Work continues on the landscape-shifting expansion of Alliant Energy's Riverside Energy Center near Beloit, Wisconsin. The $700 million project will double the facility's size by adding a second power plant -- a 700-megawatt, natural- gas-fueled generating facility with an integrated 2-megawatt solar field. Since breaking ground in fall 2016, dozens of cranes from Dawes Rigging & Crane Rental, a member of The ALL Family of Companies, have been on the site, touching virtually every aspect of construction. Dawes has also provided service and maintenance support for the job, as well as their own operators.
"The demands of a project this large require a lot of equipment, immediate response from technicians and being able to provide new equipment on short order," said Ryan Harrison, manager of Dawes' Madison, Wisconsin, branch.
Every project poses its own logistical challenges, but pressure intensifies when hundreds of millions of dollars are on the line, and, of course, time is money. Fortunately, Dawes has access to ALL Crane's dozens of branches nationwide, acting as a supply chain with equipment migrating along a carefully planned corridor.
Dawes has been involved since the project's earliest days, supplying two all-terrain (AT) cranes, an 85-ton and a 95-ton, to remove existing water pumps. This was necessary before construction could begin because the pumps were to be replaced by larger ones. Dawes also brought in two operators to man its rough-terrain cranes -- a 130-ton Grove TR-9130E and a 150-ton Link-Belt RTC-80150 -- to set rebar cages for the plant's foundation.
"From there, we started doing underground work, setting concrete pipe for the cooling system," said Harrison. Pieces were up to 20 feet long and weighed 40,000 pounds. ALL provided Link-Belt ATC3210s, chosen for their maneuverability and efficient movement with counterweights.
In addition to a Dawes-supplied Manitowoc 4100 crawler crane, Alliant Energy also used its own 4100 on the project, but Dawes helped assemble it. "We were the natural choice because we already perform all the service work on their unit," added Harrison.
Other Dawes equipment on the job includes a Liebherr LTM-1350 to lift and set piping and rebar, a Link-Belt ATC- 3210 to lift piping, a Skyjack ZB2044 telehandler and assorted 50- to 60-ton RTs for general lifting.
"This job has been a showcase for all that we bring to the table," said Harrison. "That's the depth and breadth of our fleet, our ability to mobilize cranes and get them on the site, the talent and expertise of our people, the quality of our service, and the level of trust we build with customers. Overall, we offer value beyond simply supplying equipment."
Once the Riverside expansion is completed by early 2020, it will have the capacity to serve more than 535,000 homes.
For more information, visit www. allcrane.com or call (800) 232-4100.
