays are tied to the system through the installation of 458 combiner boxes which are connected to 25 individual 1.25 MVA inverter stations (Power Blocks). These inverters are then tied to a new switchyard via 13.8 underground feeders.

The switchyard then is connected to an existing LIPA substation via a 3,000 foot 69 kv underground link.Hawkeye LLC was awarded thecontract for the job back in September 2010. Local 25 Foreman Bob Kenney, Shop Steward Godfrey King, and over 175 other Local 25 members worked on the project through most of 2011.

“Overcoming some of the harshest weather conditions last year made this project a real challenge, said General Foreman Bob Kenney. It took a tremendous collaborative effort amongst members of Local 25, Hawkeye, the Local25 Business Office and the JATC, and as a result we were able to complete the project on time while promoting a high level of workmanship. For this I say ‘Thank You’.” Steward Godfrey King said “I really enjoyed representing Local 25 members on one of the largest solar projects on the East Coast. We had a team of approximately 175 Local 25 members and their participation in building the project contributed to the ongoing development of renewable energy here on Long Island.”

The project, which received the “Best Photovoltaic Project of the Year” award from NYSEIA (New York Solar Energy Industries Association), is expected to reduce carbon emissions by about 30,000 metric tons per year. With the completion of the BP Solar site and the ongoing East Long Island Solar Project in Suffolk, both totalling roughly 50 mw of “Green Energy,” Local 25 has positioned itself as the leader in Renewable Energy projects on Long Island.

“This new industry will provide Local 25 with many jobs in the future,” said Suffolk Business Representative Kevin Casey. This project has provided the Local with tens of thousands of manhours and, along with the Eastern Suffolk/Enxco project currently being done by Eldor Contracting, will make Local 25 and NECA the players to go to when it comes to constructing any large scale Renewable Energy project here on the island.

To Read More About this Amazing Build By The IBEW 25 Team, Please Visit the IBEW International Site and the Electrical Worker