Delivering Uninterrupted Power and Performance for High-Containment Laboratories
FEDERICK, MARYLAND
Fort Detrick’s National Inter-agency Biodefense Campus required uninterrupted power and utility performance to support bio-safety level 3 and 4 laboratories, where even minimal downtime could impact mission-critical national biodefense operations. The campus faced aging infrastructure, increasing reliability demands, and the need for enhanced system redundancy and resiliency to ensure continuous, secure operations across the facility.
99.999
availability equals maximum downtime of 5.26 minutes per year
2008
INFRASTRUCTURE AWARD – NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (NCPPP)
STAR VPP
STAR STATUS FROM OSHA’S VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAM (VPP)
Innovative Solutions
Energy Systems Group deployed a multi-phase, redundant energy infrastructure and microgrid solution to deliver ultra-reliable power, steam, and chilled water, ensuring continuous operations and 99.999% availability for mission-critical biodefense laboratories.
Installed five 1,200-HP dual-fuel fire tube boilers to deliver reliable steam generation exceeding 200,000 PPH at 125 PSIG.
Deployed two 1,800-ton electric centrifugal chillers and a 2.5-million-gallon thermal energy storage tank to improve cooling reliability and operational efficiency
Commissioned five 1.76 MVA diesel uninterruptible power supply units with rotary flywheels and standby generators to provide continuous backup power and maximize uptime.
Configured 100,000-gallon #2 diesel fuel backup system to ensure extended operational continuity during outages.
Installed two 1,800-ton electric centrifugal chillers to expand cooling capacity and increase redundancy.
Constructed three diesel interruptible power supply units and standby generators to strengthen power resiliency and maintain mission-critical operations.
Installed new 12.47kV duct banks from EPF to Signal Campus loads to improve electrical reliability and distribution resiliency.
Constructed new transformers and switchgear to modernize the electrical infrastructure and support facility growth.
Implemented Chiller-in-a-Box (CiB) and Boiler-in-a-Box (BiB) to provide rapid deployment backup systems and operational redundancy.
Enhanced Infrastructure Resiliency
99.999% availability ensures uninterrupted operations for high-containment biodefense laboratories.
Award-Winning Safety & Performance
Redundant power, steam, and chilled water systems support continuous operations and emergency preparedness.
Mission-Critical Reliability
National recognition and multiple OSHA VPP recertifications demonstrate long-term operational excellence.
From the Client
"This project required significant effort from numerous individuals. This effort was all the way from field personnel to corporate management. ESG personnel were engaged and extremely organized throughout this process."
— Michael E. Penland, Principal, Keen Development Associates
