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The Customer Challenge

Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU) provides electricity, natural gas, water, high speed Internet and cable

television services to Cedar Falls, a Northeast Iowa community of more than 37,000 people.

CFU Plant underwater


The CFU electric generation plant was forced to shut down in June 2008 when the Cedar River started pouring into the plant, filling the 20-foot-deep basement until finally cresting 2 feet above CFU's sandbagged flood wall.

When the waters receded three days later, CFU employees witnessed the devastation left behind.

"The electrical systems were all covered in dirt, mud and silt," said Tom Risse, CFU Electrical Engineer of Special Projects. "There was a lot of corrosion, and everything was electrically deteriorating. We've never been flooded like this before and had never seen anything like it."

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The Tri-City Electric Co. Solution

As an electrical contractor experienced with disaster recovery, and with proficiency in power testing, design, engineering and integration, Tri-City Electric Co. was able to step in and help CFU assess, restore and replace damaged equipment.


Within 12 hours of receiving the call, a Tri-City Electric Co. team of electrical engineers and switchgear specialists arrived on site to assess the damage and develop a technical action plan for recovery.


"During our initial assessment we were dredging through water and mud and inspecting equipment with flashlights," said Todd Daily, General Manager of the Tri-City Electric Co. Engineering Division. "The waterline had been about 6 feet above ground level, so anything below that was completely destroyed. My mantra after that inspection was - If it's an electrical component - if it had power to it or current through it - and lower than 6 feet from the ground, we needed to replace it."

CFU plant underwater from afar

A Tri-City Electric Co. team of nine engineers and six technical switchgear personnel were mobilized to implement the recovery plan developed to repair and replace the damaged components.The team documented and assessed the damage, recommended a course of action using the Tri-City Electric Co. design and procurement processes, and then implemented a course of action.


"Tri-City Electric Co. knew their subject matter very well, and were very calm, which was a big comfort to us," said Risse. "They have great project management and are very detail oriented, keeping track of everything. That's very valuable to us."


The Results

Tri-City Electric Co. worked in tandem with Continental Machinery, an industrial loss restoration specialist, and Seither & Cherry - Quad Cities, Inc, a specialty industrial contractor, to move the plant towards recovery. Throughout this, safety was a top priority.


Tri-City Electric Co. worked nearly 17,000 accident-free man hours to repair over 100 electric motors, replace electrical panels, and motor control centers. Tri-City Electric Co. also had up to 12 electricians working 10 hour days, 7 days a week at one point in time. The team completed the reconstruction of a new ash handling system, boiler switchgear, as well as the redesign and rebuild of the coal unloading facility.


Although the CFU electric generation plant was devastated in June of 2008 it has been totally rebuilt and modernized to meet current and future electrical requirements.


"Tri-City Electric Co. made great recommendations and really understood the way we operate," said Risse. "They really helped us make the best decisions, not just in terms of cost but also functionality. They had the qualifications and resources to help us, and expedite the process of getting the plant back online."


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