Fibrelite’s HS-20 load rated composite trench covers have been selected by one of the nation’s largest metropolitan electrical utilities for a high-profile rebuild of a 345 kV bulk power substation. The substation is located in a low-lying coastal area that was subjected to severe flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The substation was flooded due to the hurricane’s strong winds and subsequent storm causing significant damage to critical power transmission equipment and forcing the utility to take it offline during the storm.

As part of the utilities’ efforts to protect its substations and generating facilities from future storms and hurricane damage, many of the transformers, switches and control equipment at the site were raised above the 100-year flood level elevation. As part of this process, the utility installed several hundred linear feet of concrete trench to run new cabling and underground circuits. The utility chose to install HS-20 load rated road crossing concrete trench manufactured by Trenwa, Inc., one of North America’s largest and best-known manufacturers of precast concrete trench. Trenwa’s concrete trench was equipped with Fibrelite composite trench covers that can carry heavy vehicle loads while being light enough to be manually removed.